Reports & Papers

The goal of this report is to address the role that popular frustration can play in the politics of the Arab world. It analyzes contemporary populist movements to identify how the internal logic of populism could be applied in this region and how the cultural context can shape local messages, addressing in particular the roles of Islam, anti-Western sentiment and extremist propaganda. It also proposes actionable guidance for Western practitioners, including in terms of communication.

"Cybersecurity is a means to enable social stability and promote digital democracy; a method by which to govern the Internet; and a process by which to secure critical infrastructure from cybercrime, cyberespionage, cyberterrorism and cyberwar. As nations and corporations recognize their dependence on ICT, policymakers must find the proper balance in protecting their investments without strangling future growth."

The Palestinian camps are characteristic of the greatest foreign policy challenges that face us today. They are ungoverned spaces in Lebanon, subject to official discrimination, extremely radicalized, and tied to decades of conflict. However, the United States has almost no official policy or means of engagement with the camps. This paper argues that the United States can and should engage them by introducing USAID projects, expanding exchange and educational programs, and targeted outreach and communications. Most importantly, the United States should adopt a policy of urging the Lebanese government to improve human rights and living conditions for the Palestinians. The significance of a new approach is not only for the camps, but more broadly as we struggle to more effectively counter global instability and terrorism.

Council on Foreign Relations publication on the U.S.-Turkey relationship