event
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Report Launch: Arab Horizons

Thu. January 24th, 2019
Beirut, Lebanon

Middle Eastern states and societies face unprecedented socioeconomic, political, and institutional challenges. Declining oil prices, increased global competition, and growing populations threaten the rentier system that developed in most Arab countries in recent decades wherein authoritarian leaders trade social services for citizen’s political acquiescence. The old order is thus breaking down with no clear articulation of what comes next.

The Carnegie Middle East Center held the launch of its new report titled Arab Horizons: Pitfalls and Pathways to Renewal. The report explores interrelated challenges facing the Arab world, notably challenges that relate to political economy, governance, education, refugee crises, and conflict. It is based on the premise that citizens and states should forge new social contracts to address these massive challenges. Arab Horizons is composed of five policy-oriented chapters that include commentary by Carnegie scholars and prominent experts in the field.

The launch of the report featured a panel discussion with co-authors Joseph Bahout, Marwan Muasher and Maha Yahya, as well as contributor Rima Karami-Akkary. 

SPEAKERS

Joseph Bahout is a nonresident scholar in the Carnegie Endowment's Middle East Program and a co-author of Arab Horizons.

Marwan Muasher is the vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a co-author of Arab Horizons.

Rima Karami-Akkary is an associate professor at the American University in Beirut, the director of the TAMAM initiative, and a contributor to Arab Horizons.

PANEL CHAIR

Maha Yahya is the director of Carnegie Middle East Center and a co-author of Arab Horizons.

Political ReformEconomyMiddle EastNorth AfricaEgyptLevant
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Joseph Bahout

Nonresident Fellow, Middle East Program

Joseph Bahout was a nonresident fellow in Carnegie’s Middle East Program. His research focuses on political developments in Lebanon and Syria, regional spillover from the Syrian crisis, and identity politics across the region.

Rima Karami-Akkary

Karami Akkary is an Associate Professor of Educational Administration, Policy and Leadership in the department of Education at the American University of Beirut. She is also the program advisor for the Educational Management and Leadership program.

Marwan Muasher

Vice President for Studies

Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at Carnegie, where he oversees research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Muasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications.

Maha Yahya

Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.