Most recent articles by Ishac Diwan
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A toxic combination of sectarianism and rentierismLebanon's perfect storm
Today's in-fighting over the composition of the country's next cabinet is part of a larger battle for a new political settlement. The financial crisis poses a mortal danger to the country; but it also represents an opportunity for political change. By Ishac Diwan
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Arab Spring and Western WinterLook before you leap!
Economist Ishac Diwan compares the failure of the Arab Spring with the rise in right-wing populism across the western world, both of them phenomena marked by massive social tensions. Moreover, he argues, the efforts of progressive movements to provide a viable alternative have all but run aground
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Education in the Arab worldThe emancipation gap
Those seeking to foster openness in the Arab world should focus not on the impact of Islam, but on the education to which the region′s residents are exposed. Essay by Ishac Diwan
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Post-revolution transformation in Egypt and TunisiaLet them eat cake!
In Tunisia, members of civil society and the media may freely scrutinise the government and call for change. By contrast, writes Ishac Diwan, freedoms of expression and association are severely limited in Egypt where criticising government policies is tantamount to high treason
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Solving the conflicts in the Middle EastTracing the fault lines
Simmering for decades beneath the surface of autocratic repression, conflicts such as the Sunni uprisings in Syria and Iraq, Shia unrest in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, not to mention the rancour of the Kurds and Palestinians, are ongoing. The West is partly to blame. By Ishac Diwan