Journal of Georgetown University-Qatar Middle Eastern Studies Student Association - Volume 2015, Issue 1

Abstract I am delighted to be able to introduce this second issue of the MESSA Journal: delighted because it shows that what began as an ambitious experiment has proven itself and is growing into an institution; because the Journal - and the associated conference - are the result of a sustained pattern of student-led intellectual engagement that speaks directly both to our SFS remit and to our location; because it represents so well th Read More

Abstract Islam is not merely a religion; it expands beyond that to include almost everything. Politics and Islam have always had a fickle relationship, yet a somewhat more stable one in the past. This was due mainly to the fact that Islam existed as an underlying foundation to societal life and basic political interactions;1 today, things have developed in such a manner that Islam has been institutionalized into either state-inclusive bodies that exist Read More

Abstract The Iran-Iraq War is one of the most influential conflicts in the history of the modern Middle East. It is well-known that it has affected the geopolitics and security policies of regional powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the other Gulf States. However, the role of the war's legacy in domestic politics of these nations is significantly less understood. This paper analyzes public statements and newspaper editorials from promi Read More

Abstract The Somali government under President Mohamed Siad Barre was the first to introduce laws and policies that promoted gender equality. One of the most radical laws that came out of this state-driven advancement of women’s rights was the Family Law of 1975. This paper examines Somali women's relationship with the state and how they gained or lost from policies that targeted them. The majority of Somali women were unabl Read More

Abstract Under the rule of Gamal Abdel Nasser from 1956 to 1970, The Voice of the Arabs or Sawt Al-Arab–a radio broadcasting program created by Nasser himself–played a prominent role in strengthening the Pan-Arabian identity, fueling anti-colonial sentiments and nationalist ideologists. This paper looks into the factors that led to the success of the radio as a medium of mass media, followed by a close analysis of the methods and forms Read More

Abstract Egypt has experienced a very turbulent four years since the eruption of the Arab Spring in January 2011. Millions of Egyptians have demonstrated across the country dozens of times, resulting in the ouster of two presidents and Egypt moving from a state of ‘transition’ to a ‘fragile state’ by the OECD's annual standards. This paper will analyze the current political situation in Egypt through the lens of the OECD’s definition Read More

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between the United States (US) and the Republic of Sudan (Sudan), the complicated nature of which is an end result of the US’s ongoing sanctions on Sudan. The paper also provides a careful analysis of the legitimacy of the US Department of State’s label of Sudan as a sponsor of terrorism. Additionally, the paper will examine the implications of the US sanctions on the livelihoods of everyday citize Read More

Abstract With the coming to power of King Mohamed VI, the feminist movement in Morocco has aided the process of democratization as well as the politicization of women's issues in the country. A key success in the acknowledgment of women's rights and a significant attempt to empower women and increase their agency in both the public and private spheres has been the enactment of the new Family Code of 2004. This paper aims at Read More

Abstract The landscape of the global sector has undergone a massive transformation as “Big Oil” has been replaced with national oil companies, but one issue remains in question: the role of the West. Controlling approximately 70 percent of the world’s proven reserves, the national oil companies that comprise the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) must reconcile the legacy of their colonial past with their future success i Read More

Abstract This paper seeks to examine the revolution in women’s clothing in Iran under different systems of governance, starting from the time immediately before the Pahlavi dynasty to modern day Iran. This is to show how the ever-changing systems of governance of the country coerced Iranian women into dressing in accordance with the political agenda at the time. This paper showcases women taking a stand against the sys Read More

Abstract Since the events of the Arab Spring, the Middle East has seen a significant rise in media that express resistance to oppression. Protestors and artists alike have made use of music to advance their political interests. The six-decade-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict significantly predates the Arab Spring, but it is not immediately clear if the events of the Arab Spring may have impacted the ways in which Palestinians express resistance. Read More

Abstract The events of Black September were a turning point in the development of Jordanian identity. As a result of the attempt on King Hussein's life on 1st September 1970 and the subsequent bloody civil war that played out between the Palestinian Resistance Movements that had acted as a “state within a state” inside Jordan, the Hashemite government expelled from the country the Palestinian Liberation Organization and other Fedaye Read More