Shaping Change in the Middle East

Thesenpapier zur politischen Zusammenarbeit mit den Ländern des Nahen Ostens/Nordafrika

A position paper on political cooperation with the countries of the Middle East/North Africa

On Syrian Politics and the Situation of its Christian Minority

The article of Dr. Martin Beck and Léa Collet on “Syrian Politics and the Situation of its Christian Minority” has now been published on KAS International Reports 12/2010. To access the report please click here…

Jordan Election 2010

In addition to our recently published more detailed report on the election law, Dr. Martin Beck and Léa Collet wrote a short current report on the Jordanian parliamentary election held in Jordan on November 9, 2010.(in German language only)

Jordan's 2010 Election Law:

Democratization or Stagnation?

The Jordanian government recently endorsedby royal decree a temporaryelection law on May 18th, 2010, approximatelysix months after the dissolutionof the 15th Jordanian House ofRepresentatives, in November 2009.The law includes important changesthat guarantee more transparency andintegrity; it will be in effect for the upcominglegislative elections scheduledfor November 9th, 2010. However, significantproposed recommendationssuch as the “National Coalition to Reformthe Legal Framework Governingthe Electoral Process” have not beenincorporated into the new law.

Newsletter Amman 1/2010

Social Market Economy versus Free Market Economy | International and Arab Perspectives on the Recent Economic Crises | Human Rights Training Program for theEducation Sector Staff | The Jordanian Electoral LawCivic Participation and Local Development | Failed States in the Arab World | Education as a Leverage for Building a Culture of Peace | KAS has a face | Upcoming Events | Political Reports

Exploring Social Market and Islamic Economic Perspectives

Towards a Civic Democratic Islamic Discourse III

This book contains a number of papers that were presented to a conference organized by Al Quds Center for Political Studies, in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung that was held in Amman on July 25, 2009 in a series of projects calling for an Islamic Civic Democratic Discourse. The conference was held under a title: Islamic Economic Theory and the Social Market Economy.

Political Report (in German) on politics in Syria and the situation of its Christian Minority.

Recently, Syria has acted in a flexible, moderate way on the international and regional level. Yet, its internal politics has been characterised by a lack of democratic rights since decades. The Christian minority is exposed to these constraints not more but also not less than other Syrian groups

Iraqi Elections Ahead: The Shi'a-Sunni Factor

Zum schiitisch-sunnitischen Faktor

For the third time since the downfall ofSaddam Hussein’s iron fist rule overIraq, national elections are to be heldon March 7, 2010. This basically positivefinding should, however, not deterfrom the fact that the Iraqi system stillfaces a lot of problems not only interms of security but also on the politicalrealm. As became obvious duringthe campaign period, the deep divisionsbetween Shi’a and Sunni actors are stillunsolved.

Press review on the visit of Dr. Martin Beck in Lebanon - February 16-19, 2010

Dr. Martin Beck's meeting with Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir.

Jordan going astray?

Auflösung des Parlamentes und Verschiebung der Neuwahlen führen zur Abwertung Jordaniens im Freedom House Index

The dissolution of parliament and the postponement of the re-election causes the depreciation of Jordan in the Freedom of the World Report 2010.Thitherto Jordan was one of the few Arab countries whose political condition was ranked as at least partly free in 2009. Now Jordan finds itself in the masses of `not free` countries in the Near East.Please find the full article in German on our German webpage.