By Amanda Rothschild
Lydia Khalil’s article, “Middle East Youth and the Death of Arab Governments,” recently published in Al-Noor, depicts the dire strains on Middle Eastern youth, fifty-five percent of whom reportedly long to emigrate.[1] The 2002 Arab Human Development Report (AHDR) cites three dangerous deficits currently contributing to the youth’s discontent: the untapped capabilities of women, a shortage of education, and the absence of economic and civic freedom.[2] The latter deficit—liberty—is arguably due in part to the crackdown by authoritarian leaders, who wish to remain in power.  Struggling regimes, unable to meet the demands of the population, have continued to withdraw liberties from their citizens in an attempt to prevent increasingly popular fundamentalist Islamic groups from usurping their control.[3] Nonetheless, a law to prevent a radical Islamist from winning an election often prevents a young intellectual from voicing his opinion on a regime policy.  Thus, as progressive youths, longing for increased freedom, exit the region, leaders are left with a self-fulfilling prophecy.  They crackdown to maintain power, and in doing so, they are left only with those who threaten their regime

by Andrew Simon
The Internet has given rise to a new public sphere1 that challenges and complicates the traditional concepts of nation, citizenship, and diaspora. Cyberspace has redefined freedom of speech and reaffirmed the power of individuals and interest groups to challenge homeland institutions from afar. On the collective level, the Internet has transformed religious minorities into cyber majorities and allows individuals to reshape their own identities and their former nation-states as they see fit.2 The relationship between the Internet and diaspora converges to lay the foundations of “digital diasporas.” The Coptic virtual community, which bridges home and homeland, speaks for the marginalized minority from abroad.

By Matt Porter
For the last ten months, I have been living in Turkey as an English teaching fellow for the Fulbright program. The Fulbright program provides grants to post-undergraduates interested in doing research or teaching abroad. The mission of the program is to spur cross-cultural relationships between the United States and other countries. I teach students who have been admitted to Turkish universities, but who need to pass an English proficiency exam before moving on to their major. While speaking with students and teachers at my university, I have learned about some surprising challenges facing Turkish students.

By Stephanie Keller
Feminism is a term that has become increasingly linked with Iran since the 1979 Revolution. Both inside and outside the country, academics, activists, and journalists have increasingly brought theories of feminism into the realm of debate surrounding Iran’s perilous “woman question.” However, Iranians have not merely adopted Western or American feminism; there is a uniqueness to Iranian feminists who have been hailed as “Islamic feminists.” What does it mean to be an Islamic feminist? Is such a construct even possible? Has this development of a kind of Islamic feminism been beneficial to the cause of women in the Iranian context?

By Paul Wooten
The Royal Navy was an unparalleled force throughout the world for centuries, long holding the title of the world’s largest, most powerful navy and present wherever Great Britain’s national and commercial interests demanded. The navy consistently proved itself an invaluable tool for Great Britain, which used the force as the primary vehicle for establishing foreign colonies, protecting entrenched interests, and projecting national power. The evidence of the Royal Navy’s pervasive influence can be found in nearly all corners of the globe. Iran is no exception to this rule, and evidence of the Royal Navy’s influence is visible throughout the last two centuries of the nation’s history, affecting the nation’s development both economically and politically. The Royal Navy, while by no means the sole actor in regional affairs, played a critical role in establishing British hegemony over the Persian Gulf, in the process heavily influencing the development of modern Iran and helping to define the nation’s politics and international relationships throughout Iranian history.