Natasha Hall

Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Natasha Hall

Natasha is a senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Natasha has over 15 years of experience as an analyst, researcher, and practitioner in complex humanitarian emergencies and conflict-affected areas with a specialty in the Middle East. Most recently, she has worked on the Syrian conflict with The Shaikh Group, GIZ, Mayday Rescue, Center for Civilians in Conflict, and the U.S. government’s Refugee Affairs Division. She has lived and worked in over 15 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Southern Caucasus, and Europe. Her work has focused on conflict resolution, governance, displacement, environmental issues, resilience, and civilian protection. Her reports have spurred congressional hearings and high-level donor responses on Syria. As a director with Mayday Rescue, she led these responses, working with the White Helmets to reinforce critical civilian infrastructure and protect civilians from explosive weapons and other consequences of the war. She is a commentator and contributor for a number of media outlets and think tanks, including CNN, BBC, and MSNBC. She has written articles and in-depth analyses for the Washington Post, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, the Atlantic Council, the United States Institute for Peace, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, among others. Natasha is also the founder of Art in Exile. She earned her master’s from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service and her B.A. from the University of Virginia in foreign affairs and Middle East studies. She did a Fulbright Fellowship in Jordan from 2006-2007 and a Boren Fellowship in Syria in 2010.

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Babel: Translating the Middle East

Nicolas Pelham: Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syria’s Future

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Nicolas Pelham, the Middle East correspondent for The Economist. Together, they discuss his latest article, “The Great Pretender: How Ahmed al-Sharaa Won Syria,” an in-depth profile of the Syrian leader based in part on a mid-February interview. 

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Ninar Fawal, and Natasha Hall — March 20, 2025

CSIS Babel

Tipping Point: The Politics of Water Insecurity in the Middle East

While parts of the Middle East are inherently water scarce, tensions in the region and governance issues have brought the region to a tipping point. There is an urgent need to address the politics of water insecurity to alleviate this existential threat.

Commentary by Natasha Hall — March 10, 2025

The Thirst for Power

The Middle East has battled water insecurity for centuries, but today, the region is on a razor’s edge. Tackling the politics and power dynamics that have exacerbated scarcity is the only way to tackle this existential issue.

Report by Natasha Hall — March 7, 2025

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Alessandro Accorsi: Disinformation Warfare in the Middle East

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Alessandro Accorsi, a senior analyst for social media and conflict at the International Crisis Group. Prior to joining ICG, he worked for five years at the European External Action Service, where he led a taskforce countering foreign interference and information manipulation in the Middle East. He also worked for five years as a freelance journalist in Cairo.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Martin Pimentel — February 13, 2025

CSIS Babel
Russian Roulette

Russia and the Middle East in 2025

Maria spoke with Hanna Notte and Natasha Hall about the new balance of forces in the Middle East at the start of 2025, and what the current geopolitical situation in the region means for Russia.

Podcast Episode by Maria Snegovaya, Natasha Hall, and Hanna Notte — January 23, 2025

Russian Roulette podcast logo
Babel: Translating the Middle East

eL Seed: Arabic Calligraffiti

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with eL Seed about the cultural and political forces that shaped his artistic evolution and art’s role in spurring social change.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Martin Pimentel — January 14, 2025

CSIS Babel