Middle East Program
Providing fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East
The CSIS Middle East Program is dedicated to producing “opportunity driven” research rather than “threat driven” commentary. Rather than merely reacting to crises, the program seeks to understand how emerging trends, opportunities, and pressures affect the choices people and their leaders make, with an eye toward contributing to the policy debate in the United States and abroad.
Our work ranges from detailed reports to brief analysis papers and can be found in both the academic and popular press. We frequently host roundtables and conferences inviting dignitaries and thought leaders to join us in unpacking the Middle East. You can follow our latest work on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Our research is broad, fitting mostly into four sub-regions and four thematic areas:
Sub-Regions
Warfare, volatile oil prices, economic and social reform, and environmental change are shifting the strategic logic of the Arabian Peninsula. The Middle East Program works with others to understand the new challenges and opportunities on the Arabian Peninsula and their impacts on regional affairs and global politics. The program’s Arabian Peninsula work includes the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, and adjoining Iraq. Find out more here.
Iran and its allies across the region will play a crucial role shaping future regional conflicts and coloring the region’s geopolitics. Questions and uncertainty continue to surround the future of U.S. engagement with Iran. The Middle East Program examines evolving domestic trends within Iran, Iran’s regional engagement, and U.S. policy toward Iran. Find out more here.
The Israel-Hamas war has emerged as a defining moment for the region, Syria’s decades-long conflict continues to fester, and Egypt and Lebanon’s simmering economic stressors threaten to tip over into a broader crisis. The Middle East program analyzes the political, geopolitical, and humanitarian dynamics across Egypt and the Levant. Find out more here.
Migration, environmental degradation, and socio-political change have drawn the Maghreb—defined by the program as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya—from the margins of U.S. Middle East policy toward mainstream concerns. The Middle East Program is examining the changing political, economic, and security trends in the region. Find out more here.
Themes
Russia and China are expanding their presence in the Middle East, while global trends that put new emphasis on middle powers and the Global South are reshaping the strategic approach of Middle Eastern states. The Middle East Program is examining key trends in Great Power engagement with the Middle East and the region’s evolving geostrategy. Find out more here.
For more than a decade, calls for social, political, and economic change have reshaped the region. The Middle East Program is tracking key socio-political dynamics to identify the trends that will continue to shape the region over the next decades. Find out more here.
The Middle East contains both the world’s largest energy reserves, as well as some of the most water-scarce nations in the world. As the region grapples with the global energy transition and accelerating climate change, the Middle East Program is exploring how these dynamics are restructuring state-society relationships and how governments and civic groups can respond. Find out more here.
From Gaza to Syria to Yemen, the Middle East is home to some of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies. The region receives billions of dollars in aid every year, but international donors are rethinking how best to scale and direct their assistance. The Middle East Program is investigating key trends in aid and reconstruction to inform international assistance. Find out more here.
Contact Information
- Ali Dabaje
- Program Coordinator, Middle East Program
- adabaje@csis.org
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Samuel Cestari
- Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
- 202.775.7317
- scestari@csis.org
Featured Analysis
Mobilizing for Sustainability
Report by Will Todman and Martin Pimentel — November 12, 2024
Civil Society and Environmental Politics in the Middle East and North Africa
Mohammad Ali Shabani: Iran After October 7
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Martin Pimentel — November 12, 2024
China in the Middle East
Transcript — November 4, 2024
The Elected Autocrat: Why Rigged Elections Matter
Commentary by Martin Pimentel and Rubi Bledsoe — October 23, 2024
Babel: Translating the Middle East
Podcast Series by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Natasha Hall
All Middle East Program Content
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Syrian Rebels’ Surprise Offensive Highlights Assad Regime’s Weakness
Critical Questions by Natasha Hall — December 2, 2024
Arwa Damon: Gaza’s Wounds
Transcript — November 26, 2024
Reviving Chemical Weapons Accountability in a Multipolar World
Commentary by Natasha Hall and Doreen Horschig — November 21, 2024
Civil Society and Environmental Politics in the Middle East and North Africa
Transcript — November 15, 2024
Mobilizing for Sustainability
Report by Will Todman and Martin Pimentel — November 12, 2024
Mohammad Ali Shabani: Iran After October 7
Transcript — November 12, 2024
China in the Middle East
Transcript — November 4, 2024
Amjad Iraqi: The Future of Palestinians in Israel
Transcript — October 29, 2024
The Elected Autocrat: Why Rigged Elections Matter
Commentary by Martin Pimentel and Rubi Bledsoe — October 23, 2024
What Does Yahya Sinwar’s Death Mean?
Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman — October 17, 2024