Middle East Program

Providing fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East

The CSIS Middle East Program provides fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East to decision makers and thought leaders in the United States and abroad.

The Middle East Program is a source for new ideas that go beyond the conventional wisdom, disseminated through written scholarship, events, and commentary in leading news outlets.

Follow us on Twitter @CSISMidEast and like us on Facebook.

Dr. Alterman serves as the director of the Middle East Program, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, the Middle East Program has launched a biweekly podcast and numerous miniseries, convened events with many of the top thinkers in the field, and conducted innovative research on the Middle East including work on the Chinese influence, sustainability, and cultural shifts in the region.

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Saudi Arabia Steps Out

The recent China-brokered agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran represents a new era of Saudi diplomacy, shifting away from passive agreement with the United States and toward greater independent engagement in the region and beyond. 

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — March 22, 2023

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Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Blame it on the Bitcoin

Libya's electricity grid has been struggling for years, but the government thinks it has found a new culprit: illegal bitcoin mining farms it says are popping up across the country.

Podcast Episode — December 20, 2022

CSIS Babel

LGBTQ+ Advocacy in the Middle East Backfires

Will Todman challenges Western activists’ approach to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in the Middle East, underscoring the importance of listening to queer voices from the region.

Commentary by Will Todman — December 16, 2022

Babel: Translating the Middle East

C. Raja Mohan: India's Middle East Strategy

Jon Alterman speaks with C. Raja Mohan about India's foreign policy in the Middle East and how Indian policymakers think about the region.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Lubna Yousef — December 13, 2022

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Patching Jordan's Water Leaks

In the Jordan Valley, influential tribal members and landowners have steady access to water, while individual consumers and small farmers struggle.

Podcast Episode — December 6, 2022

CSIS Babel
The Truth of the Matter

World Cup Geopolitics

CSIS's Jon Alterman joins the podcast to discuss the geopolitics associated with the World Cup and the broader ramifications for the United State and the Middle East.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Jon B. Alterman — December 1, 2022

CSIS the truth of the matter
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Tamar Hermann: Israel's Rightward Shift

Jon speaks with Tamar Hermann about the rightward shift of young Jewish Israelis and changing attitudes about Arab citizens of Israel.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Daniel Sharp — November 29, 2022

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Toons That Teach

Increasingly, a range of dialects have appeared on television and in movies. Arab children’s television, however, has proven surprisingly immune to the trend. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Podcast Episode — November 22, 2022

CSIS Babel

Muhammad Ali’s Foreign Policy Lessons

Dr. Jon B. Alterman draws lessons from Muhammad Ali’s famous tactics, emphasizing the importance of a well-thought-out and clearly defined policy towards the Middle East.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — November 18, 2022

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Helen Lackner: Yemen in Conflict

Jon Alterman speaks with Helen Lackner about the history of conflict in Yemen and how the current civil war fits into it.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Caleb Harper — November 15, 2022

CSIS Babel