Jordan

Jordan

commentary
Jordan: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Lockdown restrictions that may have contributed to low COVID-19 case numbers in Jordan early in the pandemic resulted in economic stresses and increased psychological distress in the general population. RAND researchers identified challenges faced by Jordanians during the crisis and the country's innovative and equitable response to mitigate them.
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Jun 20, 2022
Nazia Wolters, Mahshid Abir

International Diplomacy

commentary
Peace with the Region Is Not a Peace Plan
Acceptance of Israel from the broader Arab world will not resolve the dilemma of how the Israelis and the Palestinians can agree to live on the same land together. A viable plan for the future, one that is about real peace and not a one-sided political gambit, must recognize these realities.
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Feb 13, 2020
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Refugees

commentary
Jobs Can Improve the Lives of Syrian Refugees and Their Host Communities—and Support Stability in the Middle East
Host governments, international development agencies, and donor countries like the United States could take several steps to improve Syrian refugee employment. This would increase self-reliance among Syrian refugees and ease pressures on host communities.
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Mar 11, 2019
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_
Refugees

commentary
As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working
Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan want opportunities to work. But there are multiple barriers and challenges that limit them. Improving the chances of safe and dignified work opportunities for Syrian women in these countries could yield broad positive social benefits for both the refugee and host communities.
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Feb 19, 2019
Louay Constant, Shanthi Nataraj, et al.
Refugees

commentary
Syrian Skills: A Missed Opportunity
Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon are finding ways to get by. But many refugees are not able to fully use their skills, and that is a lost opportunity both for the Syrians and the host countries.
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Feb 14, 2019
Shanthi Nataraj, Louay Constant
Political Reform Movements

q&a
The Post–Arab Spring Experience: Q&A with Shelly Culbertson
It's too early to say whether the Arab Spring will turn out to be a success or not. The Arab Spring was about people deciding what they did not want and rising up against it, but they hadn't worked out what they did want. Many of them still have hope.
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Aug 23, 2017
Security Cooperation

commentary
Hidden Dangers of Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem would antagonize partners in the Islamic world who are key to fighting ISIS. And any potential cooperation that might have developed between Israel and Arab states over common concerns about Iran could suffer.
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Dec 28, 2016
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Refugees

commentary
A Different Kind of Refugee Crisis
In Jordan and Lebanon, middle-income countries with robust public sectors where a significant Syrian population may be present for years to come, solutions should be more about supporting the expansion of existing national public services, rather than creating new, internationally run parallel services.
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May 16, 2016
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Middle East

announcement
RAND's Shelly Culbertson Publishes Book on Middle East After the Arab Spring
A new book by RAND's Shelly Culbertson mixes travel memoir, reporting, and analysis across six Middle Eastern countries, presenting diverse experiences of the Arab Spring.
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Apr 19, 2016
Refugees

commentary
Battered by War, Syrian Refugee Kids Need to Be Taught
More than 700,000 Syrian refugee children are not receiving formal education. Host countries are struggling to create enough spaces to accommodate them in schools, and there are no formal programs to teach children who have missed years of instruction.
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Jan 15, 2016
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Louay Constant
Refugees

commentary
Help Syria Avoid a 'Lost Generation'
Young Syrian refugees are brimming with potential, but lack the educational and livelihood pathways through which to channel their energy and aspirations. As the international community looks for ways to end the violence in the region, it must not overlook the plight or the potential of these children.
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Jul 17, 2015
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Tom Ling, et al.
The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)

commentary
ISIS's Calculated Barbarity
ISIS's decision to murder its Jordanian hostage by burning him alive may turn out to be a strategic miscalculation, but it is not madness. Through self-selection, continued fighting, and the exaltation of unlimited violence, ISIS has created a cult whose members command and revel in displays of ever-increasing cruelty.
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Feb 10, 2015
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)

q&a
Experts React to ISIS's Gruesome Execution of Jordanian Pilot
A grisly video released yesterday by ISIS appears to show Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh burned alive in a cage. Why the shift away from beheadings? What does the execution mean for Jordan? What implications will it have for ISIS?
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Feb 4, 2015
Refugees

commentary
Syrian Refugees: A Blessing in Disguise?
To avoid further resentment and restrictions on Syrians desperate to escape their war-torn country, as well as the instability such attitudes generate, the international community must work with host governments to increase and highlight the benefits refugee populations can bring to neighboring states.
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Feb 2, 2015
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Refugees

commentary
Syria's Simmering Crisis
At least half of Syrian refugee children aren't in school. Those who are face risks to the quality of education they receive, a risk they share with host-country children. But by making long-term investments, the international community can help ensure education isn't another casualty of the war.
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Jan 21, 2015
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Developing Countries

commentary
The Health Needs of Syrian Women in and Around the Za'atari Refugee Camp
The Syrian conflict, now in its fourth year, has been the main contributor to the largest refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwandan genocide—and the problem can be expected to get worse as the fighting continues.
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Oct 13, 2014
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)

commentary
The U.S. Can't Count on Regional Support in the Fight Against ISIS
Regional governments may put some of their differences aside to help fight ISIS. But in a region rife with turmoil and multiple internal fissures, Washington cannot count on its confrontation with ISIS as its partners' overriding priority.
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Sep 16, 2014
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Peacekeeping and Stability Operations

commentary
To Fight ISIS, Make Peace with Syria's Assad
To disrupt al-Baghdadi's advance, the United States and its allies should start by addressing the source of the problem -- the conflict in Syria. They can begin by negotiating a truce with President Bashar Assad to stop the fighting in Syria.
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Aug 14, 2014
William Young
Terrorism Threat Assessment

commentary
Generations of Terrorism
Whatever its eventual outcome, Syria's civil war has already produced thousands of experienced jihadists who will continue to threaten the region for years to come, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.
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Dec 13, 2012
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Egypt

commentary
The Domino Effect of Arab Unrest
There is no clear political party or leader ready to step in if the regime in Egypt falls. However, this protest is not without leadership; it is spearheaded by a large network of Egyptian human rights groups and other citizens, writes Julie Taylor.
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Feb 1, 2011
Julie E. Taylor

A New Approach to U.S. Security Policy in the Middle East

Wait Times for Veterans Scheduling Health Care Appointments

Elon Musk May Have a Point About Bots on Twitter

Putin's Latest Threats, U.S. Policy in the Middle East, Disaster Recovery: RAND Weekly Recap

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy with Research

The Policy Currents Podcast

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Jordan

Jordan: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Peace with the Region Is Not a Peace Plan

Jobs Can Improve the Lives of Syrian Refugees and Their Host Communities—and Support Stability in the Middle East

As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working

Syrian Skills: A Missed Opportunity

The Post–Arab Spring Experience: Q&A with Shelly Culbertson

Hidden Dangers of Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem

A Different Kind of Refugee Crisis

RAND's Shelly Culbertson Publishes Book on Middle East After the Arab Spring

Battered by War, Syrian Refugee Kids Need to Be Taught

Help Syria Avoid a 'Lost Generation'

ISIS's Calculated Barbarity

Experts React to ISIS's Gruesome Execution of Jordanian Pilot

Syrian Refugees: A Blessing in Disguise?

Syria's Simmering Crisis

The Health Needs of Syrian Women in and Around the Za'atari Refugee Camp

The U.S. Can't Count on Regional Support in the Fight Against ISIS

To Fight ISIS, Make Peace with Syria's Assad

Generations of Terrorism

The Domino Effect of Arab Unrest

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