The RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy (CMEPP) brings together analytic excellence and regional expertise from across the RAND Corporation to address the most critical political, social, and economic challenges facing the Middle East today. Our goal is to inform policy in ways that help improve the security and well-being of people living in the region.
Since 2011, 12 million Syrians have fled their homes, either inside Syria or crossing its borders as refugees. To help shape policy that will improve the lives of refugees and support host communities over the longer term, RAND focuses its work on the greatest challenges related to this crisis: humanitarian assistance, education, jobs, and regional and global security.
Director, Center for Middle East Public Policy; Senior Political Scientist
RAND CMEPP Experts are available to the media on a wide range of topics.
Office of Media Relations
Recent Commentary
Jobs Can Improve the Lives of Syrian Refugees and Their Host Communities
Mar 11, 2019
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_
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.
Can the U.S. Attain Foreign Policy Goals with 'Maximum Pressure' Campaigns?
Mar 6, 2019
Ariane M. Tabatabai @ArianeTabatabai
The Trump administration's record in two of today's most pressing nuclear nonproliferation challenges, North Korea and Iran, highlights the potential dangers of a “maximum pressure” strategy.
As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working
Feb 19, 2019
Louay Constant, Shanthi Nataraj @ShanthiNataraj, et al.
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.