Saudi Arabia’s “Founding Day” signifies a radical break with the Wahhabi political influence that had legitimized the Saudi political projects since 1744.

With the current makeup of Kuwait’s political system, popular influence will continue to play a role in charting Kuwait’s foreign policy.

A newly elected National Assembly quickly falls under old dynamics of confrontation and gridlock. Will Kuwait find a path to compromise and reform?

تستكشف هذه السلسلة صناعة محتوى البودكاست في دول الخليج العربية من خلال النظر إلى بعض تجارب برامج البودكاست النشطة في المنطقة لعرض كل من الإمكانات والتحديات لهذا الوسيط المتنامي للمعرفة والبناء المج…

AGSIW spoke with Hadil Al-Moosa about media in Oman, labor laws, women’s entrepreneurship, and the role of government support for entrepreneurs.

Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification plans are showing signs of progress, although the economy remains heavily reliant on oil.

On September 14, AGSIW hosted a discussion on Saudi Arabia’s recent diplomatic maneuvers.

On December 1, AGSIW hosted a discussion examining the roles that tribes play in popular participation in government and policymaking in the Gulf.

Azerbaijan’s biggest trade partners in the region, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have shared economic interests in establishing new trade links, but they also share common threat perceptions regarding …

The first decisions of Oman’s new sultan, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, demonstrate a calm and deliberate ruling style and offer a glimpse into important changes that may be yet to come.

Student unions and clubs have played an important role in the lives of Gulf Arab students, both in local universities and abroad.

Public opposition to social and political normalization with Israel appears to be holding fast among most nationals, even as some governments allow more room for advocates of Gulf-Israel relations …

Saudi filmmakers Meshal Al Jaser and Ali Al Sumayin joined Kristin Smith Diwan to talk about and screen their work, and discuss how social media and other new technologies are influencing the futur…

On February 20, AGSIW hosted a panel discussion examining Israel’s foreign and domestic policy since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Although joining the quadrilateral talks risks upsetting relations with Tehran, New Delhi appears willing to take measured risks to counter what it perceives as its most potent and increasingly bel…

Actions of fans at the World Cup have brought world attention to the issue of Palestine, a result both of activism in Qatar in the run-up to the tournament and a lack of popular enthusiasm in the r…

يشير “يوم التأسيس” في السعودية إلى القطيعة الجذرية مع الوهابية ونفوذها السياسي الذي أضفى شرعيةً على المشاريع السياسية السعودية المتعاقبة منذ عام 1744.…

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s youth ambitions are behind the entry – and exit – from the Qatar standoff.

With the Cultural Majlis, Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi aims to bring together the Middle East and North Africa community within U.S. campuses and establish an inclusive dialogue connecting people, ideas…

Saudi Arabia’s new, exit-focused strategy for Yemen implicitly weakens the country’s formal institutions and provides greater political leverage for the Houthis, imposing indirect costs that could …

Recently, many pieces have been published about the Gulf Arab countries and Israel arguing that: there is a great deal of convergence in the perceptions of both regarding the Iranian threat; there …

مع وجود التركيبة الحالية للنظام السياسي في الكويت، فإن التأثير الشعبي سوف يواصل لعب دورٍ في رسم معالم السياسة الخارجية للكويت.…

Podcasting culture is rapidly spreading across the Gulf. Though it still has a long way to go before catching on with the masses, it offers opportunities for growth and lucrative business prospects…

After the Obama and Trump eras, mutual suspicions abound, but Riyadh has several potential approaches to improve relations with an incoming Biden administration.

The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington is pleased to announce the addition of several accomplished scholars to its cadre of non-resident fellows.

With an escalating economic crisis and its repercussions narrowing Erdogan’s leverage in domestic politics, Turkey’s president is taking bold steps in foreign policy.

New laws and policies allowing longer residency and more possibilities for upward mobility for intergenerational migrants and long-term residents could help Gulf governments address key labor marke…

Facing domestic and external pressure on multiple fronts, Turkey is in desperate need of success stories, especially in the foreign policy domain.

Amid the dramatic changes sweeping the Gulf region, Kuwait’s incremental approach is being sorely tested.

On August 30, AGSIW and ROPES co-hosted a discussion on the prospects for an agreement among the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.

The recent elevation of Bahrain’s young prince, Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, to national security advisor is the latest indication of maneuvers to secure the future hierarchy of the monarchy.

The Gaza war has demonstrated the strategic utility and resilience of the detente between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, its longer-term sustainability may depend on unpredictable regional dynamic…

The growing closeness between China and Saudi Arabia sheds some light on similar structural features and sociopolitical trends that have emerged in both countries, particularly the rise of parallel…

Young Yemenis set up coffee startups to bolster Yemen’s agricultural sector, setting the stage for economic recovery and social change.

As the pace of reforms quicken in the UAE, Sharjah is differentiating itself through its conservatism and independent voice.

Turkey appears ready to start a new chapter with Saudi Arabia, and for a comprehensive rapprochement to happen, both countries need to let bygones be bygones.

On September 14, AGSIW hosted a discussion on Saudi Arabia’s recent diplomatic maneuvers.

On February 26, AGSIW hosted a conversation with Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian and Abdulaziz Al Sager.

The Gulf Economic Barometer monitors initiatives taken by Gulf states as they seek fiscal, monetary, and trade policy changes to meet the challenge of reduced state revenue from natural resources.

Through YouTube videos, podcasts, and innovative educational programs, an Omani microeconomist encourages informed discussion about key issues of diversification and youth employment.

Russia hopes that engaging Gulf Arab countries could encourage their investments in Syria’s reconstruction process and facilitate Syria’s return to the Arab League.

On August 11, AGSIW partnered with the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies to host a virtual panel discussion examining social reform programs in Saudi Arabia.

في الآونة الأخيرة، نُشرِت عدد من المقالات تتناول موضوع دول الخليج العربية وإسرائيل، تذهب إلى أن هناك ثمّة تطابق كبير في التصورات بين الطرفين تجاه الخطر الإيراني؛ وأن هناك تنسيقا أمنيا سريا متزايدا …

The death of Kuwait’s emir, Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, marks the passage of a seasoned diplomat, cunning politician, and valued humanitarian. Will his successor preserve Kuwait’s democratic political…

On September 29, AGSIW hosted a virtual panel discussion on Gulf interests and involvement in the eastern Mediterranean basin.

On April 29, AGSIW hosted a panel discussion on how the arts and culture sectors in the Gulf are adapting to a new reality.

Saudi filmmakers came late to the craft, limited by the lack of opportunities for training and imposed by Saudi Arabia’s conservative sociopolitical order. Today, filmmakers are viewed as avatars o…

Kuwaiti activism against book censorship yields a partial victory, but expression remains strictly regulated through press and publication laws across the Gulf.

While a regional naval alliance remains distant, de-escalation has created an opening for maritime security cooperation.

Control over the media is central to the Saudi crown prince’s transformation program – and to Jamal Khashoggi’s death.

Long-standing but underappreciated differences between the UAE and Saudi Arabia are becoming more obvious, but their continuing shared interests remain decisive.

Emirati poet, writer, and artist Shamma Al Bastaki combines her interests in art making and literature to promote UAE-based authors.

On February 20, AGSIW hosted a panel discussion examining Israel’s foreign and domestic policy since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The diverging priorities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have given the UAE room to maneuver, and, increasingly, elements of the two emirates’ specific approaches are being consolidated within a unified str…

Twelve of 19 people arrested over Monday's three bomb attacks in Saudi Arabia are Pakistani, says interior ministry.

Social outings with mixed genders, open cinemas, and performing arts represent a dramatic reversal from the past when Saudis pursued their amusements in private or abroad. What explains the governm…

Aggressive moves both at home and in global oil markets demonstrate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s control over decision making, with the Saudi public invested as never before.

The recent thaw in relations seems to be a positive step for these former regional adversaries toward deepening ties, but unresolved political conflicts may continue to fester.

A proposed new law in Kuwait aims to address the critical issue of the status of biduns, or stateless people.

Gulf countries have deep historical ties with Afghanistan. As the NATO mission comes to an end, they could have the influence to help stabilize Afghanistan and chart a course toward peace and recon…

Yemen’s history has seen a number of alliances of convenience unravel spectacularly, most recently the three-year marriage of convenience between former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Zaydi S…

The French president has a number of qualities that appeal to many Gulf leaders, which may help explain his recent success in bringing France, and Europe, to the forefront of different diplomatic i…

The conflict in Yemen has exacted a disastrous toll on the country. This paper considers the outside forces in the conflict, seeking to elucidate who they are, what the nature is of their involveme…

The Gulf Economic Barometer monitors initiatives taken by Gulf states as they seek fiscal, monetary, and trade policy changes to meet the challenge of reduced state revenue from natural resources.

The pace and scope of economic development initiatives and policies announced during the first five years of Saudi Vision 2030 have been dizzying, but any eventual progress is likely to be either b…

A number of works about the situation of the biduns, or stateless people, have emerged into Kuwait’s contemporary literary scene.

On September 29, AGSIW hosted a virtual panel discussion on Gulf interests and involvement in the eastern Mediterranean basin.

A number of countries are expected to follow suit, each for its own distinct reasons.

On September 29, AGSIW hosted a virtual panel discussion on Gulf interests and involvement in the eastern Mediterranean basin.

For those seeking pathways to stable economic growth in the Middle East, developments in Iran may serve as a model – Iran represents the first major oil producer in the Middle East to transition to…

The signing of the Al Ula agreement ending the GCC crisis may finally allow the Gulf countries to establish a regional security system, an endeavor that has been decades in the making.

Yemen’s fragmentation will have severe repercussions for U.S. foreign policy, regional stability, and, ultimately, international security.

The FSO Safer is a ticking time bomb. The U.N. has a plan to address the issue of the decaying oil tanker, but it must be resolved now before it becomes an environmental tragedy.

On July 15, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the top issues and challenges facing the incoming United Nations special envoy for Yemen.

The U.S. “maximum pressure” approach to contain Iran’s destabilizing behavior in the Middle East has played a key role in the Trump administration’s determination to help Iraq and Saudi Arabia mend…

As Saudi Arabia moves toward more centralized authority over national security and intelligence functions, will these measures serve to check or further empower the crown prince?

The UAE is increasingly looking to the maritime domain as an area of regional and global cooperation but also as a vessel of continued power projection.

On September 30, AGSIW hosted a discussion ahead of Qatar’s first legislative elections.

The political dynamics during the transitions in Iran in 1979 and 1989 reveal a number of similar features that will play into who will succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; what is new no…

كانت ولا تزال دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي الستة من بين أكبر مشتري الأسلحة الأمريكية منذ عقود. وقد بلغت قيمة أكبر عقود المبيعات العسكرية الخارجية للحكومة الأمريكية في التاريخ 29 مليار دولار، وكان ذلك ل…

AGSIW hosted a conversation examining Kuwait’s domestic political landscape and regional relations.

Israeli expansionism in East Jerusalem and the attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque prompt sharp condemnation and popular support for Palestinians from Gulf signatories to the Abraham Accords.

Although there are many reasons to believe the U.S.-Saudi partnership can endure, the need for both parties to repair trust has rarely been more urgent.

This paper reviews how Turkish-Gulf Arab relations have developed in recent years, particularly following the end of the main civil war in Syria.

Azerbaijan’s biggest trade partners in the region, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have shared economic interests in establishing new trade links, but they also share common threat perceptions regarding …

This paper examines the impact of inadequate health education and preventative health measures on women’s reproductive and sexual health care as well as mental health care.

Understanding the personal and national aspirations of young Saudi men is imperative as Saudi Arabia pursues socioeconomic reforms.

The Gaza war has demonstrated the strategic utility and resilience of the detente between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, its longer-term sustainability may depend on unpredictable regional dynamic…

By investing politically and economically in the small states of the Indian Ocean, both on its African and Asian shores, Gulf Arab states are positioning themselves as pivotal actors in the region.

The new app Clubhouse is providing a much-needed space for contesting views and continuing debates that have been suspended for years in the Gulf.

يلعب المجلس الثقافي دورًا مهمًا في الدبلوماسية الثقافية كوسيلة لتعريف الغرب بالثقافات والتقاليد العربية والخليجية في نهج بعيد عن السياسة.…

Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah’s six-decade career was colored by a conciliatory approach, which was evident in his final post as Kuwait’s emir through deploying an unprecedented political reset and admin…