To have any kind of real understanding of the Arab Awakening, we must look to the role of women and challenge the word “revolution.” In the West, we tend to idolize the struggle for democracy, and rightly so, but that is no excuse to overlook the egregious misogyny pervasive across the Middle East, including institutionalized [...]

The democratically-elected president of a tiny nation, who has had a giant voice in the climate change debate, has been forced to resign at gunpoint in a coup d’état. Mohamed Nasheed made his resignation under duress as president of the Maldives earlier this week. This is a disturbing setback for both global democracy and the [...]

In March 2011, Vogue published a glowing portrait Asma al-Assad, the “glamorous, young, and very chic” first lady of Syria. The story and subsequent controversy are not new, but worth reexamining given the catastrophic pro-democracy crackdown at the hands of the subject’s husband, President Bashar al-Assad. Photo by Blaine Skrainka [New York street art by [...]

Beyond the smoke and beneath the rubble Libya’s Landscape is changing rapidly. With a recent revolution as a result from the spring uprising the long struggle to release the shackles has resulted in the nation’s stifled voice to be united and finally emancipated. Photo courtesy of Sarah Elliot In recent months the North African nation [...]

2011 was a year of worldwide unrest. Traditional social structures that favor the interests of those with money and power are being called into question by the masses. These are the most striking moments of 2011. 5. Death of Bin Laden & End to the War in Iraq 10 years after the September 11 attacks, [...]

Earlier this week, thousands of women took part in a march of historic proportions, taking to the streets of Cairo to demand women’s empowerment and decry the brutal attacks on female protesters. The women of Egypt have become increasingly vocal about their demand for dignity during the Arab Awakening, but this march was a direct [...]

After years of corruption and cronyism from the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian people have risen up as a part of the Arab Awakening only to face a brutal backlash. The United Nations’ official estimate of the death toll has now surpassed 5,000, with 400 lives being taken just last month. There are [...]

Egypt’s now iconic Tahrir Square is in its fifth day of resurgent protests after the resignation of civilian leader, Prime Minister Essam Sharaf. The Egyptian people remain deeply dissatisfied with the traditional power structure that has yet to fulfill their promises to implement true democratic reforms. After the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak during the [...]