The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 spurred multiple different regional outcomes. Primarily, the US invasion led to the rise in sectarianism that spread across the region after the ensuing war. In Iraq the Sunni Shia divide in domestic politics created heightened tensions across the region. This was caused by the after effects of the…

The MENA region has substantial barriers to making progress in multiple areas. However, this burden is not evenly distributed across the region. Countries that are dependent upon the resources of other regional powers such as the Gulf States are more likely to encounter barriers in the sustainable development goals. For the non regional powers, many…

After taking the water footprint assessment I was shocked at the results. This was because I was below the US daily average and not above like I predicted. Personally, I use 1,749 gallons per day while the US average is 1,802 gallons per day. I thought I would be higher than average due to the…

In many instances, the concepts of self and other tend to be fluid and dependent upon environment. For instance, in my hometown this idea has been clearly displayed throughout my life with both myself and others experiencing both inclusion and exclusion. As a child, the idea of “otherness” was consistently present. Multiple times throughout my…

Growing up in the United States myself and many others were afforded privileges that many others across the world are not. For example, I was able to grow up in a stable middle class household in New Jersey and was afforded many opportunities. Compared to regions such as the Levant in the Middle East, my…

Prior to this semester I was relatively ignorant to the role in which mass media played in my life as well as in the lives of others. Often, I would overlook the effects that the mass media had on populations, but also the effects of controlling media. Now, I realize the true wide reaching effects…

Currently, the First Amendment protects the circulation of religious information and opinion from regulation in the United States. Globally, this is an outlier as many countries limit or completely regulate the circulation of religious opinion and information. While I do support the First Amendment, there are cases to be made for restrictions on the circulation…

The authoritarian practices of the Egyptian government are pervasive in the day to day life of Egyptian civilians. For outsiders, such practices are amplified and the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC or COP27 is no exception. Held at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt the conference on climate change has highlighted the authoritarian practices that are…

In the event of political unrest in Iran news would be of the utmost importance and would be extremely challenging due to mass media censorship and internet firewalls. In Iran, my main method of accessing media would be on the internet through VPN (Virtual Private Network) usage. As seen with the recent protests over the…

Much of the course material I have found quite eye-opening. However, what has stood to me most distinctly is the influence of satellite television and has changed my perspective of how I look at television entirely. Seeing the influence that the invention has had on the region is truly astounding as television is something nearly…