Since the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the United States and Saudi Arabia have engaged in a complicated relationship of protection, support, and need despite stark differences in cultural values and norms of behavior. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has presented its share of challenges for American leaders of both parties, from Nixon to Obama, … Continued
I have always had a fondness for the small town, greatly preferring it to the large city. I grew up in provincial England and have, perhaps, taken this bias towards towns with me to Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a foreigner in Bosnia, I live in Sarajevo and am, of course, extremely fond of that wonderful … Continued
In his book A History of Islam in 21 Women, Hossein Kamaly aims to offer a refreshing view of women’s often overlooked role in Islamic, historical discourse. Through 21 biographical chapters, the concise, 300-page read brings to light the rich lives of some of the greatest women in Islamic history. The Professor’s approach[i] is extensive, … Continued
The miracle of Christianity in Georgia The Georgian brand of Christianity is distinctive, and it is popular. The Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) is one of fourteen autocephalous (independent) churches in the Eastern Orthodox family of churches, and occupies a prominent position in Eastern Orthodox hierarchy: second-most senior of the Junior Patriarchates, the second tier of … Continued
Welcome to the latest edition of the Asfar e-journal, a collection of works celebrating diversity, cross-cultural knowledge, and a celebration of commonalities over differences. I write this post on the one hundredth anniversary of the armistice of World War One, the calamity that took millions of lives and created the conditions for the rise of … Continued
Welcome to Asfar’s December 2017 edition of our international e-Journal. This edition focuses on a range of thought-provoking topics, as always, including Qatar and the current situation in the Gulf, the Palestinian diaspora, conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine, Turkey-EU relations, and the issue of child marriage in the Caucasus. The Qatar Conundrum by Rich … Continued
November 2016 As part of a key policy-making round table, Asfar’s CEO, Sheniz Tan, visited the House of Lords’ International Relations Committee to promote young peoples’ views on the future of the UK’s Foreign policy towards the Middle East. Our CEO was particularly asked to provide guidance on Turkey, how young Turkish people engage in … Continued
Asfar’s latest e-Journal for November 2016 is now online. Led by young people, Asfar’s unique e-Journal offers insightful glimpses into the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus. This issue, the first by our new senior editor Joe Worthington, includes a range of articles on the First World War, Black Bedouin Tribes, the Israel-Jordan gas deal, experiences … Continued
Welcome to the November 2016 issue of Asfar’s e-journal! This is my first issue since taking on the senior editor role, and what I have tried to achieve in this edition is a combination of thought-provoking, timely, and interesting articles produced by our loyal writers and editors – who I would like to thank for … Continued
Published by Asfar in London, UK - ISSN 2055-7957 (Online)