This publication is available in Arabic only. 

This publication is available in Arabic only. 

The report provides an analysis the GCC-ASEAN summit held in October 2023. Divided into three sub-sections, the first examines the multilateral and individual factors that catalyzed the convening of this inter-regional gathering, scrutinizing it from an ASEAN-centric perspective. Second, it goes on to consider how the summit was received by different ASEAN member states (specifically, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Laos) – showcasing how national priorities have played a role in their desire to build stronger ties with the GCC. Finally, the report highlights some of the challenges that necessitate attention from policymakers if inter-regional engagement is to be sustai

This publication is available in Arabic only.

The report examines the geopolitical factors that have spurred the announcement of the India-Middle East- Europe Corridor (IMEEC). Promoted by the United States, India, and the core states of the European Union (France and Germany), IMEEC is being forwarded as an infrastructural and logistical alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The report evaluates the opportunities and limitations arising from the IMEEC initiative, and argues that it should be primarily viewed as a narrative-building exercise. While positively synergizing with such an initiative is necessary, the report stresses that the Kingdom’s interests lie with focusing on domestic reform and impr

This publication is available in Arabic only. 

This study, which draws on extensive fieldwork and local sources, examines the supernatural beliefs (i.e. related to demonic and magical forces) among Chinese Muslims in the modern-day province of Qinghai, China. The core argument presented in this article is that the supernatural realm is a space where Muslims draw lines and form their perceptions of orthodox Islamic beliefs and practices, oftentimes in contrast to Muslims of other sects, as well as other religions and the Communist state itself. In addition, it is a space where these boundaries concerning orthodoxy and propriety are transgressed, usually out of some spiritual necessity or because of interactions with other div

This publication is currently available only in Arabic. Its English version is currently under translation.

*This paper is a follow-up of the report published in 2022. The role of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the governance of Hong Kong cannot be overstated. The party was a constant presence in late colonial Hong Kong, wielding outsized influence in the territory through the united front. The party had considerable mobilizational power. China’s Leninist politicians drafted the Hong Kong Basic Law.The Basic Law laid down Hong Kong’s political institutions, grafted onto unreformed colonial, political, legal, and economic institutions and social structure that continued well beyond 1997. Indeed, 24

Since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030 in April 2016, several initiatives to develop Riyadh have been announced and many have become cornerstones of the capital’s identity. New entities, initiatives, strategies, and policies have been developed to maximize both hard (geography, natural characteristics) and soft (infrastructure, economy, society) features of the city. While these initiatives will inevitably have economic effects both locally and across the country, this article discusses how these transformations and developments influence Riyadh’s attractiveness to talent from other cities and from abroad. When considering factors that make a location attractive, econ