Opinion
Tunisian exceptions
January 24, 2011
Tunisian exceptions
After the ouster of former Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, I spoke to a Tunisian friend who had just…
Stiglitz in Egypt: On crucial questions of public policy
January 22, 2011
Stiglitz in Egypt: On crucial questions of public policy
On a visit to Egypt, I received an invitation from the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D), headed by…
Where does urban harmony begin?
January 22, 2011
Where does urban harmony begin?
Cairo, the palimpsest city with multiple layers of dense continuous inhabitation, is currently seeking reconstructive plastic surgery. With ailing infrastructure…
My days in Tunisia
January 22, 2011
My days in Tunisia
I began writing these words under curfew in the heart of the Tunisian capital, one day after the Tunisian popular…
Jumping from the frying pan into the fire
January 21, 2011
Jumping from the frying pan into the fire
Egypt is not Tunisia. In Egypt, a middle-aged man tried to light himself on fire in front of the parliament…
The Tunisian message
January 21, 2011
The Tunisian message
Last week’s events raised a number of paradoxes that are worth reflecting on. While economy pages, especially in Egyptian state-run…
Ablaze the body politic
January 20, 2011
Ablaze the body politic
“The powers that be want us to be passive observers. And they haven't given us any other options outside the…
The year of spontaneous combustion
January 19, 2011
The year of spontaneous combustion
January 1, 2012 At first, when it began nearly a year ago, many people thought it was just a copycat…
What Tunisia proved and disproved
January 19, 2011
What Tunisia proved and disproved
The Tunisian uprising raises so many questions that it is difficult to focus on only one or two, but one…
Tunisia’s lessons in revolution
January 18, 2011
Tunisia’s lessons in revolution
Nothing intensifies feelings and moves people’s hearts like a revolution. It's a comprehensive, sweeping popular act that suddenly erupts to…