Emoji Don’t Stifle Communication, They Encourage It
The use of emoji is on the rise in the Arab region, as well as everywhere else. But that’s no cause for moral panic, a scholar of digital humanities argues.
Qataris Call for Safeguarding a Heritage That’s Slipping Away
Native citizens are a minority in the rapidly changing and modernizing Gulf country. A panel in Doha discussed how to preserve their “intangible cultural heritage.”
Scholar Traces the Rise of Nongovernmental Organizations in Iraq
Thousands of civil-society organizations sprang up after 2003, during Iraq’s postwar reconstruction. The historian Mehiyar Kathem is exploring how they evolved to represent political interests.
As Lebanon’s Forests Burn, Researchers Seek Solutions
Lebanon’s forest fires are started by humans and getting worse due to climate change. A solution requires more information and political effort, researchers say.
Iraqi Scholars Learn to Find Their Voice in Academic Publishing
Workshops in Iraq help scholars in the social sciences and humanities learn how to write for international, English-language academic journals.
Qatar National Library Sparks Young People’s Curiosity About Science
In a regular forum, the library gives Qataris a chance to meet world-class researchers face-to-face and have informal discussions that motivate youth to explore science in depth.
Why Did People Die? Unreliable Data Affect Research in Many Arab Countries
Two new studies question the accuracy of death certificates in the Middle East, an issue that creates difficulties for researchers and policymakers who want to improve public-health efforts.
Female Genital Mutilation Is a Stubborn Problem, but Education Helps
New research shows that educating teenage girls about the risks of female genital mutilation changes their opinions to view it less favorably, but experts say that alone won’t work.
Lebanese University Researchers Zero In on Students’ Stress and Depression
Two studies highlight the stresses of student life, both physical and mental.
Oral History, Which Records Once-Silenced Voices, Gains Ground in the Arab World
Oral historians gather the stories of participants in history who might not otherwise be heard, from those in the U.S. civil rights movement to dispossessed Palestinians.
