Shelly Culbertson

"The "Arab Spring" all started when a young Tunisian fruit-seller set himself on fire in protest of a government official confiscating his apples without cause and slapping his face. The aftermath of that one personal protest grew to become the Middle East movement known as the Arab Spring -- a wave of disparate events that included revolutions, protests, government overthrows, hopeful reform movements, and bloody civil wars. This book will be the first to bring the post Arab Spring world to light in a holistic context. It is a narrative of the author Shelly Culbertson's journey through six countries of the Middle East, describing countries, historical perspective, and interviews with revolution and government figures. Culbertson, RAND Middle East analyst and former U.S. State Department officer who has been involved with the Middle East for two decades, is uniquely equipped to analyze the current social, political, economic, and cultural effects of the movement. With honesty, empathy, and expert historical accuracy, Culbertson strives to answer the questions "what led to the Arab Spring," "what is it like there now," and "what trends after the Arab Spring are shaping the future of the Middle East?" The Fires of Spring tells the story by weaving together a sense of place, history, insight about key issues of our time, and personal stories and adventures. It navigates street life and peers into ministries, mosques, and women's worlds. It delves into what Arab Spring optimism was about, and at the same time sheds light on the pain and dysfunction that continues to plague some parts of the region."--

a post-Arab Spring journey through the turbulent new Middle East

The fires of spring

Louay Constant

Georges Vernez

Rita Karam

RAND supported the Kurdistan Regional Government in its aims to restructure its Ministry of Education, develop plans for a school quality assurance system, review support of private schools, and assess the content and quality of in-service training

Initiatives to Improve Quality of Education in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq

Describes the strategic priorities and recommendations RAND arrived at by assessing the status of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's in-process reform of its K-12 education system.

Strategic Priorities for Improving Access to Quality Education in the Kurdistan Region -- Iraq

With four million Syrian refugees as of September 2015, there is urgent need to develop both short-term and long-term approaches to providing education for the children of this population. This report reviews Syrian refugee education for children in the three neighboring countries with the largest population of refugees—Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan—and analyzes four areas: access, management, society, and quality.

Managing the Crisis in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan

Education of Syrian Refugee Children

Krishna B. Kumar

Faith Unlu

Shanthi Nataraj

Kathryn E. Bouskill

Joy S. Moini

Katherine Costello

Gursel Rafig oglu Aliyev

Fadia Afashe

This report examines the labor markets in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon for Syrian migrants fleeing the civil war. Each country has its specific challenges, and recommendations are tailored to each to improve the socioeconomic environment for all.

Mutually Beneficial Opportunities for Syrians and Host Countries in Middle Eastern Labor Markets

Opportunities for All

Shelly Culbertson

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