Publications

Sadly, the Middle East has witnessed some of the largest mass displacements of people worldwide over the past decade. As it currently stands, millions of Syrians are fleeing their homes, moving within the country and sometimes far outside of it. Not surprisingly, neighboring states have absorbed most of these people and have managed well under the circumstances. However, the question of how to deal with the waves of those who have lost everything and might not be able to go back in the near future is a huge challenge for the refugees and for host communities, especially since there is no settlement on the horizon.

Food is a necessity. And it’s very personal. Satisfaction reflects ethical decisions, and private concerns can be very political in nature. We are more and more alienated from what is on our plates and in our hands, so responsible food consumption is something that an increasing number of people demand. These people need information on which to base their decisions and to answer their questions. This publication sheds light on the impacts of meat and dairy production, and aims to catalyse the debate over the need for better, safer and more sustainable food and farming.

Issue #5 of Perspectives provides space for on-the-ground analysis by Palestinian writers, thinkers and politicians of very different backgrounds in order to explore the Oslo Accords 20 years after their signing from a Palestinian perspective. Perspectives is a quarterly journal dedicated to highlighting research and debate from authors who mostly live and work in the region. It is jointly edited and published by the three HBS offices located in Tunis, Beirut and Ramallah. 

As one of the panelists of the public debate on nuclear energy that was organized by Heinrich Boll Foundation, EDAMA and IUCN in 2011, Mycle Schneider, independent nuclear and energy policy analyst, aimed at providing the audience with some background information and data on the state of the nuclear industry.

The Myths about Nuclear Energy – How the Energy Lobby is Pulling the Wool over our Eyes” by Gerd Rosenkranz. 25 years after Chernobyl, the worst nuclear accident until now, history is repeating itself. Last year’s events in Japan highlighted once again the destructive potential of nuclear energy

"The Economics of Nuclear Power: An Update" by Steve Thomas who aims to identify the key economic parameters of nuclear power commenting on their determining factors and to review the assumptions of main forecasts from the past five years to identify how and why these forecasts differ. The paper also identifies what guarantees and subsidies the government might have to take to allow nuclear plants to be ordered

With conventional oil production in decline, the global oil industry is investing heavily in dirtier and riskier forms of unconventional oil such as heavy crude, tar sands, and oil shale. These investments pose a challenge to the climate, the environment, and local communities. This report is a document that describes the drivers behind marginal oil investments and gives an overview of existing and potential projects across the globe

In the newest issue of Perspectives: Political Analysis and Commentary from the Middle East & North Africa, the authors explore a political actor in the Gulf region who is becoming more visible, seemingly more engaged in navigating these uncertainties, and in filling the gaps in the political scene: The state of Qatar. Perspectives is a quarterly journal dedicated to highlighting research and debate from authors who live and work in the region. It is now jointly edited and published by the three HBS offices located in Tunis, Beirut and Ramallah

It is almost a year ago that Syrian citizens, inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, courageously took to the streets in protest against the decades-long denial of their basic rights by the Assad regime