Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Media

The Kurdish Women's Movement and Turkey's Transnational 'Feminicide'
Demonstrators hold portraits of victims of the December 23, 2022 Enghien Street shooting in Paris, as well as those of the La Fayette street murders in 2013, to express solidarity with the Kurdish community, Paris, December 26, 2022. Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

The Kurdish Women's Movement and Turkey's Transnational 'Feminicide'

[su_dropcap style="simple" size="4"]O[/su_dropcap]n January 9, 2023, thousands of demonstrators from across Europe gathered in Paris to participate in marches organized by Kurdish groups. Demonstrators were mourning a triple killing of Kurdish activists that occurred in Paris just two weeks
Elif Genc, Anna Özbek • 14 min read
Reporting from Tunis
Members of the Tunisian Journalists Union support imprisoned Moroccan journalists Omar Radi and Souleimane Raissouni, on World Press Freedom Day, 2021. Jdidi Wassim/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Reporting from Tunis

In the aftermath of the 2011 revolution, Tunisian journalist Bassam Bounenni published an article on the dissident digital news site, Nawaat. In it, he criticized the media’s practices under fallen dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben ‘Ali (1987-2011). For the media to play a role in the new political order, he
Thomas Serres • 11 min read
Rethinking Informal Labor Through the Lens of Film Production in Cairo
Technicians installing light defusing frames in preparation for filming, Egypt 2021. Maged NaderResidents peak from their balconies to watch the filming. Shoubra, Egypt, 2020. Mariz KeladaPlacing lighting reflectors on top of the actor’s caravans saved the time and money it would have cost for a professional, more secure, setup. It was only possible because of good relations between the different crews. Heliopolis, Egypt, 2020. Mariz KeladaCrowds gather around to watch filming, downtown Cairo, 2019. Mariz Kelada
MER Article

Rethinking Informal Labor Through the Lens of Film Production in Cairo

Many movies, television shows and advertisements film on location in the busy and crowded streets of Cairo. Mariz Kelada explains with ethnographic detail the complex and multilayered work of production assistants, fixers and sub-fixers to create the right conditions and relationships for filming in
Mariz Kelada • 13 min read
Rethinking Informal Labor Through the Lens of Film Production in Cairo
Technicians installing light defusing frames in preparation for filming, Egypt 2021. Maged NaderResidents peak from their balconies to watch the filming. Shoubra, Egypt, 2020. Mariz KeladaPlacing lighting reflectors on top of the actor’s caravans saved the time and money it would have cost for a professional, more secure, setup. It was only possible because of good relations between the different crews. Heliopolis, Egypt, 2020. Mariz KeladaCrowds gather around to watch filming, downtown Cairo, 2019. Mariz Kelada
Current Analysis

Rethinking Informal Labor Through the Lens of Film Production in Cairo

Many movies, television shows and advertisements film on location in the busy and crowded streets of Cairo. Mariz Kelada explains with ethnographic detail the complex and multilayered work of production assistants, fixers and sub-fixers to create the right conditions and relationships for filming in
Mariz Kelada • 13 min read
Going to War with the Coronavirus and Maintaining the State of Resistance in Iran
Fig. 1. “Doctors and Nurses! Your reward is with God.” Source: Office of Supreme Leader.Fig. 1. “Health Defenders.” Source: Student News Network.Fig. 2. “The Sacrifice Continues.” Source: Navid Shahed Gilan.Fig. 3. “The Nation’s heroes are always in the field,” original design and postage stamp. Source: Tehran Times.Fig. 4. “War, work until victory.” Source: Yanon Design.Fig. 5. A war medic and health care professional collapsed into one figure. The slogan reads, “The holy warriors of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” Source: Office of Supreme LeaderFig. 6. Source: Public Relations Office of Dezful Governorate.Fig. 6. “The trench is the same trench, the people are the same people.”Fig. 7. “Like Avini.” Source: Office of Supreme Leader.
Covid-19 Coverage

Going to War with the Coronavirus and Maintaining the State of Resistance in Iran

The Iranian government is fighting against the coronavirus pandemic not only with travel restrictions and social distancing rules, but also with ideological tools that promote unity and resistance. Through the production of posters and other media, Iran is creating connections between earlier battle
Kevin L. Schwartz, Olmo Gölz • 15 min read