International Policy Fellowships

  Fellows

▪ Mukhtar Ali
▪ Syed Mohammad Ali
▪ Abdel Mahdi Alsoudi
▪ Ahmed Idrees Rahmani

  Group Advisor

▪ Kian Tajbakhsh

  Soros Network Initiatives

▪ Middle East & North Africa Initiative
▪ Central Eurasia Project
▪ Information program

  Open Society Promotion

▪ Islam and Democracy
▪ U.S. Institute of Peace
▪ HI: Future of Muslim World

  Annotated Papers

▪ Islam and Democracy in the Middle East
▪ Prospects for Muslim Democracy
▪ Contemporary Muslim Thinkers on an Ideal State for Muslim Societies
▪ Islamic Political Identity in Turkey

Open Society Promotion

The cultural, intellectual and religious struggle around the promotion of open societies is one of the major challenges facing predominantly Muslim societies. These societies are undergoing fundamental challenges in seeking to balance the often-conflicting objectives of modernization, such as open societies, economic development, and cultural identities. This struggle should not be confused with the notion of a "clash of civilizations" between the West and the Islamic world. In seeking to contribute to these debates within predominantly Muslim societies-both Arab and non-Arab-we seek to support policy-relevant research proposals.

Fellow projects in 2005:

  • Mukhtar Ali (Pakistan):
    Lack of transparency and freedom of information in Pakistan: An Analysis of State Practice and Realistic Policy Options for Reform
  • Syed Mohammad Ali (Pakistan):
    Civil participation in poverty reduction programs of the government of Pakistan
  • Abdel Mahdi Alsoudi (Jordan):
    The Impact of US Aid Policy on Democracy and Political Reform in Jordan and other Arab Countries
  • Ahmed Idrees Rahmani (Afghanistan):
    The Role of Religious Leaders in the Provision of Local Services in Afghanistan
  •   Fellow Activities and Publications

    ▪ Syed Mohammad Ali had published two articles “Rethinking development ” and “Participation in development“ in Daily Times, Pakistan.

    ▪  The 19th International Policy Fellowships seminar was organised in Istanbul, December 8-12, 2005

    ▪  A workshop about the role of Ulama in making a democratic and developed Islamic Afghanistan was held in Kabul on 25 – 29 November 2005.

    ▪  In August 2005 Ahmad Idrees Rahmani attended the conference of Community Development Council (CDC) Representatives with the President of Afghanistan in Kabul.

    ▪  In September 2005 Abdel Mahdi Alsoudi held a presentation at Georgetown University about the Impact of US Policy on Democracy and Political Reform in Jordan.

     
      2005 Working Groups

    ▪ 2005 Working Group Summary
    ▪ Wider Europe
    ▪ Open Society Promotion
    ▪ Open Society Threats
    ▪ Combating Organized Crime
    ▪ Transparency and Accountability
    ▪ Higher Education Reform
    ▪ Public Health and Roma
    ▪ Policymaking in Transition
     
      2006 Working Groups

    ▪ 2006 Working Group Summary
    ▪ Wider Europe
    ▪ Open Society Promotion
    ▪ Open Society Threats
    ▪ Resource Curse
    ▪ Roma Exclusion
    ▪ Open Information Policy


    www.policy.hu www.soros.org www.ceu.hu/cps April 2006