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Eric Schewe

Eric Schewe

Eric Schewe holds a PhD in Modern Middle Eastern History from the University of Michigan and has taught history at Baruch College and Queens College. He has lived and worked as a journalist in Egypt beginning in 2004, and writes about the region on ericschewe.wordpress.com and @ericschewe.

Factories Emitting Pollution

Why Climate Change Is a National Security Issue

Viewing climate change through a national security lens makes a certain amount of sense -- but it won't entirely solve the problem.
Illustration of a crane full of cash

Can Universal Basic Income Achieve Economic Security?

A wealthy country like the United States needs a solution for improving the supply and fairness of work overall. Is universal basic income the way to go?
Yemen crisis children

Why Yemen Suffers in Silence

Yemen is suffering a major humanitarian crisis. How did the country get to such a precarious state, and why aren't Americans paying more attention?
declassified NSA poster

What Drives American Disenchantment with the NSA

The National Security Agency's surveillance of citizens flew under the radar for decades. Why is there now so much mistrust of the NSA?
ominous smartphone

How Pleasure Lulls Us into Accepting Surveillance

The domestication of surveillance technology has caused big legal and ethical implications for security on both a personal and a social scale.
Food security

Global Food Security: A Primer

World hunger is not caused by our inability to produce enough food. The problem arises because of the economic inequality that distorts food distribution.
Airport map Afghanistan

Why is the US Military Occupying Bases Across Africa?

The U.S. occupation of Africa has become self-justifying. The U.S. military now must stay in Africa to protect the interests of the U.S. military in Africa.
Indonesian man smoking

Why Do So Many Indonesian Men Smoke?

Indonesia has the highest smoking rates in the world. Why? It might have to do with economic liberalization in the 1990s.
Aerial view of Riyadh downtown

Are Reforms Part of Saudi Arabia’s PR Campaign?

In September, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced to the world that it would begin licensing women to drive in 2018. Is it all part of a PR campaign?
Afghanistan colourful mountains

War Has Made Afghanistan’s $1 Trillion in Minerals Worthless

Developing rare earth mining in Afghanistan has been a potential objective since the USGS estimated the country had $1 trillion in mineral ore deposits.
Soldiers paying respect to Kim Il-sung

The Dilemma of Sanctions on North Korea

Recent diplomatic tension between America and North Korea seems bewildering, and not just because of the boasts and paranoia of Trump and Kim Jong Un.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey in Houston - August 27 2017

How To Recycle Half A Million Flooded Cars

Although a car seems like a long-term capital investment, it is only a crash or disaster away from becoming two tons of mass-consumer junk.
Great Mosque at Mecca

How European Empires Helped Shape the Hajj

Despite the Hajj's celebration of ascetic faith and brotherhood, there has always been plenty of profit made off the pilgrims traveling to Mecca.
NYC intersection

“Jay Walking” and the Fight for the Streets

Debates over the priorities of cars, public transit and "jay walking" are nothing new. There has long been a story class buried within the disagreements.
Sacred Cow plane

National Security and the Rise of American Air Power

Intending to rein in spending, the 1947 National Security Act reorganized the military establishment.
Cairo Tahrir Square

How Cassette Tapes Helped Muslim Revivalism

Modern conditions play a crucial role in religious revivalism. Cassette tapes have been crucial in the Muslim revivalism of the past 40 years or so.
Coptic Christians Egypt

Why Egypt’s Coptic Christians Face Rising Sectarianism

Egypt’s Coptic Christians supported President Abdelfattah al-Sisi's overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood. Why do they still face discrimination?
Preet and Dalya Bharara

U.S. Attorneys and the Struggle for Justice

The U.S. Constitution’s system of checks and balances have made the judiciary President Trump’s key foe in his first 100 days. ...
big pharma

How Did Big Pharma Get Big?

One branch of the healthcare industry that receives particular opprobrium for its high costs in America compared to other countries is pharmaceuticals.
German dissidents Friedrich and Pauline Kellner's 1935 passport photos

Papers, Please: The Invention of the Passport

Immigration and national security remain at the top of President Trump’s agenda. He issued a revised executive order ...
The CIA Seal

America’s State Secrets and the Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act of 1966 (or FOIA) was the result of a struggle by Congress and private business for information from the executive branch.
Calvin Coolidge

The Historic Echoes of Trump’s Immigration Ban

Trump's "Muslim ban" is not the first time the United States has attempted to prevent certain groups from entering the country.
Tehran, Iran

A Fragile Balance in Iran

While US sanctions on Iran reinforced the importance of domestic trade and production, Rafsanjani's policies ultimately empowered the middle class.
James Mattis

How Trump’s Generals May Change Washington

President-elect Donald Trump formally named Marine ex-General James Mattis his nominee for Secretary of Defense, following his pick ...