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What are the odds the Middle East will see peace in 2018? According to Jim Gelvin, a historian of the region and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, they’re not good. He lists five conflicts to keep an eye on in the new year – from the intractable fighting in Syria to what the Islamic State might look like without its caliphate.
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Syrian Democratic Forces looking toward the northern town of Tabqa, Syria.
Syrian Democratic Forces, via AP
James L. Gelvin, University of California, Los Angeles
An expert on the region lays out the most essential issues to watch this year.
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Politics + Society
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Omid Shams, University of Portsmouth
With a hollowed-out agenda and a cynical attitude to corruption, Iran's reformist forces have squandered their people's trust.
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Business + Economy
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Ian Scoones, University of Sussex
The unresolved compensation of Zimbabwe's evicted white farmers needs to be settled quickly, as it stands in the way of economic recovery.
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Environment + Energy
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Olaf Weber, University of Waterloo; Vasundhara Saravade, University of Waterloo
In the age of climate change, investors have different ideas about financial risk. Green bonds take social, environmental and governance issues into consideration, and could help fight climate change.
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Science + Technology
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Tom Iliffe, Texas A&M University
Scientific fieldwork that happens underground and underwater in spectacular but dangerous caves opens a window on a largely unknown world.
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Education
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Rebecca Y. Bayeck, Pennsylvania State University
African board games are learning spaces for players to develop cognitive and non-cognitive skills given the mechanics or rules embedded in these games.
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Arts + Culture
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Michael Jetter, University of Western Australia; Kerry L. Papps, University of Bath; Wayne A. Grove, Le Moyne College
Only a few professional tennis players make a stable income, let alone vast riches. Research suggests it's this small chance of a huge payoff that drives players to play professionally
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