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Dana El Kurd

Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond
Dana El Kurd holds a Ph.D. in government with concentrations in comparative politics and international relations, and has focused her work on authoritarian regimes in the Arab world, state-society relations in these countries, and the impact of international intervention.

She has published in peer-reviewed journals such as PS Political Science & Politics, Journal of Global Security Studies, Middle East Law and Governance, Siyasat Arabiya (an Arabic peer-reviewed journal), Contemporary Arab Affairs, Parameters, and more. Her book titled Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine was published in 2020 with Oxford University Press.

Theoretically, Dana is interested in the conflicts between states and their societies and the contentious politics they produce. She examines how authoritarian regimes try to implement policies and how external intervention may affect their success. Her research lies at the intersection of comparative and IR research, particularly with regards to international influence on regime development.

Substantively, Dana is interested in international involvement and authoritarianism within the Arab world. Her multi-method research focuses on how authoritarian regimes in the Arab world have maintained durability, as well as the societal impact of this authoritarianism on political engagement.

Topics of interest: the effect of international involvement on domestic politics, state-society relations, repression, political mobilization, strategies of authoritarianism, US foreign policy in the Middle East, Palestinian politics

Economy

Dollar Set for Fourth Weekly Loss as Tariff Worries and Safe-Haven Demand Grow

The U.S. dollar is poised for its fourth straight weekly loss as investor concerns over tariffs and trade uncertainty drive a shift away from U.S. assets. Despite a slight rebound from a seven-month low against the yen,...

Bank of Korea Holds Rates Amid Trade Tariff Threats and Weakening Won

South Koreas central bank kept its key interest rate steady at 2.75% on Thursday, aiming to stabilize the Korean won as global trade tensions escalate. The decision by the Bank of Korea (BOK) aligns with expectations from...

Singapore’s March Exports Rise 5.4% Amid Tariff Concerns and Growth Forecast Cut

Singapores non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 5.4% year-on-year in March, according to Enterprise Singapore data released Thursday. The increase was driven by gains in both electronics and non-electronic shipments....

BOJ to Cut Growth Outlook Amid Trump Tariff Risks

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is expected to lower its economic growth forecast at its upcoming April 30May 1 policy meeting, as escalating tariff risks from U.S. President Donald Trump threaten Japans export-driven recovery....

China and Japan Boost U.S. Treasury Holdings Despite Tariff Tensions

Speculation that China and Japan were dumping U.S. Treasuries was challenged on Wednesday after the U.S. Treasury Department reported a 3.4% rise in foreign holdings of Treasuries in February, reaching $8.82 trillion....

Politics

Trump Aides in Paris for Ukraine Ceasefire, Iran Nuclear Talks

Two top U.S. national security officialsSecretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoffare set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, aiming to align U.S. and European efforts on...

U.S.-France Talks to Focus on Ukraine, Iran, and Middle East Tensions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris on Thursday to discuss key global issues including the war in Ukraine, Irans nuclear program, and tensions in the Middle...

Ukraine and U.S. Near Minerals Deal Amid Progress in Bilateral Talks

Ukraine and the United States are nearing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a minerals agreement, signaling substantial progress in bilateral talks, according to Ukraines First Deputy Prime Minister...

Macron Vows Justice as French Prisons Face Wave of Attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged swift justice following a third consecutive night of violent attacks targeting prisons across France. At least nine correctional facilities and related institutions, including a...

U.S. Senator Denied Access to Deported Salvadoran Held in Notorious Prison

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) was denied access to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported from the United States, during a diplomatic visit to El Salvador. Abrego Garcia, who lived in Maryland,...

Science

Kennedy Sets September Deadline to Uncover Autism Causes Amid Controversy

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a bold plan to identify the cause of autism by September 2025. Speaking at a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Kennedy declared a global...

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi Gets US Approval for Bladder Cancer Treatment

AstraZenecas drug Imfinzi (NASDAQ: AZN) has received U.S. approval to treat adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, a significant advancement in cancer therapy. The approval allows Imfinzi to be used in...

Sanofi’s New Hemophilia Drug Qfitlia Gains FDA Approval with Breakthrough Bimonthly Dosing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qfitlia, a groundbreaking hemophilia treatment by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY). Designed for patients aged 12 and older with hemophilia A or B,...

FDA Vaccine Chief Peter Marks Resigns Amid Controversy Over Transparency

Peter Marks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) top vaccine official, has resigned after reportedly being forced out by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to The Wall Street Journal....

Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy

Ice cores in freezers, dinosaurs on display, fish in jars, birds in boxes, human remains and ancient artifacts from long gone civilizations that few people ever see museum collections are filled with all this and more....

Technology

Tencent, Douyin Launch Domestic Sales Initiatives Amid U.S.-China Trade Tensions

Chinese tech giants Tencent and Douyin, TikToks sister app in China, have launched new initiatives to support local exporters affected by the intensifying U.S.-China trade war. These efforts aim to help export-reliant...

Stargate AI Megaproject Eyes UK Expansion Backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle

The $500 billion Stargate data center project, backed by OpenAI, SoftBank (TYO:9984), and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), is exploring expansion opportunities in the UK as it seeks overseas sites for scaling artificial intelligence...

U.S. Imposes New Export Curbs on Nvidia and AMD AI Chips to China

The U.S. Commerce Department announced new export licensing requirements on Tuesday targeting Nvidias H20 and AMDs MI308 artificial intelligence chips, along with equivalent models, restricting their shipment to China. The...

NVIDIA Stock Dips on $5.5B Hit From China Export Controls

NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) shares fell 6% in after-hours trading to $105.42 after the company announced it expects up to $5.5 billion in charges related to U.S. export restrictions on its AI chips to China. The charges will be...

Japan Orders Google to Halt Anticompetitive Smartphone Practices

Japans Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has issued a cease and desist order to Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) for engaging in anticompetitive practices, marking the countrys first formal crackdown on a U.S. tech giant for market...