Author: Lindsay Benstead

Professor of Politics and Global Affairs Director, Middle East Studies Center (MESC) Portland State University benstead@pdx.edu
Unpacking Religious Freedom: How Do We Know It’s Changing?
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Unpacking Religious Freedom: How Do We Know It’s Changing?

ByLindsay Benstead

Have you ever wondered how we measure something as complex as religious freedom? It’s not as simple as counting votes or currency. Understanding if religious freedom is progressing, especially in regions like the Middle East, requires a thoughtful approach to tracking changes over time that is based on context-sensitive information and thoughtful methodology. The Big…

Egypt Can Flourish by Implementing Its Constitutional Guarantee of Religious Freedom
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Egypt Can Flourish by Implementing Its Constitutional Guarantee of Religious Freedom

ByLindsay Benstead

Egypt, as part of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Committee, was among the Arab countries that not only participated in writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) but also signed it in 1948, thus laying a foundation for religious freedom (Article 18) and other fundamental human rights. Egypt’s most recent Constitution (2014) proudly…