Middle East Uncovered is an independent publication of Ideas Beyond Borders dedicated to providing clear-eyed analysis, grounded reporting, and historically informed commentary on the political, cultural, and societal shifts shaping the Middle East today. It brings real stories, real people, and hard-earned insight to the surface.

We go deeper than the headlines, challenge tired narratives, and highlight the change-makers most people never hear about. Too much of what’s said about the Middle East comes from the outside looking in—often shallow, often wrong. We’re changing that.

Middle East Uncovered opposes polarization, censorship, and extremism—regardless of where it originates. Through honest, unsensational reporting grounded in local insights, we highlight reformers, risk-takers, and regional thinkers. With access to sources unobtainable to most, we offer complex, often inconvenient perspectives, reporting on issues often missing from mainstream coverage. Our sources trust us to handle their stories with the care and precision they require.


What We Stand For

  • Intellectual freedom in places where speaking up carries real risk.

  • Local agency: Change doesn’t come from think tanks; it comes from within.

  • Context and history: The region isn’t chaos—it’s complexity with a backstory.

We build on the values of Ideas Beyond Borders—intellectual freedom, open societies, and local agency—by focusing on the narratives that define the Middle East with sharper storytelling, bolder voices, and unapologetic clarity.


Our Commitment:

  • Analytical, not academic: We write to be understood, not to show off.

  • Clarity without oversimplification: making complex issues accessible and digestible without watering down the truth.

  • Curious, not preachy: Our readers are smart—we treat them that way.

  • Grounded in reality: Real people. Real places. Real consequences.

  • Historically aware: Today makes more sense when you know what came before.


Pitch the Publication

We’re building a publication that goes where others don’t—and we’re looking for bold, insightful voices to help us get there.

Middle East Uncovered is a values-driven, independent platform spotlighting the untold stories, cultural undercurrents, and political shifts shaping the Middle East today. We give contributors the chance to challenge prevailing narratives, elevate reformers and regional voices, and write with clarity and purpose—free from both ideological gatekeeping and sensationalist clickbait.

What We’re Looking For:

  • Sharp, grounded analysis of political, cultural, or social change.

  • Field reports from activists, writers, and observers on the ground.

  • Personal essays that challenge assumptions with authentic insight.

  • Myth-busting commentaries that correct common misconceptions.

  • Historical context that helps explain today’s crises—or today’s progress.

  • Spotlights and interviews with thinkers, reformers, artists, and innovators reshaping their communities.

Ready to contribute?
Send us a short pitch or finished draft to pitch@ideasbeyondborders.org. We’re not looking for polish—we’re looking for purpose.


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Voices from the ground. Perspectives that matter.

People

What others miss, we uncover. On-the-ground reporting, local voices, real stakes. Complex stories, clearly told. Powered by Ideas Beyond Borders.
Lead Editor of Middle East Uncovered, a publication of Ideas Beyond Borders. | Bylines: The Hill, More To Her Story, Queer Majority | Retired Professional Dancer
Afghanistan country director at Ideas Beyond Borders. Writer for Middle East Uncovered.
PhD candidate in economics and the economic advisor at Ideas Beyond Borders
Senior writer at Middle East Uncovered, a publication of Ideas Beyond Borders. Journalist and photographer covering the MENA region
Faisal Saeed Al Mutar is a social entrepreneur and media executive with extensive experience in economic development, innovation, and nonprofit leadership. Founder and President of Ideas Beyond Borders
Director of Ideas Beyond Border's House of Wisdom 2.0 Translation Program
Abdo Al Rayyis is the Engagement Director at Ideas Beyond Borders, supporting free speech and financial freedom across the Middle East. He holds an Economics degree from Lewis & Clark College.