Al Jazeera Centre for Studies

Overview

Al Jazeera Centre for Studies is a Doha-based research institution and think-tank arm of the Al Jazeera Media Network. Established in 2006, it produces policy analysis, media studies and academic research focused primarily on the geopolitics of the Middle East and North Africa region, while also examining broader international affairs. The Centre describes its purpose as presenting a balanced understanding of regional dynamics for decision-makers, diplomats, academics and the general public.

Key functions and role

The Centre conducts in-depth research and analysis for Al Jazeera's newsrooms and programme editors, publishes policy briefs, strategic reports and media studies, and produces an academic journal along with periodic books and monographs. It organizes forums, conferences, seminars and roundtable discussions intended to foster dialogue among policymakers, politicians and academics on strategic issues, and maintains a research fellowship and university theses collection. As the research arm of Al Jazeera Media Network, it also aims to improve regional research skills and expand translation between Arabic and other languages.

History

The Centre was launched in 2006, the same year Al Jazeera English went on air, as part of a broader expansion of the network's research and analytical capacity. It has since produced hundreds of studies, policy briefs and strategic reports, and in 2022 published a compilation cataloguing roughly 1,000 academic works about Al Jazeera's own history and impact, marking the network's 26th anniversary. The Centre operates alongside other Al Jazeera Media Network divisions, including the Al Jazeera Media Institute and the Al Jazeera Center for Public Liberties and Human Rights.

Political positions

As a research arm of Al Jazeera Media Network, which is substantially funded by the government of Qatar, the Centre's independence has drawn scrutiny from some media analysts, who note that the wider network has avoided coverage critical of the Qatari government even as it has built a reputation for editorial latitude on other regional subjects. The Centre itself describes its work as independent research rather than advocacy, and its output spans a range of perspectives on Middle Eastern and international affairs.

Leadership

Mohammed Mukhtar Al Khalil has served as Director of the Centre since January 2018. He previously served as editor-in-chief of Al Jazeera's Arabic-language website, which he helped found in 2000. Ezzeddine Abdelmoula serves as the Centre's Manager of Research, holding a doctorate in political science from the University of Exeter.

Location and contact info

Address
P.O. Box 23123
Doha, State of Qatar
Phone
+974 40158384
Email
jcforstudies@aljazeera.net
Website
https://studies.aljazeera.net/en