Jordan

Back in the Golden Age of Islam, Muslim astronomers began studying the skies to improve their religious practice: when to pray, how to face Mecca. 

Abortion. Right to die. Stem cell research. How do Muslims around the world approach modern bioethical dilemmas?

The Middle East today is more unstable than ever. The war in Syria has created a tremendous humanitarian crisis, with more than three million refugees having fled to neighboring countries, and the rise of ISIS has destabilized Iraq and Syria and threatens other countries in the region. 

The world's population is growing, and with it, so is the demand for water. This month's America Abroad examines global issues related to water, from dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, to droughts and floods in Queensland, Australia. We'll also discuss solutions from water-related I.T. in the developing world, to solar-powered purification after the Haiti earthquake.

While the Arab Spring may have toppled a couple of regimes, democracy alone can’t solve the bread and butter issues of the region. The Arab world faces a stark demographic dilemma: nearly a quarter of Arabs under 30 remain jobless. The bleak economic conditions that fueled the Arab uprisings have become the inheritance of any new governments that stand up in the region. And youth in the region aren’t likely to sit quietly and wait for economic change. 

Sitting in limbo is where many young Arabs find themselves today. Nearly a quarter of Arabs under 30 are jobless. Long gone are the days of a guaranteed government gig, and the private sector is far from filling the gap. Today, Arab youth are searching for work and waiting for weddings. Some just want to leave the region – and its long unemployment lines – altogether. At best, unemployment and flagging Arab economies lead to a generation of bored and frustrated youth. At worst, economic conditions create a breeding ground for extremism and instability. 

The Arab world has the largest youth bulge on the planet. Millions of young people are living in a pressure cooker of social, political, tribal, and religious forces. We visit Jordan and Egypt and speak with young Arabs in America about their struggles with identity, and how globalization, Islam, and a turbulent region are shaping how they look at themselves, and the world.