Vantage Middle East · Perspectives
A library of vantages, organised by country.
Vantage publishes perspective archetypes — recurring sociological, religious, regional, and political worldviews whose interaction constitutes the substance of regional politics. The multi-perspective method works by building a constellation of vantages for each country and inviting the reader to read across multiple profiles for any contested question.
Profiles are not paired against each other; they are additions to country libraries that grow over time. The libraries below show what is currently published and what is planned. As the platform matures, each country’s library will hold many vantages — across sects, regions, classes, generations, and diaspora communities — none of them representing “the” view of the country, all of them together describing how political reality is actually held.
Library
Egypt
Currently includes two perspectives on the post-2013 political-religious settlement. The library will grow to add Upper Egyptian Sa'idi rural, Egyptian secular-liberal Cairo cosmopolitan, Coptic diaspora professional, and Egyptian Nubian profiles.
Coptic Orthodox lay community member
Coptic Orthodox lay member in 2026: post-2013 protection compromise, Pope Tawadros II era, Upper Egypt flashpoints, ISIS legacy, post-Sisi anxieties.
Egyptian Brotherhood-sympathiser
Egyptian Brotherhood-sympathiser in 2026: post-Rabaa trauma, post-2013 prosecution, Ezzat sentencing, regional Brotherhood retreat, generational survival.
In planning
- Upper Egyptian Sa'idi rural
- Egyptian secular-liberal Cairo cosmopolitan
- Coptic diaspora professional
- Egyptian Nubian community
Library
Iran
Currently includes the principal post-1979 elite-political distinction. The library will grow to add Qom religious establishment, Mashhad religious-bazaari, IRGC mid-officer family, regional traditions (Azeri, Kurdish-Iranian, Khorasani), and the substantial diaspora.
Tehran middle-class reformist
Tehran middle-class reformist in 2026: educated, sanctions-pressed, post-Khamenei, between hope for opening and exhaustion at its repeated foreclosure.
Iranian principlist
Iranian principlist in 2026: revolutionary identity, post-Khamenei testing, between Jalili-line resistance and pragmatic conservative engagement.
In planning
- Qom religious establishment
- Mashhad religious-bazaari
- IRGC mid-officer family
- Azeri Iranian
- Kurdish Iranian
- Iranian diaspora professional
Library
Iraq
No profiles drafted yet. The library will grow to include the Najafi Shia clerical tradition, Sunni Anbar tribal, Kurdish Peshmerga, Iraqi Christian remnant, and Iraqi diaspora professional.
In planning
- Najafi Shia clerical
- Sunni Anbar tribal
- Kurdish Peshmerga
- Iraqi Christian remnant
- Iraqi diaspora professional
Library
Israel
Currently includes a perspective from the post-2024 war northern border. The library will grow to add the foundational religious-secular distinction (Haredi, Hiloni, Mizrahi, Russian-speaking immigrant), the Israeli Arab community, the religious-Zionist settler movement, and the broader diaspora.
In planning
- Israeli Hiloni secular-Tel Aviv
- Israeli Haredi ultra-Orthodox
- Israeli Mizrahi-Shas
- Russian-speaking Israeli immigrant
- Israeli Arab citizen
- Religious-Zionist settler
Library
Jordan
No profiles drafted yet. The library will grow to include the Hashemite establishment Jordanian, the Palestinian-origin Jordanian middle class, the East-Bank Bedouin tribal community, the Christian Madaba community, and the Islamic Action Front-aligned constituency.
In planning
- Hashemite-establishment Jordanian
- Palestinian-origin Jordanian middle class
- East-Bank Bedouin tribal
- Christian Madaba community
- Islamic Action Front supporter
Library
Lebanon
Currently includes a perspective from the post-2024 war south. The library will grow to add Maronite political family, Sunni post-Hariri urban professional, Druze of the Chouf, the Beirut October 17 generation, and the substantial diaspora.
In planning
- Maronite political family
- Sunni post-Hariri urban professional
- Druze of the Chouf
- Beirut October 17 generation
- Lebanese diaspora professional
Library
Saudi Arabia
Currently includes two perspectives on the Vision 2030 settlement. The library will grow to add the Hejazi merchant cosmopolitan tradition, the Saudi Shia community of the Eastern Province, the Qassim conservative-tribal community, and the broader diaspora.
Najdi religious establishment
Najdi religious establishment in 2026: post-2017 reset, broken religious-political compact, Vision 2030 reforms, Iran-strike posture, normalisation.
Riyadh business elite
Riyadh business elite in 2026: Vision 2030 generation, post-oil project, women's workforce participation, post-Khashoggi posture, Iran-strike opportunity.
In planning
- Hejazi merchant cosmopolitan
- Saudi Shia Eastern Province
- Qassim conservative-tribal
- Diaspora Saudi professional
Library
Syria
No profiles drafted yet. The library will grow to include the post-Assad Sunni-majority returnee, the Alawite coastal community, the Damascene merchant, the Syrian Druze of Suwayda, the Syrian Kurdish Rojava perspective, and the substantial diaspora.
In planning
- Post-Assad Sunni-majority returnee
- Alawite coastal community
- Damascene merchant
- Syrian Druze of Suwayda
- Syrian Kurdish Rojava
- Syrian diaspora European
Library
Turkey
Currently includes the principal post-1923 secular-religious distinction. The library will grow to add the Kurdish secular-democratic tradition, the Alevi cultural-political identity, the Anatolian conservative-rural community, and the European diaspora.
Turkish Kemalist secular
Turkish Kemalist secular in 2026: post-2017 erosion, March 2024 CHP victories, İmamoğlu prosecution, post-2030 succession hopes, secular-republican legacy.
Turkish AKP religious-conservative
Turkish AKP religious-conservative in 2026: post-2002 civilizational restoration, post-2016 institutional reset, Şimşek reforms, post-Assad Syria win.
In planning
- Kurdish secular-democratic
- Alevi cultural-political
- Anatolian conservative-rural
- Turkish diaspora European
Library
United Arab Emirates
No profiles drafted yet. The library will grow to include the Emirati Bani Yas-tradition national, the South Asian expatriate professional, the Arab expatriate professional, the Bidoon stateless community, and the Sharjah Al Qasimi cultural-Islamic perspective.
In planning
- Emirati Bani Yas-tradition national
- South Asian expatriate professional
- Arab expatriate professional
- Bidoon stateless
- Sharjah Al Qasimi cultural-Islamic
Library
Yemen
No profiles drafted yet. The library will grow to include the Houthi-aligned northern Zaidi perspective, the Sunni Shafi'i Ta'izz urban professional, the Hadhrami diaspora merchant, the Aden southern-secular tradition, and the marginalised Akhdam community.
In planning
- Houthi-aligned northern Zaidi
- Sunni Shafi'i Ta'izz urban
- Hadhrami diaspora merchant
- Aden southern-secular
- Akhdam community