Middle East Research and Information Project

What Middle East Research and Information Project does

Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization founded in 1971 and headquartered in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. It publishes critical, scholarship-informed analysis of Middle Eastern politics, political economy, social hierarchies, popular struggles, and U.S. foreign policy in the region. Its core product is Middle East Report, a quarterly digital publication with 318 issues released to date, supplemented by online current-analysis articles, educational primers, book and cultural reviews, the MERIP Podcast, published books, and virtual and in-person events. All editorial content is open-access and freely available worldwide; the underlying technology is a digital publication platform hosted at merip.org with newsletter, podcast, and event distribution channels.

MERIP operates on a donation-based revenue model that accepts individual tax-deductible contributions (one-time, recurring, stock, wire, donor-advised funds, planned giving) along with merchandise sales such as tote bags and issue posters. It does not charge subscription or access fees. The go-to-market approach is community- and event-led: editorial committee and board members from Reed College, Stanford, CUNY Hunter, the University of Exeter, GWU, DePaul, Tsinghua, and other institutions supply content and credibility; partnerships with the University of Exeter's IAIS, MESA Global Academy, GWU's IMPOP program, Pluto Press, and institutional funder Ploughshares extend reach into academia, journalism, NGOs, and informed citizens globally.

Name

Middle East Research and Information Project

Legal name

Middle East Research and Information Project

Website

https://merip.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971 that publishes the quarterly Middle East Report, articles, primers, a podcast, and books offering critical, scholarship-informed analysis of Middle Eastern politics and U.S. foreign policy for academics, journalists, NGOs, and informed citizens worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Publishing / Middle East Studies Journalism

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL), Politics, Current Affairs & Social Commentary Publishing (MPAJAAAM), Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPAGABAO)

Keywords

• Middle East studies
• Scholarly journalism
• Nonprofit publishing
• Political analysis
• Academic periodicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Ardmore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MERIP relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals. The organization accepts one-time and monthly donations, stock donations, wire transfers, donor-advised fund contributions, and legacy bequests. EIN: 04-2552770.
2. Merchandise Sales: MERIP sells merchandise including tote bags and issue posters. 100% of proceeds from merchandise sales support the organization's work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MERIP publishes the quarterly digital periodical Middle East Report and a continuous stream of online articles, primers, book reviews, and dispatches providing critical, scholarship-informed analysis of contemporary Middle Eastern politics, political economy, and US foreign policy. The organization supports this through a podcast, occasional books, and events, with all editorial content delivered open-access and free to readers worldwide.

Product overview

MERIP operates as a nonprofit media organization that publishes critical, alternative reporting and analysis on Middle Eastern politics, society, and US foreign policy. The core offering is the quarterly digital publication Middle East Report (MER), supplemented by frequent online Current Analysis articles, educational Primers, book and cultural Reviews, the MERIP Podcast featuring interviews and roundtables, published Books, and Events. Content is open-access and free to readers, with the organization supported by donations. The portfolio functions as an integrated editorial platform delivering scholarship-informed analysis to academics, journalists, NGOs, and informed citizens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Middle East Report (MER) Quarterly digital publication featuring thematic issues on contemporary Middle East and North Africa topics, with articles ranging from 1,000-3,000 words that undergo rigorous editorial review. Targeted at academics, journalists, NGOs, and informed citizens.
• Current Analysis Articles Frequently published online articles and commentary providing current analysis of political developments in the Middle East, covering topics such as Iran protests, Lebanon conflict, campus politics, and regional warfare.
• MERIP Podcast Podcast featuring interviews and roundtables with MERIP authors and editors, and recordings from events, covering topics on Iran war, protests, academic freedom, and regional Middle East politics.
• Primers Educational primers providing foundational overviews on key topics including Palestine and Israel, Lebanon, Sudan, and water issues in the Middle East, written in accessible language for general audiences.
• Reviews Critical assessments and reflections on books, films, exhibits, and cultural production addressing political, economic, social, and cultural power relations in the Middle East and North Africa.
• Books Published books including Arabia Incognita, The Arab Revolts, The Journey to Tahrir, The Struggle for Sovereignty, Women and Power in the Middle East, and other titles on Middle East politics and history.
• Events Virtual and in-person events including issue launches, roundtables, and discussions featuring MERIP contributors on topics spanning Syria, Iran, gender, and regional politics.
• Merchandise Branded merchandise including posters of issue covers featuring cover art by artists such as Samar Hussaini and Galal Yousif, and tote bags featuring the original MERIP logo designed by Kamal Boullata. 100% of proceeds from merchandise sales support the organization's work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 318 issues published since 1971

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (IAIS) at University of ExetercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, MERIP launched a transformative partnership with the University of Exeter's Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies. MERIP's Executive Editor and Managing Editor positions are based at Exeter within IAIS' Centre for Middle East Politics. The partnership aims to further MERIP's mission to reach academics, journalists, NGOs, and informed citizens beyond North America and achieve financial and organizational sustainability.
• MESA Global AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMESA Global Academy is an interdisciplinary initiative that sustains research collaborations among MENA-focused scholars. The partnership supports displaced scholars from MENA currently in North America to attend meetings, workshops, and conferences.
• Pluto PressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPluto Press is an independent political publishing house founded in 1969. They publish extensively on Middle East politics and have partnered with MERIP. Pluto is offering 20% off all books to MERIP readers using coupon code 'MERIP20'.
• IMPOP Program at George Washington UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMERIP collaborates with the IMPOP Program at the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University on virtual and in-person events and educational experiences.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jadaliyya: Jadaliyya is an independent, reader-supported digital publication of the Arab Studies Institute covering political economy, social movements, and culture in the Arab world. It is the closest direct peer to MERIP in both editorial mission and digital-first nonprofit publishing model, and its contributors overlap with MERIP's editorial network.
• Middle East Policy: Middle East Policy is an academic journal published by the Middle East Policy Council covering US policy and Middle East affairs. It is directly comparable to MERIP's Middle East Report as a peer scholarly publication targeting academics, policymakers, and informed readers on the same subject area.
• NACLA Report on the Americas: NACLA is a US-based nonprofit that publishes analysis of Latin America and the Americas from a progressive scholarly perspective. It is structurally analogous to MERIP as a small nonprofit area-studies publisher with a thematic quarterly, open-access website, and editorial approach that explicitly contests mainstream narratives.
• Jacobin: Jacobin is a socialist magazine and digital publication offering left political and economic analysis. It is comparable to MERIP as a left-leaning, reader-supported publication that produces long-form political analysis outside mainstream media and shares a similar audience of academics, activists, and engaged citizens.

Broad incumbents

• Middle East Institute: Middle East Institute is a Washington, DC-based think tank that publishes policy analysis, feature articles, and a quarterly magazine on the Middle East. It overlaps with MERIP's subject area and editorial product (magazine plus articles) but operates as a much larger, US policy-oriented institution with a broader portfolio.
• Washington Institute for Near East Policy: Washington Institute for Near East Policy is a major US think tank focused on Middle East policy. It produces in-depth analysis, policy briefs, and commentary on the same regional subject as MERIP, but operates as a much larger, well-funded policy institution with a more establishment orientation.
• Foreign Affairs: Foreign Affairs is the Council on Foreign Relations' flagship publication on US foreign policy and international relations. It overlaps with MERIP's foreign policy coverage of the Middle East but is a mainstream, subscription-based, establishment venue rather than a critical alternative publication.
• The Nation: The Nation is one of America's oldest progressive magazines covering politics, culture, and foreign policy. It is comparable to MERIP in editorial sensibility and regularly covers Middle East affairs, though it operates as a much larger, broader progressive publication with subscription revenue.
• Al Jazeera English: Al Jazeera English is a major international news outlet with extensive Middle East coverage and dedicated online opinion and analysis sections. It overlaps with MERIP's subject area and its analysis-driven editorial approach, but operates as a global incumbent with vastly greater scale and resources.

Emerging players

• London Review of Books: London Review of Books is a UK-based literary and intellectual publication featuring long-form essays on politics, history, and culture. It is comparable to MERIP in its essay-driven, scholarship-informed editorial style covering Middle East politics and serves as a similar higher-end academic-intellectual counterpart in the UK market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubemerip.org/tag/the-merip-podcast
• Facebookfacebook.com/MERIP1971
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/middle-east-research-and-information-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Middle East Research and Information Project