Między Marokiem a Algierią

Between Morocco and Algeria: Mauritania and the question of Western Sahara Following the change of government and the election of a new president, Mauritania makes it clear that it hopes to resolve the issue of Western Sahara, which has divided Morocco and Algeria since the mid-1970s and still poses a serious problem to Mauritanian foreign policy. Mauritania in this dispute is between the proverbial rock and a hard place, trying not to come into conflict with any of the powerful neighbors, each of whom aspires to the role of a leader in the region. The conflict also casts a shadow on regional cooperation within the Arab Maghreb Union, which, if it functioned, could greatly help in the economic development of the region, especially important for the economically weakest Mauritania. Over the last few years, Nouakchott has maintained the position of the so-called “positive neutrality” which irritated the authorities in Rabat and created tense political relations with Morocco. The current striving for a more active role in the process of resolving the Western Saharan conflict seems to be largely dictated by the internal situation in Algeria and its troubles related to social protests demanding changes at the top of the government. Algeria has been the greatest ally of the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi cause so far. It is also not without significance that Morocco, after years of absence, returned to the African Union – the move, which definitely strengthened Morocco’s position among the countries of the continent.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Navigating Institutional Barriers as a Graduate Student with a Criminal Record

Much of the research on college students with criminal records focuses on their undergraduate experiences in traditional higher education settings. In this study, attention is given to graduate students’ experiences. Specifically, I explore how graduate students are navigating through institutional barriers while possessing a criminal record. Through the use of a pre-questionnaire form, a semi-structured interview, and a concept mapping exercise, I was able to collect 10 students’ perspectives to show how they (1) chose to navigate through institutional barriers by proving themselves to others and (2) by choosing if and when to disclose their criminal records. Several implications for practice and research are offered so that graduate programs can use these suggestions to ensure that graduate students with criminal records have access to an equitable education.

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Clinical Conundrum of Managing Cardiac Surgical Patients During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Deferring non-emergent cardiac surgery became the strategy of choice for several international healthcare systems afflicted by high case burdens of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) in order to both conserve valuable healthcare resources and protect patients from possible exposure. Missing from the available dataset to help guide policy development has been a clear understanding of the extent to which COVID-19 infection modulates cardiac surgery outcomes. In their investigation, Bonalumi and colleagues uncovered an inpatient COVID-19 positivity rate of almost 10 times higher than that of the general Italian population, as well as a mortality rate over 20 times higher amongst cardiac surgery patients with perioperative COVID-19 infection compared to those COVID-negative. While the summation of available evidence points to the serious consideration cardiac surgeons must give to delaying surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic, recognition must be given to the risks that postponing cardiac surgery may have on patient outcomes. Emerging data is beginning to demonstrate the efficacy of vaccination in preventing postoperative COVID-19 infection and morbidity.