Reflections on the life and work of Joe Stork, a co-founder and longtime editor of the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP), were shared at a live event held November 22, 2025, at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C. Stork passed away October 23, 2024.
The event, highlighted on a recent episode of the MERIP Podcast, featured speakers including Sarah Leah Whitson, Lisa Hajjar, Mouin Rabbani, Joel Beinin, Zachary Lockman, Rick Reinhard, Andy Shallal, and Joan Mandel. Joost Hiltermann, a MERIP contributor and analyst at the International Crisis Group, served as the master of ceremonies.
Speakers recounted experiences collaborating with Stork, spanning from the inception of MERIP in the 1970s to his subsequent work with Human Rights Watch. The podcast episode presents excerpts from these reminiscences, offering insights into Stork’s contributions to Middle East studies and human rights advocacy.
Andy Shallal, owner of Busboys and Poets, similarly contributed remarks during the event, acknowledging the significance of Stork’s work and MERIP’s mission. Busboys and Poets, located at 450 K Street in Washington, D.C., hosted the gathering.
MERIP is currently conducting a year-end fundraising campaign, soliciting donations to support its ongoing work.
On January 27, 2026, the MERIP Podcast released Episode 14, focusing on the protests in Iran that began on December 28, 2025. These protests were initially sparked by reactions to new budgetary measures announced by President Masoud Pezeshkian, escalating in the first week of January and peaking around January 8th. The Iranian government responded with an internet blackout and reportedly harsh repression by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its affiliates, resulting in clashes and alleged summary executions.
