MERIP was founded in 1971 by activists for peace and social justice to bring to the U.S. public critical analysis of Middle Eastern political economy and US policy toward the region. MERIP publishes an award-winning magazine, Middle East Report, distributes Press Information Notes via e-mail, maintains a website and produces primers. MERIP neither solicits nor accepts financial support from government and corporate sources. This independent stance is an essential part of MERIP's mission to document and support popular struggles for peace and social justice in the Middle East, and to promote progressive change in U.S. policy toward the region.