2023 Turkish Elections: 5 More Years of Erdogan?

2023 Turkish Elections: 5 More Years of Erdogan? Held on 7 March, 2023 Speakers Dr Ahmet Erdi Öztürk | Dr Öztürk is an associate professor of politics and international relations at London Metropolitan University, and a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellow at Coventry University in the UK and GIGA in Germany (2021-2023). Güney Yildiz | Güney Yildiz is a […]
Locked Out of Development: Insiders and Outsiders in Arab Capitalism

Locked Out of Development: Insiders and Outsiders in Arab Capitalism Held on 1 March, 2023 Speakers Dr Steffen Hertog | Steffen Hertog is Associate Professor in Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics. Dr Mehmet Erol | Mehmet Erman Erol is a political economist with a research focus on the (international) political economy of […]
The ISIS Threat in 2023

Counter-ISIS operations will only succeed by addressing tensions between partner forces and corruption, and strengthening local governing capacity.
Domestic and Foreign Policy Under Israel’s New Government

Domestic and Foreign Policy Under Israel’s New Government Held on 13 February, 2023 Speakers Yossi Mekelberg | Professor of International Relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. Dr. Einat Wilf | Former Israeli politicians and a leading thinker on Israel, Zionism, foreign policy and education. MK Sharren Haskel | Israeli […]
Algeria, Morocco and Western Sahara: Why Tension, Not Conflict, Has Become the Norm

During an interview on 29 December with the French daily Le Figaro, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared that his country had cut ties with Morocco in the summer of 2021 to “avoid war.”[i] Tebboune’s comments reflected just how far relations had deteriorated, and that avoiding conflict required a strong response. Hence, the diplomatic break of August 2021. […]
Harnessing Ideology: Addressing Iran’s ‘Soft Power’ in Latin America

On 11th January, Iran’s naval commander announced[i] that Iran would station warships in the Panama Canal before the end of 2023. Further exasperating concerns, according to documents[ii] published recently by the Brazilian navy, two Iranian warships have been granted permission to dock in Brazil, with experts speculating[iii] that the vessels could reach the Panama Canal as early as mid-February. […]
Beyond Heroes, Symbols and Role Models: Women at the Centre of MENA Politics

Women’s political mobilisation is central to MENA’s regional dynamics, yet it often takes major events to draw global attention to these issues.
Qatar and the Al Thani: The Self-Made Critical Ally

With a strategy informed by its past, no other ruling dynasty in the Arab Gulf has played a weak hand with more skill than Qatar’s Al Thani regime.
The East Mediterranean’s Energy Resources Are More Important Than Ever

Competition over the energy resources of the Eastern Mediterranean did not start with Russia’s war in Ukraine, it has been going on since 2009.
The Games Inside the Game: A Look at the Politics and Economics of the Qatar World Cup

With the successful delivery of the Qatar World Cup, Qatar will be able to step out from the shadows of its more well-known Gulf neighbours.