The Israeli‐Palestinian conflict has erupted again, but the politics in both Israel and the United States on this longstanding issue appear to be undergoing change. Jeremy Pressman, a political scientist at the University of Connecticut and an expert on the conflict, explains the historical context of the recent outbreak in violence, argues the cycle of military force undermines the objectives of both sides, and discusses the current tensions in the U.S.-Israeli relationship in this episode of the CATO Institute's Power Problems Podcast.
Faculty News
What does the new Biden administration mean for American foreign policy and the Middle East?
Gulf Research Meeting 2021 – Call for Papers
Middle East Studies Association 2021 Annual Meeting
October 28-31, 2021
Montreal, Quebec
Since 1967, the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) has held an annual meeting in the fall where members gather to share research. MESA has been the hub for scholarly exchange from its first meeting at The University of Chicago in 1967 where a small group gathered for eight sessions to MESA’s 50th anniversary meeting in Boston in 2016 where 312 sessions delighted more than 2,000 attendees. The meeting features panels and special sessions on a variety of topics related to Middle East studies. It is complemented by meetings of MESA’s affiliated groups, an exciting 4-day film festival, a comprehensive book exhibit featuring the latest books and software in the field, and other informal events. The meeting provides an opportunity for friends and colleagues from a variety of disciplines to gather to share their common bond: the study of this important region of the world. Learn more at: https://mesana.org/annual-meeting/current-meeting
Call for Papers Deadline February 18, 2021
The Middle East Studies Association calls for submissions from members for its 55th annual meeting to be held in the fall of 2021. All submissions must be made through myMESA, MESA’s membership and electronic submissions system. The system opens on January 8, 2021 and closes at midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on February 18, 2021. Questions about the submission process are always welcome. Please email Kat Teghizadeh at kat@mesana.org.
MESA is primarily concerned with the area encompassing Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Israel, Pakistan, and the countries of the Arab world (and their diasporas) from the seventh century to modern times. Other regions, including Spain, Southeastern Europe, China and the former Soviet Union, also are included for the periods in which their territories were parts of the Middle Eastern empires or were under the influence of Middle Eastern civilization. Comparative work is encouraged. The 2021 meeting does not have a theme.
Learn more at https://mesana.org/annual-meeting/call-for-papers
NUS MEI’s Annual Conference – Meeting the Future Together: Opportunities and Challenges for the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East
February 23 – 25, 2021
Virtual
Join the National University of Singapore for its annual Middle East Institute Conference on February 23, 2021. This year’s conference is centered around the theme ‘Meeting the Future Together: Opportunities and Challenges for the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East’.
The NUS Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2021, spanning across three days, will present panel discussions with experts and policymakers on trade, technology and education. This enables us to identify potential growth areas, future opportunities, understand how robust these sectors are and their pivotal role in paving the way for both regions to achieve their strategic priorities.
Guest of Honour: Mr Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Singapore
Learn more and register at https://mei.nus.edu.sg/event/middle-east-institute-annual-conference-2021.
Call for Applications: 2020 APSA MENA Fellows
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is pleased to announce a Call for Applications from early-career scholars who would like to participate in the 2020 MENA Workshop. The program is an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the Arab MENA region and advance research on security and international relations of the region. The deadline for applications is Saturday March 14, 2020.
The workshop will be held from May 29 to June 4, 2020 in partnership with the faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences-Souissi (FSJES) at Mohammed V University in Rabat. The organizers will cover participation costs (including travel, lodging, and materials) for up to 20 qualified applicants. Following the workshop, a select group of fellows will be invited to present their research at the September 2020 APSA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
This opportunity is intended for PhD students and post-doctoral fellows who are citizens of countries in the Arab MENA region, especially those who are currently based at universities or research institutes in the region. Non-citizens of Arab MENA countries who are currently based at universities or research institutes in the Arab MENA region may also apply. The program is open to scholars in political science and other social science disciplines undertaking research related to the workshop theme. Scholars should apply with a manuscript or research project in progress that they will present at the workshop. Professional fluency in English is required.
The 2020 MENA Workshop will be led by Samer Abboud (Villanova University, USA), Zaynab El Bernoussi (Al Akhawayn University, Morocco), Omar Dahi (Hampshire College, USA), and Salim Hmimnat (Mohamed V University, Morocco). Together with selected workshop fellows, the co-leaders aim to engage academic and policy debates about security and international relations of the MENA region and consider alternative understandings of insecurity that focus on the research projects of scholars within the region. In particular, the workshop will be theoretically grounded in critical approaches to Security Studies and International Relations, with discussions structured around two central themes: Insecurity will be framed through the question of what makes people insecure, rather than what makes them secure. Discussions of securitization will reflect on how new patterns of securitization are emerging in the region. By widening the agents of securitization beyond the state, this approach highlights how private companies, social movements, political parties, and even municipalities, are implicated in contemporary securitization in the MENA region. The workshop will also include opportunities for research presentation and feedback as well as sessions on professional development topics. Following their participation in the full program, alumni will receive 3 years’ membership to APSA and will be eligible to apply for small research grants.
Applications should be submitted via the online form: https://apsa.wufoo.com/forms/2020-mena-workshop-application-form.
For more information about the APSA MENA project, visit web.apsanet.org/mena or e-mail us at menaworkshops@apsanet.org.
Apply Now:2020-2021 MEI Research Fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School
Applications Now Open for 2020-2021 Middle East Initiative Research Fellowships
Deadline: Wednesday, January 15, 11:59 PM EST
The Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School is now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Middle East Initiative Research Fellowship Program. The application deadline is January 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST.
The Middle East Initiative Research Fellowship Program, part of the Emirates Leadership Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School, offers one-year fellowships for researchers at the pre-doctoral, postdoctoral, and junior faculty level for research related to Middle Eastern governance and public policy. All fellowships carry a stipend. Eligible candidates include advanced doctoral candidates, recent recipients of a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, and untenured faculty members. Applicants for pre-doctoral fellowships must have passed general examinations, advanced to candidacy, received dissertation prospectus approval, and concluded all necessary fieldwork for the dissertation by the time of application. The strong expectation is that pre-doctoral fellows will defend their dissertations at the end of their residency with us. We welcome applications from political scientists, historians, economists, sociologists, and other social scientists. We also encourage applications from women, minorities, and citizens of all countries.
Priority will be given to applications pursuing one of these six primary areas of focus:
- Improving Governance: Promoting the inclusivity, accountability, responsiveness, and efficiency of governing institutions and empowering the region’s citizens.
- Building Peace: Addressing the sources of domestic and interstate conflict and generating durable political settlements.
- Revitalizing the State: Improving the capacity of state institutions and reforming social service delivery systems, with a special emphasis on health, education, and social protection.
- Broadening Financial and Labor Markets: Working to ensure that financial and labor markets in the Middle East are open, competitive, and inclusive.
- Governing Technology: Assessing how governments in the Middle East adapt to and integrate technological changes such as the growth of cyberspace, automation, and artificial intelligence, as well as how these advances in technology have shaped governance.
- Adapting to Environmental Challenges: Exploring how the governments of the region can cope and are coping with the challenges of water scarcity and climate change.
This program is made possible through funding from the Emirates Leadership Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School. All application materials must be submitted in PDF format through the official application portal. For more information regarding the program and application process, please visit: www.belfercenter.org/fellowship/middle-east-initiative
Please submit inquiries to Julia Martin, Assistant Director of the Middle East Initiative, by e-mail at Julia_Martin@hks.harvard.edu.
Boren Awards: Language Study and Research in the Middle East & North Africa
The application for the 2018 Boren Awards is now open at www.borenawards.org! Application deadline is February 8 for undergraduate students and January 30 for graduate students.
Boren Awards fund U.S. undergraduate and graduate language study and research abroad in world regions critical to U.S. national interests (including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East). Boren Awards promote longer‐term linguistic and cultural immersion overseas, and are available to applicants in most fields of study.
Boren Awards will give preference to applicants planning to study in a number of countries in North Africa and the Middle East, including Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Preference is also given to students who are willing to study abroad for longer periods of time, and those who are highly motivated to work in the federal government following graduation.
The Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for undergraduate students for language‐focused study abroad.
The Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 for graduate students to fund language study, graduate‐level research, and academic internships abroad.
Webinars on aspects of the Boren Awards, including special regional initiatives and components of the application are scheduled throughout the 2017‐2018 academic year. Sign up today at www.borenawards.org/webinars.html. Additional information on preferred countries, languages, and fields of study can be found at www.borenawards.org.
Applicants are encouraged to contact their Boren Awards campus representatives, listed in a directory on the website, for institution‐specific guidance. They may also contact Boren Awards staff directly at 1‐800‐618‐NSEP or boren@iie.org.
An Interview with Professor Jeffrey A. Lefebvre
http://en.shafaqna.com/the-saudi-qatar-rift-is-fueled-by-the-desire-to-isolate-iran-an-interview-with-prof-jeffrey-a-lefebvre/
8/1/2017 deadline for Fulbright US Scholar Program Competition
The 2018-19 Core Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program competition is now open and accepting applications for awards in the Middle East and North Africa. We invite you to consider applying for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award, and also invite you to encourage your colleagues to be a part of this important international experience. Below you’ll find some ways you can get involved.
- Consider applying to teach or research– Explore the Catalog of Awards (http://awards.cies.org) and contact us with any questions regarding specific opportunities. Highlights to the region include:
o Oman: All Disciplines (8367-MU)
o Jordan: All Disciplines (8358-JO)
o Tunisia: All Disciplines (8372-TS)
o Israel: Postdoctoral Fellowship (8357-IS)
- Refer your U.S. colleagues to receive information about the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. IIE/CIES will contact all referrals, providing valuable information about the award offerings and application process. You can also list your colleagues’ primary discipline or preferred country, which will allow us to tailor our guidance.
Join us for an informational webinar on Wednesday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. We’ll share an overview of opportunities throughout the Middle East and North Africa and offer a live Q&A.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and the deadline for the 2018-19 competition is August 1, 2017. Please reach out with any questions or concerns; we’ll be glad to assist.