Iran: politics of pragmatism & Arab parallels
Since the existence of independent nation states in the Middle East and North Africa, Iran has been one of the …
Putin, clumsily, seeks to exploit mounting Gulf tensions
*** A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Patreon, …
How religious leaders can help facilitate dialogue
The paradoxical relationship between religion, politics and conflict is a contentious issue within political science and has garnered much debate …
Are there any lessons from Middle-Eastern masculinity?
The phrase ‘toxic masculinity’ has become somewhat of a cliche in the Western world. As a go-to catchphrase, it has …
Oman’s unique power balancing role
*** This article was featured in a paper presented by Shatha Sbeta to Middle East Dialogue in Washington DC *** …
Where do Lebanese Christians stand on Hezbollah?
At present, Lebanon remains one of a few safe havens in the Middle East for Christians, who make up an …
Did ISIS “hijack” the Arab Spring?
Across the Middle East, ISIS emerged out of the ashes of failed aspirations. The Arab Spring promised so much and, …
Likud, Hamas and the Israeli-Palestinian “peace process”
Recent Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in Syria are a stark reminder of the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process …
Can “Realism” be applied to Arab politics?
In the context of the modern system of sovereign states, political realism, as a school of thought, has served as …
Sunni-Shia sectarianism before and after Britain’s invasion of Iraq
On the morning of February 22, 2006, a series of bombs brought one of Shia Islam’s holiest sites, al-Askari Mosque, …
The relationship between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and ISIS
Recent news Last month, Saudi Arabia severed ties with Qatar over its role in ‘supporting terrorism’ throughout the region. Tensions …
How do religion and politics currently interact?
A few months ago, the Prime Minster of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, was visiting President Putin, attempting to illustrate a political …