Masterclass Middle East: Geopolitics in Europe's Neighbourhood (2019)
What is Saudi Arabia’s role in the Middle East? Masterclass Middle East by Oz Hassan. Saudi Arabia has often been declared a “democracy blocker” and “counter-revolutionary” force in the Middle East and North Africa. This assumption should be challenged with a more nuanced understanding of Saudi foreign policy that goes beyond a narrative of “good democracy promoters” and “bad democracy blockers” for the region. Understanding that Saudi foreign policy is an elite-led enterprise that is “interest driven” rather than ideologically tied to a Wahhabi ideology allows for more nuance to emerge.
THE NEXT WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST BY KOERT DEBEUF (CARTOONS BY JUAN) 28.02.2019 - 19:30 Today there are civil wars in Syria, Yemen and Libya. Every one of them is also a proxy war between countries and ideologies. This means that conflict in the region is much broader than these civil wars. Koert Debeuf will give an overview of where we might expect new wars in the Middle East in the near future and how this will affect Europe. Koert Debeuf lived in Cairo where he observed first-hand the Arab Revolution. His analyses appear in American, European and Middle Eastern media. Juan is a Syrian cartoonist who lives in France. Juan mostly makes cartoons about the Syrian war, prisoners in Syria and refugees.
THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE PEACE PROCESS IS (REALLY, TRULY) DEAD. NOW WHAT? BY LARA FRIEDMAN (CARTOONS BY SARA QAED
Halfway into Donald Trump’s four-year term as president of the United States, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is, irrefutably, dead. For all who reject zero-sum outcomes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this is an historic moment of both peril and opportunity: the way forward on Israel-Palestine, and how it fits into and impacts on the broader regional picture, is now uncharted territory.
THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE PEACE PROCESS IS (REALLY, TRULY) DEAD. NOW WHAT? BY LARA FRIEDMAN (CARTOONS BY SARA QAED)
Halfway into Donald Trump’s four-year term as president of the United States, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is, irrefutably, dead. For all who reject zero-sum outcomes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this is an historic moment of both peril and opportunity: the way forward on Israel-Palestine, and how it fits into and impacts on the broader regional picture, is now uncharted territory.
Masterclass Middle East: Geopolitics in Europe's neighbourhood (Feb-Apr 2018)
The Silk Road of the Middle East by Peter Frankopan, Professor World History, Oxford University, author of The Silk Roads - 21 February 2018
Introduction by Caroline Pauwels, Rector VUB
How to stop migration from Libya? By Mahmoud Jibril, former Prime Minister of Libya, leader of the National Forces Alliance -12 March 2018
Introduction by Karel De Gucht, President of the Board of the IES
Has the Arab revolution only started? By Koert Debeuf, author of Inside the Arab Revolution, director TIMEP Europe - 28 March 2018
Introduction by Jan Völkel, Researcher IES
The future of Islamism, by Tarek Osman, author of Islamism and Egypt on the brink, advisor for the EBRD.
Introduction by Luk Van Langenhove, Academic Director IES
The future of Turkey by Mustafa Akyol, author of Islam without extremes and The Islamic Jesus, Turkish journalist - 25 April 2018
Introduction by Koert Debeuf, Director TIMEP Europe