Pomeps Conversations

In this week's podcast, Marc Lynch begins the episode by announcing the winners of the American Political Science Association MENA Politics Section Awards. (Starts at 0:56) Maya Mikdashi of the Rutgers University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss her new book, Sectarianism: Sovereignty, Secularism, and the State in Lebanon. The book analyzes how sex, sexuality, and sect shape and are shaped by law, secularism, and sovereignty in Lebanon. (Starts at 5:47). On today's episode, March Lynch speaks with Greg Gause of Texas A&M University, Curtis Ryan of Appalachian State University, and Waleed Hazbun of the University of Alabama about their chapter in The Political Science of the Middle East: Theory and Research Since the Arab Uprisings, which focuses on the U.S.'s declining geopolitical leverage in the Middle East. (Starts at 36:41).  Music for this season’s podcast was created by Myyuh. You can find more of her work on SoundCloud and Instagram.

On the first episode of Season 12 of the POMEPS Middle East Political Science Podcast, Marc Lynch speaks with Jillian Schwedler of City University of New York, and Sean Yom of Temple University about their co-edited volume, The Political Science of the Middle East: Theory and Research Since the Arab Uprisings. The volume is a definitive overview of what political scientists are working on within the Middle East and North Africa. Its dozen chapters cover an exhaustive array of topics, including authoritarianism and democracy, contentious politics, regional security, military institutions, conflict and violence, the political economy of development, Islamist movements, identity and sectarianism, public opinion, migration, and local politics. (Starts at 02:26). This season of the podcast will also include conversations with the authors of each chapter from the book. On today's episode, Bassel Salloukh of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and Alexandra Siegel of University of Colorado at Boulder talk about

José Ciro Martínez of the University of Cambridge joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, States of Subsistence: The Politics of Bread in Contemporary Jordan. The book argues that the state is best understood as the product of routine practices and actions, through which it becomes a stable truth in the lives of citizens. (Starts at 0:57). Jessica Barnes of the University of South Carolina and author of Cultivating the Nile: The Everyday Politics of Water in Egypt discusses the politics of bread in Egypt (Starts at 31:21).  Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Megan Brown of Swarthmore College joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss her new book, The Seventh Member State: Algeria, France, and the European Community. The book combats understandings of Europe’s “natural” borders by emphasizing the extracontinental contours of the early union. The unification vision was never spatially limited, suggesting that contemporary arguments for geographic boundaries excluding Turkey and areas of Eastern Europe from the European Union must be seen as ahistorical. (Starts at 0:44). Sami Atallah of The Policy Initiative and Christiana Parreira of Princeton University discuss the results of recent elections in Lebanon (Starts at 33:27). Cinzia Bianco of the European Council on Foreign Relations discusses the succession of Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the United Arab Emirates. (Starts at 53:31). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

On this week's episode of the podcast, Jeannie Sowers of University of New Hampshire joins Marc Lynch to discuss POMEPS's newest publication, POMEPS Studies 46:Environmental Politics in the Middle East and North Africa. (Starts at 0:36). Mariam Salehi of Freie University Berlin discusses her new book, Transitional justice in process: Plans and politics in Tunisia. The book discusses the development and design of the transitional justice mandate, and looks at the performance of transitional justice institutions in practice. It examines the role of international justice professionals in different stages of the process, as well as the alliances and frictions between different actor groups that cut across the often-assumed local-international divide. (Starts at 32:24). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Jannis Julien Grimm of the Freie University of Berlin joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Contested Legitimacies: Repression and Revolt in Post-Revolutionary Egypt. The book explores this resilience of contentious politics through a multimethod approach that is attuned to the physical and discursive interactions among key players in Egypt’s protest arena. (Starts at 0:46). Marwa Fatafta of Access Now discusses digital authoritarianism, content moderation, and the potential impact of Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter. (Starts at 33:13). Thanassis Cambanis of Century International discusses their new project on citizenship, armed groups, and comparing the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. (Starts at 48:22). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Jillian Schwedler of Hunter College joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss her new book, Protesting Jordan: Geographies of Power and Dissent. In the book, Schwedler examines protests as they are situated in the built environment, bringing together considerations of networks, spatial imaginaries, space and place-making, and political geographies at local, national, regional, and global scales. (Starts at 0:31). Deen Sharp of the London School of Economics discusses climate change in the Gulf, and references his report, "The Quiet Emergency: Experiences and Understandings of Climate Change in Kuwait." (Starts at 31:41). Ali Kadivar of Boston College discusses his new article, "Social Development and Revolution in Iran." (Starts at 47:53).

Michael Provence of University of California San Diego joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, The Last Ottoman Generation and the Making of the Modern Middle East. In the book, Provence examines the collapse of the Ottoman empire through popular political movements and the experience of colonial rule. (Starts at 0:39). Gamze Cavdar of Colorado State University discusses her article, "Why Women Support Conservative Parties: The Case of Turkey" published in Political Science Quarterly. (Starts at 32:13). Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland discusses our joint project on the Middle East Scholar Barometer. (Starts at 46:33). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Erin Snider of Texas A&M University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss her new book, Marketing Democracy: The Political Economy of Democracy Aid In the Middle East. In the book, Snider examines the construction and practice of democracy aid in Washington DC and in Egypt and Morocco and the limited impact of international aid. (Starts at 0:42). Steven Brooke of the University of Wisconsin-Madison discuss his article, co-authored by Elizabeth Nugent of Yale University,  "Who votes after a coup? Theory and evidence from Egypt" published in Mediterranean Politics. (Starts at 29:15). Mai El-Sadany of The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy discusses the problem with Egyptian prisoners and human rights. (Starts at 43:17). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Ora Szekely of Clark University and Peter Krause of Boston College join Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss their new book, Stories from the Field: A Guide to Navigating Fieldwork in Political Science. In the book, political scientists from a diverse range of biographical and academic backgrounds describe research in North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The contributors reflect not only on their own experiences but also on larger questions about research ethics, responsibility, and the effects of their personal and professional identities on their fieldwork. (Starts at 0:45). Ahmed Ezzeldin Mohamed of Columbia University discusses his latest article, "Political Budget Cycles in Autocracies: The Role of Religious Seasons and Political Collective Action" published in Politics and Religion by Cambridge University Press.  (Starts at 34:47). Hadil al-Mowafak of the Yemen Policy Center discusses the current ceasefire in Yemen. (Starts at 47:48). Music for this season's podca

Andrea Wright of the college of William and Mary joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss her new book, Between Dreams and Ghosts: Indian Migration and Middle Eastern Oil. In the book, Wright analyzes how migration is deeply informed both by workers' dreams for the future and the ghosts of history, including the enduring legacies of colonial capitalism. (Starts at 0:42). Basileus Zeno of Amherst College discusses his latest article, "The making of sects: Boundary making and the sectarianisation of the Syrian uprising, 2011–2013" published in Nations and Nationalism. (Starts at 31:22). Renad Mansour of the Chatham House discusses the current issues in the Iraqi government formation process. (Starts at 50:40). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Hatim El-Hibri of George Mason University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Visions of Beirut: The Urban Life of Media Infrastructure. In the book, El-Hibri analyzes how the creation and circulation of images have shaped the urban spaces and cultural imaginaries of Beirut. (Starts at 0:44). Kevin Koehler of Leiden University discusses his latest article, "Who fakes support for the military? Experimental evidence from Tunisia" (co-authored with Sharan Grewal and Holger Albrecht) published in Democratization. (Starts at 33:58). Kristian Coates Ulrichsen of the Baker Institute on the ongoing tensions between the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. (Starts at 48:58). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Pouya Alimagham of Massachusetts Institute of Technology joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Contesting the Iranian Revolution: The Green Uprising. In the book, Alimagham analyzes the history of Iran and the Middle East to highlight how activists contested the Islamic Republic's legitimacy. (Starts at 0:35). Valeria Resta of the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of North Africa and the Middle East discusses her latest article, "The ‘myth of moderation’ following the Arab Uprisings: polarization in Tunisia and Egypt’s founding elections," published in the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. (Starts at 33:30) Nate Grubman of Stanford University discusses the Tunisian president's transition to a dictatorship. (Starts at 50:54). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

James Shires of Leiden University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, The Politics of Cybersecurity in the Middle East. In the book, Shires analyzes how the label of cybersecurity is repurposed by states, companies and other organizations to encompass a variety of concepts. Cinzia Bianco of the European Council on Foreign Relations discusses the responses of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and the Gulf Cooperation Council to the Ukraine crisis. Howard Eissenstat of St. Lawrence University discusses Turkey and its response to the Ukraine crisis. Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Jill Jarvis of Yale University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss her new book, Decolonizing Memory: Algeria and Politics of Testimony. In the book, Jarvis analyzes the magnitude of the legal violence exercised by the French to colonize and occupy Algeria. Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl of Leiden University and Kevin Koehler of Leiden University discuss their latest article, "Governing the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa: Containment Measures as a Public Good" published in Middle East Law and Governance. Sean Yom of Temple University and Wael Al-Khatib of the Arab Political Science Network discuss the prospects for democratic reform in Jordan. You can read their report from the Project on Middle East Democracy here. Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Michael Hoffman of the University of Notre Dame joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Faith in Numbers: Religion, Sectarianism, and Democracy. In the book, Hoffman discusses how religious identities and sectarian interests play a major part in determining regime preferences. (Starts at 0:44). Devorah Manekin of Hebrew University discusses her latest article, "Effective for Whom? Ethnic Identity and Nonviolent Resistance" (co-authored by Tamar Mitts), published in Cambridge University Press. (Starts at 29:25). Gregory Gause of Texas A&M University discusses U.S. relations with the Gulf states and broader Gulf politics. (Starts at 44:17). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Jeff Colgan of Brown University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Partial Hegemony: Oil Politics and International Order. In the book, Colgan offers lessons for leaders and analysts seeking to design new international governing arrangements to manage an array of pressing concerns. (Starts at 0:38). Safa Al-Saeedi of Northwestern University discusses her latest article, "The Arab spring: why did the uprisings miss the monarchies?," published in Contemporary Politics. (Starts at 29:13). Bassel Salloukh of the Doha Institute discusses Lebanon's ongoing political crisis. (Starts at 42:08). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

John Nagle of Queens University Belfast and Tamirace Fakhoury of Aalborg University join Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss their new book, "Resisting Sectarianism: Queer Activism in Postwar Lebanon." In the book, Nagle and Fakhoury examine feminist and LGBTQ social movements in the context of Lebanon's postwar sectarian system. Reva Dhingra of Harvard University discusses her latest article, "Coordination in practice or performance? The political economy of refugee aid coordination in Jordan," published in the Journal of Refugee Studies. Dana el-Kurd of the University of Richmond about recent Palestinian mobilization in East Jerusalem. Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Eskandar Sadeghi of the University of London joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, "Revolution and its Discontents: Political Thought and Reform in Iran." In the book, Sadeghi examines the rise and evolution of reformist political thought in Iran and analyses the complex network of publications in the 1990s. (Starts at 0:44). Adélie Chevée of the European University Institute discusses her latest article, "From Suriyya al-Asad to Souriatna," published in Nations and Nationalism. (Starts at 33:23). Mohamed Dhia-Hammami of Syracuse University discusses recent political developments in Tunisia. (Starts at 48:58). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Asef Bayat of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Revolutionary Life: The Everyday of the Arab Spring. In the book, Bayat seamlessly blends field research, on-the-ground interviews, and social theory to show how the practice of everyday life in Egypt and Tunisia was fundamentally altered by revolutionary activity. (Starts at 0:39). Maro Youssef of University of Southern California discusses her latest article, "Unlikely Feminist Coalitions: Islamist and Secularist Women’s Organizing in Tunisia," published in Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society. (Starts at 33:00). Thomas Juneau of the University of Ottawa discusses the Houthi movement and recent developments in the war in Yemen (Starts at 47:56). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.