Spanning two days, the interdisciplinary gathering will examine how prolonged conflict, shifting alliances, and evolving power balances are reshaping the political, legal, and socio-economic contours of the contemporary Middle East.
Across its panels and roundtables, the program moves beyond descriptive analysis to engage with a series of interlinked debates. These include the politics of intervention and sovereignty and the emergence of a new regional order in the MENA region; questions of stability, security, and social media discourse in contemporary Gaza; the obstacles facing Gaza’s post-war reconstruction; and the reconfiguration of the Palestinian cause in the post–October 7 context, from media narratives to artistic and cultural expression. Additional sessions will address resistance and representation in Palestine, as well as the influence of great power politics on regional realignments.
A keynote address will be delivered by Amr Moussa, former Egyptian minister of foreign affairs and former secretary-general of the League of Arab States, drawing on a diplomatic career closely tied to pivotal moments in Arab regional politics.
The conference will conclude with remarks by Ezzat Ibrahim, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Weekly and Ahram Online, who will synthesize the discussions and reflect on their broader implications for regional realignments, the Palestinian question, and the future of post-conflict reconstruction in the Middle East.
Bringing together a diverse academic community, the conference will feature leading political science scholars from Egypt and abroad. Participating institutions include the University of Alberta, Cairo University, University of St Andrews, Al-Azhar University, New Giza University, University of Warwick, University of London, and the University of Edinburgh, among others.
Oversight of the sessions will be undertaken by senior scholars and public figures, including Ali El-Din Hilal, professor of political science and former Egyptian minister of youth; Mustapha Al-Sayyid, professor of political science at Cairo University; Javed Maswood, chair of the AUC Department of Political Science; Bahgat Korany, professor of political science at AUC; and Charles Tripp, former professor and chair of Middle East Politics at SOAS University of London.
The Conference organizer is Dr Maye Kassem, Political science department, AUC.
Scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, February 11 and 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the conference is expected to offer a timely and rigorous academic forum for reassessing the Middle East’s evolving political landscape at a moment of profound regional transition.
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