Afghanistan Regional Symposium: Confronting the Impasse

The Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is hosting the “Afghanistan Regional Symposium: Confronting the Impasse.” The symposium gathers leading experts, scholars, and policymakers in a collective pursuit of exploring and addressing the intricate challenges surrounding Afghanistan and its neighboring region. Since the Taliban regained power in 2021,…

CURA Spotlight: Victor Ehikhamenor

Speaker: Victor Ehikhamenor, Artist-in-Residence (Georgetown University in Qatar) Moderator: Asma Shakeel (Georgetown University in Qatar, Class of 2024) Location: Georgetown University in Qatar

Persisting Biases: Findings from the UNDP 2023 Gender Social Norm Index

The index, which was first introduced in 2020, covers 85 percent of the global population and captures data up to 2022. It provides information on the evolution of social norms over a 10-year period. The 2023 GSNI sheds light on the persistent presence of biased gender social norms across the world. The index reveals around…

Global Energy Cultures: How Energy Shapes our Everyday Lives

In collaboration with Msheireb Museums, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is hosting a forum on “Global Energy Cultures: How Energy Shapes our Everyday Lives.” Every aspect of our contemporary lives is shaped by energy; societies are fully dependent on the accessibility and availability of energy products,…

Workshop: Race and Ethnicity in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia

On January 10-11, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GUQ) organized a workshop to discuss draft papers submitted under its Race and Ethnicity in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia research initiative. Over two days, the convened scholars presented and received feedback on their papers that…

The Struggles of Palestinian Prisoners

Shedding light on current imprisonment conditions and the escalation of mass-arrest campaigns across Palestine, the talk will highlight the centrality of imprisonment to Israel’s project of control and dispossession. Since 1948, it is estimated that the Israeli regime has arrested nearly one million Palestinians, subjecting them to multitude forms of torture and violence, and diligently…

CURA Research Skills Workshop: Tools for Effective Argumentative Writing

On February 8, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted a research skills workshop titled “Tools for Effective Argumentative Writing.” The workshop was presented in collaboration with the Office of Academic Services at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), under the auspices of the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) program. Twelve undergraduate…

Qatar’s Creative Culture: Fostering Development and Diplomacy

This talk explores how Qatar is redefining the global cultural landscape, using its rich artistic heritage and innovative creative industries to forge new paths in diplomacy and spur national development. This talk unveils the strategies behind Qatar's success in turning culture into a powerful tool for international engagement and sustainable growth. Speaker: Nouf M. S.…

On Palestine: Hiwaraat Symposium

“On Palestine” features leading Palestinian voices, and is moderated by prominent broadcaster and author Mehdi Hassan. The symposium is organized around three thematic areas: justice and accountability, global media narratives and the shaping of public opinion, and avoiding traps in imagining a political future.  Location: Al Mirqab Ballroom, Four Seasons Hotel Doha

America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup

After successfully hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar continues to retain sport as an important domestic and foreign policy tool. In April 2023, Qatar achieved another historical win by being selected as the first Arab nation to host the men’s basketball World Cup, a quintessentially American game, invented in the late nineteenth century in…

Humanization through International Law? The Global South’s Role in Accountability

South Africa’s presentation of its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024 was a powerful assertion of humanity through law. Many have argued that international law is only as good as its enforcement. This talk engages in a discussion on such statements and on the role of Global South…