Attiya Ahmad on Islamic ‘Conversions’ of Migrant Domestic Workers in Kuwait

Attiya Ahmad, the 2009-2010 CIRS Postdoctoral Fellow and cultural anthropologist, delivered a Monthly Dialogue lecture on the subject of “Explanation is Not the Point: Islamic ‘Conversions’ of Migrant Domestic Workers in Kuwait” on March 8, 2010. Ahmad began the lecture by explaining that the anthropological approach toward research topics is to examine the underlying machinations of seemingly…

Paula Newberg on Moving Pakistan and Afghanistan Away from War

The Director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University in Washington DC, Paula Newberg, gave a lunch lecture on March 11, 2010 titled "Reconciling Past and Future:  Moving Pakistan and Afghanistan Away from War?" to a group of Qatar-based diplomats and Georgetown University in Qatar faculty and staff. Newberg’s talk focused on…

Open-Sea Piracy in the Modern World: Perils and Prospects

On March 21, 2010, CIRS convened a Panel presentation on the topic of “Open-Sea Piracy in the Modern World: Perils and Prospects.” The panel was made up of Pottengal Mukundan, Director of the International Maritime Bureau, Roger Middleton, Consultant Researcher working for the Africa Programme at Chatham House, and Daniele Archibugi, Research Director at the…

Judith Tucker on Globalization 18th Century Style

Judith Tucker, Professor of History at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar and former editor of the International Journal of Middle East Studies, gave the April 7, 2010 Monthly Dialogue lecture on the topic of “Globalization 18th Century Style: The Adventures of Salim the Algerine.” Tucker introduced her biographical research on the…

Michael Nelson Lectures on Preparing for the Next Digital Revolution

In partnership with ictQatar, on April 12, 2010, CIRS organized a Distinguished Lecture featuring Michael Nelson, Visiting Professor of Internet Studies in Georgetown University’s Communication, Culture, and Technology Program. Nelson, an expert in the areas of business, culture, and technology, lectured to an audience of 450 people on “The Cloud, the Exaflood, and the Internet of Things--Preparing…

Robert Fisk on Western Journalism and the Middle East

Robert Fisk, award-winning journalist and Middle East Correspondent for The Independent newspaper, gave the annual faculty-appointed Distinguished Lecture on April 20, 2010 on the subject of “State of Denial: Western Journalism and the Middle…

Mehran Kamrava International Lecture

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Dean Mehran Kamrava speaks about "A 2020 vision of the Middle East" Click here to download an MP3 of Kamrava's speech In…

Imam Feisal Lectures on Moderate Islam

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, a prominent Muslim leader in the United States and Chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, visited Qatar during a trip to the region sponsored by the U.S.…