Center for International and Regional Studies

Global Energy Cultures: How Energy Shapes our Everyday Lives
2023-12-09 08:00 - 2023-12-10 20:00 (Asia/Qatar) | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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, whether in the form of hydrocarbons or alternative energy sources. At the intersection of academic and artistic perspectives, scholars, artists, and practitioners engage in discussions around the broad theme of “energy.” The aim of the conversations is to make academic research accessible to the public through a series of multidisciplinary talks and cultural events.

Location: Msheireb Museums

About the forum

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Workshop: Race and Ethnicity in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia
2024-01-10 08:00 - 2024-01-11 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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 tackled a wide array of issues, including; the history of racism in Africa, Turkey, and the Ottoman Empire, the notion of whiteness and blackness, the construction of national identity within diasporic communities and everyday racism in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

To view the working group agenda, click here

To read the participants’ biographies, click here

Read more about this research initiative

Participants and Discussants:

Rogaia Abusharaf, Georgetown University in Qatar

Akintunde E. Akinade, Georgetown University in Qatar

Azza Ahmed Abdel Aziz, University of London

Zahra Babar, CIRS, Georgetown University in Qatar

Clovis Bergère, Northwestern University Qatar

Misba Bhatti, CIRS, Georgetown University in Qatar

Uday Chandra, Georgetown University in Qatar

Chouki El Hamel, Arizona State University

Amal Ghazal, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

Sami Hermez, Northwestern University in Qatar

Wilson Chacko Jacob, Concordia University

Taha Kaleem, PhD student, Brandeis University

Aashish Karn, postgraduate student, Lancaster University

Hasan Mahmud, Northwestern University in Qatar

Thomas F. McDow, Ohio State University

Pascal Ménoret, Brandeis University

Mostafa Minawi, Cornell University

Suzi Mirgani, CIRS, Georgetown University in Qatar

Yehia Abdelmobdy Mohamed, Georgetown University in Qatar

Anne-Sophie Pratte, Georgetown University in Qatar

Paul A. Silverstein, Reed College (Portland, USA)

Leila Tayeb, Northwestern University in Qatar

Ousmane Traoré, Pomona College

Elizabeth Wanucha, CIRS, Georgetown University in Qatar

Tukufu Zuberi, University of Pennsylvania

The Struggles of Palestinian Prisoners
2024-01-29 17:00 - 18:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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 working to dismantle forms of collective mobilization and resistance inside prisons. The talk will also discuss the hope of true liberation that many have long been holding closely, within and outside the physical space of the prison.

Location: CIRS Conference Room, Georgetown University in Qatar.

Speaker: Basil Farraj (Birzeit University)

Moderator: Sami Hermez (Northwestern University)

CURA Research Skills Workshop: Tools for Effective Argumentative Writing
2024-02-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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 students from GU-Q attended the workshop, which was led by CMU-Q’s Professors Thomas Mitchell and Silvia Pessoa.

“Analyzing and deconstructing sample texts, revealed the various components that blend together to create a coherent and persuasive argument. The ability to break down arguments is a valuable skill that I gained from the workshop.”
– Workshop participant

Using a hands-on approach, Professors Mitchell and Pessoa guided students through several peer-review activities using excerpts from real essays and papers submitted by GU-Q students. This activity involved both individual and group analysis of different excerpts, focusing on various elements of effective argumentative writing.

One interesting activity involved a thorough analysis of pairs of similar phrases within the same context to determine the most effective claims. Students explained their reasoning and received insights from the professors on accurately identifying the attributes of a descriptive claim versus an argumentative claim. Special attention was given to sources and language as major elements influencing the reader’s understanding of the author’s position. The students also analyzed pairs of sample texts to identify common features within texts with effective claims. Professor Mitchell emphasized the importance of language choice, stating, “your choice in the type of language that you use is very important to bring the reader to your side without alienating them.”

The workshop explored engagement moves and interpersonal resources as tools of specific rhetorical effect, exemplified by commonly used discourse markers. Students learned to apply these tools in body paragraphs, analyzing interactions of the text with different sources to support the author’s claims or introduce alternative perspectives. The importance of engaging in a dialogue with existing sources was highlighted, with Professor Silvia stating, “Do not ignore them, rather bring them in and then challenge their ideas.” This emphasized the idea that writing is entering into a conversation with those who have written on the topic before, actively creating knowledge through the addition to the ongoing discourse.

“I think this workshop was very helpful. It established the fundamental framework for college writing. With the skills taught here, it is easier to handle college level assignments.”
– Workshop participant

A notable segment involved the analysis of two college students’ arguments on the social effects of urban planning in Qatar. This approach encouraged students to critically examine texts similar to their own, stressing the importance of a discerning eye during the revising and editing process. Small details, as revealed through this exercise, can significantly impact the clarity and structure of argumentative claims.

The CURA Research Skills Workshop not only equipped students with practical tools for effective argumentative writing but also fostered a collaborative and critical approach to peer-reviewed analysis. Through engaging activities and expert guidance, participants gained valuable insights into the art of crafting compelling and persuasive arguments. CIRS continues to provide opportunities for skill development, enhancing the research capabilities of the undergraduate student body.

Article by Dalva Raposo, CIRS Research Assistant

Qatar's Creative Culture: Fostering Development and Diplomacy
2024-02-20 18:00 - 19:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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. Al-Thani, J.D. (Georgetown University in Qatar)

Moderator: Trish Kahle (Georgetown University in Qatar)

Location: Faculty Conference Room (1D02), 1st Floor, Georgetown University in Qatar.

On Palestine: Hiwaraat Symposium
2024-03-07 13:00 - 18:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
“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

About the Symposium

America's Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup
2024-03-12 18:00 - 19:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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 Springfield, Massachusetts, and the second most popular global sport after football.This panel discussion serves as the launching event for a new CIRS research project titled “America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup,” which studies U.S. and Middle East political and cultural engagements through the lens of basketball.

Location: Faculty Conference Room (1D02), Georgetown University in Qatar

Speakers: Claudia Kozman (Northwestern University in Qatar), Yaseen Ismail Musa (Former Professional Basketball Player and Head of the Qatar Basketball Federation), Joseph John (Al Jazeera English)

Moderator: Danyel Reiche (Georgetown University in Qatar)

Humanization through International Law? The Global South's Role in Accountability
2024-03-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
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 actors’ critical engagement in international law.

Speaker: Noha Aboueldahab (Georgetown University in Qatar) is an Assistant Professor of International Law at Georgetown University in Qatar, and a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. Her second forthcoming book examines the role of Arab diasporas in using international law and transitional justice to push for political change in their home states. Aboueldahab sits on the advisory boards of several organizations, and is regularly consulted by the media and policymakers on issues concerning law and politics in the Arab region.

Moderator: Nadya Sbaiti (Georgetown University in Qatar).

The Migrant Race: Intra-Asian Mobility, Co-ethnicity & Categorical Complexity
2024-04-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
Speaker: Laavanya Kathiravelu (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Moderator: Uday Chandra (Georgetown University in Qatar)

Location: CIRS Conference Room, Georgetown University in Qatar

This talk explored the comparative complexities faced by long-term and second generation immigrants in Singapore and Doha, and interrogated how Asian migration studies can contribute to complexifying enrich intersectional approaches to identity and belonging in the social sciences.

"Mothership" Documentary Screening and Discussion
2024-04-21 13:00 - 14:30 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
About the documentary: In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the crew of the Ocean Viking is rescuing people in exile fleeing Libya, crammed in unseaworthy boats. To ensure that people in distress are rescued in compliance with human rights and maritime law, a tug-of-war between authorities and humanitarian aid workers occurs.

Speakers: Fyras Mawazini and Sanad Hamdan, members of the Search and Rescue team on-board the ship Ocean Viking.

Location: Room 0A12, Georgetown University in Qatar

Party Politics, Voter Behavior, and Hot Topic Issues
2024-08-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
This panel discussion aims to address various topics such as the Republican Party’s internal conflicts, the evolution of the Democratic Party across generations, the potential opportunities and challenges in a president’s final term, the lasting impact of Trumpism, the significance of congressional voting districts and swing states, the priorities of voters, the electoral college system, the recurring issue of immigration, the current situation in Gaza, and how voter behavior in key states could affect the outcome of the 2024 election.

Panelists:

Clyde Wilcox, Georgetown University in QatarAmanda Garrett, Georgetown University in QatarPaul Musgrave, Georgetown University in Qatar

Moderator: Victoria Googasian, Georgetown University in Qatar

Reimagining Palestine - Hiwaraat Conference
2024-09-20 08:00 - 2024-09-22 19:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
“Reimagining Palestine” is the latest installment of Georgetown University in Qatar’s signature Hiwaraat conference series, which engages scholars, experts, and the public in timely and relevant dialogues on globally significant issues. Since its launch in September 2023, the series has curated conferences on topics such as Regional Reflections on the Invasion of Iraq, Global Histories and Practices of Islamophobia, Confronting the Impasse in Afghanistan, Water Security in the Gulf, How Energy Shapes our Everyday Lives, and Gender in Foreign Policy.

Some of the world’s leading academics and practitioners will gather for a thought-provoking exploration of such pressing, forward-looking questions as the future of Gaza and how to make it livable again, to pathways toward a viable Palestinian political future, and the regional implications of the current moment. This conference aims to advance academic discourse on Palestine, meaningfully engaging participants in dialogue that challenges the status quo and envisions new possibilities for justice and peace.

Doha’s strategic position at the crossroads of the Middle East offers a unique vantage point intimately connected to the region’s complex realities. By bringing together a diverse range of regional perspectives here, this will be a forum where history meets possibility, offering participants the opportunity to gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of one of the most critical issues of our time.

Read More about the Concerence

CURA Spotlight with Dr. Muez Ali
2024-10-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
Speaker: Muez Ali Moderator: Leshamta Maina (Georgetown University in Qatar, Class of 2025)Location: CIRS Conference Room, Georgetown University in Qatar

On October 8th, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted its first CURA Spotlight event of the semester. The event featured Dr. Muez Ali, Research and Policy Associate at Earthna, Qatar Foundation, and an Honorary Research Fellow at UCL’s Bartlett School. The event was hosted as part of the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) Program and was opened by Operations Manager Elizabeth Wanucha, who introduced the moderator. The event, moderated by Leshamta Maina, a senior student at Georgetown University in Qatar, focused on the ongoing conflict in Sudan, the role of civil society, and the challenges faced by emergency response rooms. Dr. Ali opened the discussion by challenging mainstream narratives, emphasizing that the war in Sudan is often misrepresented as a power struggle between two generals. He explained that this perspective overlooks the deeper issues at play, such as the rise of organized civil society movements in Sudan, particularly the “resistance committees”, which played a critical role in opposing military rule. The conversation further explored the October 2021 coup and its implications, including the resistance committees’ efforts to sustain community-based initiatives despite the coup’s suppression of civilian leadership. Dr. Ali highlighted the formation of “emergency response rooms”, local networks designed to provide essential support during the conflict. These community-driven initiatives, however, face significant challenges, such as limited funding and international misunderstanding of their role. Following Dr. Ali’s opening remarks, Leshamta and Dr. Ali had a moderated discussion on multiple facets of the conflict in Sudan. They discussed the international community’s response, particularly the role of foreign actors like the UAE, who have economic interests in Sudan’s natural resources, such as gold. Dr. Ali also addressed the displacement crisis, which has led to one of the largest internal displacement movements in recent history. He noted that while civil society has taken steps to provide shelter and aid, the response from international organizations has been limited in areas directly affected by conflict. The floor was then opened for the audience Q&A session, during which students raised questions about the African Union’s silence on the conflict, the potential for urban warfare in Khartoum, and the long-term sustainability of emergency response rooms, many of which rely heavily on diaspora support. Dr. Ali emphasized the need for skepticism towards mainstream media narratives and the importance of understanding the conflict from a Sudanese perspective. The session concluded with a call to critically examine the “forgotten status” of the Sudanese conflict and the role of the media in shaping global perceptions. Dr. Ali encouraged the audience to question established frameworks in social sciences and to remain critical of the narratives presented in mainstream media.

Article written by CIRS Research Assistant, Haala Qamar (Class of ’26)

Race and Gender in U.S. Political Participation
2024-10-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
With Dr. Jamil Scott, Georgetown University

CIRS Conference Room, 0A35

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Assessments, Implications, Prospects
2024-10-26 09:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
On October 26, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) hosted a one-day conference in collaboration with the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University titled “Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Assessment, Implications, and Prospects.” This conference brought together leading international and regional experts to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, its implications for the existing international order, and various global perspectives on the war.

The first panel, “Consequences of the War: Impact on Key International Players,” shed light on the Ukrainian, Russian, European, and American perspectives. The panelists argued that since the very beginning of its outbreak, this war has turned into an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy. From day one, Russia has been attacking civilian and energy infrastructure. And yet, nearly three years after the invasion started, the spirit of resistance in Ukraine remains strong, and rebuilding efforts have already begun. Meanwhile, the outcome of the war in Ukraine will have an immense impact on the security of Europe and the West. While saying this, the panelists emphasized the important role of NATO as the primary security force in Europe. However, they also acknowledge the existence of heavy resistance among its members against Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty.

Another important topic discussed during the first panel was related to the US foreign policy towards Ukraine, which has had a complicated evolution since Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In the 1990s, Kyiv became the third largest recipient of aid from the US, which was largely provided to dismantle the Soviet-era nuclear infrastructure. Yet, in the first years of Ukraine’s independence, the US failed to offer security commitments, even though the Russian threat was omnipresent. Even in the 2000s, when Ukraine contributed forces to US-led military operations, reciprocal security commitments remained elusive. Following the 2022 invasion, it became increasingly clear that the Western powers had overestimated Russia’s military capabilities. Hence, the US strategic objectives focused on deterrence and weakening Russia. While the American politicians repeat the ‘Ukraine must win’ mantra, real US support for Ukraine has still been limited. Moreover, while in Russia’s view, the Western block of Ukraine supporters is led by the US, the US authorities, on the contrary, are trying to disengage from Europe. According to the conference panelist, since before the 2024 presidential elections, the US has been caught between its desire to pivot toward China (seeing the war in Ukraine as a destructing factor) and Europe’s demands for continued engagement (that was bringing the US back to the Ukraine support). The Trump victory in the 2024 Presidential election could be a turning point in the US approach to the conflict.

The first panel also paid attention to the analysis of Russia’s internal dynamics. The participants acknowledged that, despite the initial expectations, Russia’s economic growth in the war years was steady, allowing the Kremlin to fund its military operations in Ukraine. Over the last three years, Moscow succeeded in maintaining a semblance of normalcy, channeling investments into infrastructure and suppressing dissent domestically. However, as the war approaches its fourth year, the situation is becoming more challenging for the Kremlin. Sustaining public and elite support may prove challenging for Putin. Recently, the Kremlin even ramped up efforts to mobilize domestic society more directly. This shift raises questions about whether the general public and the elites will continue backing Putin’s strategy.

The following panel discussion, “Russia’s War in Ukraine and the impact on the Global South,” centered around understanding Central Asian, Chinese, African, and South American responses to the war in Ukraine. The Central Asian societies reacted immediately to support Ukraine, lending social support through public meetings and collecting humanitarian aid. Kazakhstan took an interesting position. Even though the country has a significant ethnic Russian population and has security and economic agreements with Russia, the Kazakh president met with Putin and declared that his country would never support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Other Central Asian countries took a more neutral stance to safeguard their interests, as some of these countries substantially rely on remittances from Russia.

According to the panelists, at the strategic level, China benefits greatly from the current global order as it favors China’s growing economic role. Historically, China’s foreign policy was independent and cautious, but that is starting to shift. While China’s Belt and Road initiative initially aligned with the existing global order, the Chinese approaches might evolve as Beijing seeks a greater role in the international arena. China and Russia share a vision that offers an alternative global order based on development-driven security. However, China’s alignment with Russia is proving to be a burden for Beijing rather than an opportunity, especially with North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russia is ‘inserting’ itself into relations between Pyongyang and Beijing, disrupting the Chinese sphere of influence, which poses a threat to China.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has drawn varied responses from Sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Russia’s political emphasis on stability over democratization resonates with many African leaders. This has created favorable conditions for Russia in Africa in the short and medium term. However, the long-term outlook remains uncertain as emotional responses primarily drive current support. African nations generally maintain a desire to cooperate with all international parties.

South America’s response has been shaped by the region’s strong commitment to peace, though the overall response is largely fragmented. The prevalence of center-left governments has led to some reluctance to fully align with the US global agenda (i.e., to support Ukraine). However, this does not necessarily translate to support for Russia. The region’s approach to the war is shaped by its opposition to territorial integrity violations, unilateral sanctions (viewed as harming populations rather than states), transfer of weapons, and military involvement.

The third and final panel was titled “Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine from the Middle Eastern and Gulf Perspective(s).” The conflict has amplified pre-existing regional trends, with Arab states viewing it as an opportunity to expand their relations with various global powers. This stance is also hard to call pro-Russian. While the Arab League has maintained a neutral position in this war, individual Arab states have consistently voted against Russia in United Nations resolutions. Notably, the Arab states have managed to insulate their bilateral relationships with the US and Russia, ensuring the conflict did not damage their ties with either, allowing them to benefit from their position within the emerging shadow order. However, the conflict has also exposed significant socio-economic vulnerabilities in the region, particularly regarding food security. Interestingly, this war has allowed countries in the Middle East to assume a mediating role in Europe, marking a significant shift in the global order. However, military alignment with the US continues to impose certain limitations on their approach.

The conflict has accelerated Gulf states’ pre-existing moves toward economic self-reliance and diversification. The Gulf states have substantially increased their exports to the European Union, especially in oil, food, and various other products, while maintaining and even growing their hydrocarbon trade relationships with Russia post-2022. The region has emerged as a key intermediary in global trade flows, with some European countries routing their Russian trade through intermediaries.

The normative impact of the war has been particularly significant in the Arab world. While the US framed the Ukraine conflict as a litmus test for the Western global order, Middle Eastern countries viewed it more as a European regional security issue. As the events in Ukraine and Gaza unfold simultaneously, many in the region view this as international double standards in responding to similar situations. Principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity have been the basis for condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the same standards are not applied to Israel as it continues to expand its illegal settlements and kill Palestinian civilians. Hence, the region’s neutrality in Russia’s war on Ukraine highlights a broader desire to shift away from a Western and Euro-centric global power structure.

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has become the catalyst for a qualitative change of tone in the Russian-Iranian dialogue, bringing the two states closer together. This step-change in Russian-Iranian relations was not solely prompted by the war in Ukraine. Various factors prepared the ground for this change, including Russia’s unprecedentedly high level of confrontation with the West, the pressure of sanctions on both the Russian and Iranian economies, Putin’s ‘turn to the east’ strategy, the dim prospects of the JCPOA, the rise of conservatives in Iran, and the growing chemistry between the power circles of the two countries. The war in Ukraine has forced Russia into a position of dependence on Iran for arms. This puts Tehran on a more equal footing in their relationship, and nudges the bilateral dialogue closer to becoming an axis than before. However, the long-term ‘durability’ of this change is still in question due to a considerable number of issues that the two countries need to settle.

Considering Turkey’s geo-strategic location, it has emerged as a critical actor. While it has condemned Russian aggression and deepened military cooperation with Ukraine even during the time of the conflict, it continues to maintain ties with Russia in other areas, which puts stress on its relations with Western partners.

When addressing the issue of the end-game scenario in Ukraine, there was an emerging consensus among the panelists that a purely military victory for Ukraine may be unrealistic. The focus has shifted toward leveraging diplomatic tools, including discussions of Ukraine joining NATO and negotiations over long-range weapons. Though this war is situated in Europe, it has had global consequences. From a security perspective, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed that the post-Cold War security order is collapsing. This transition to a new security order, one that is more multipolar, is marked by the US’s declining unilateral hegemony and a change in Europe’s role in the world.

To watch full panel videos please visit our YouTube channel

Learn About The Conference

Article written by CIRS Research Assistant

Book Talk with Professor Trish Kahle
2024-11-04 17:30 - 19:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
How much risk—whether bodily, environmental, economic, or political—is acceptable in a democratic energy system? And, just as importantly, who should bear that risk? What do energy producers and energy consumers owe to each other and how did we come to see these obligations as legitimate? Who constitutes the proper community of interest in energy decision-making? How should we evaluate the fairness of their energy system? Can energy systems ever really be democratic for all the people who are part of it? These questions have a long history. Indeed, they were at the core of energy policy-making in the modern United States which was about not only managing fuels but also negotiating the relationship between coal miners and the rest of the country, which depended on the electric power and steel produced with the coal they mined. Energy governance cuts to the heart of persistent questions about justice, democracy, and equality.

The conversation considered the uncertain relationship between coal and democracy in US history as miners’ democratic aspirations confronted the deadly record of the country’s coal mines. Miners and their communities bore the burdens of energy production while reaping far fewer of the benefits of energy consumption. But they insisted that death in the mines, far from being inevitable, was a political choice. As coal miners’ struggled to democratize the workplace, secure civil and social rights, and obtain restitution for the human toll of progress, they reshaped U.S. laws, regulatory administrations, and political imaginaries.

Speakers:Trish Kahle, Georgetown University in QatarFirat Oruc, Georgetown University in QatarVictoria Googasian, Georgetown University in Qatar

Moderator: Zahra Babar, Executive Director – CIRS, Georgetown University in Qatar

CIRS Lunch Talk: Darfur's Role in Sudan's Ongoing Power Struggle
2024-11-19 13:00 - 14:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
On November 19, 2024, the CIRS Lunch Talk dove into “Darfur’s Role in Sudan’s Ongoing Power Struggle” with Dr. Hamid E. Ali, a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, and Professor Rogaia Abusharaf, Professor of Anthropology at Georgetown University in Qatar. Professor Ali pushed back against the common belief that Darfur’s conflicts are separate from Sudan’s bigger problems. Instead, he highlighted how Darfur is actually at the heart of Sudan’s identity and political struggles. When discussing Sudan’s difficult history, which includes 17 coups since the country became independent, he criticized how political leaders have misused democracy, treating it just as a way to grab power while ignoring the real changes needed in education, the economy, and society. Professor Ali explained that the current problems with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) aren’t just random events but are connected to these deeper issues in Sudan’s political system. He was especially critical of looking to Western countries for solutions, saying this approach hasn’t worked and isn’t the right path forward. Instead, he pointed to Sudan’s younger generation as a source of real hope, noting how young people are trying to move beyond the old divisions based on tribes and colonial history that have held the country back. While there are voices on social media that talk about the separation of Darfur from Sudan, this is not a majority opinion. Professor Ali stressed that Darfur needs to be properly included as part of Sudan, not pushed away or treated as less important. The discussion also looked at how past colonial rule and outside interference have affected Sudan, suggesting that these influences have often made things worse rather than better. Professor Ali called for a new kind of leadership that puts the country’s needs before personal gain, along with major improvements in education. He said Sudan needs to build a new vision for itself that brings people together instead of dividing them based on where they’re from or what group they belong to. To achieve real peace and development, he argued, Sudan needs to find solutions that come from its own people and communities, with Darfur playing a key role in this process. Professor Ali ended with a message of cautious hope, suggesting that while Sudan faces serious challenges, there’s a path forward if the country can work together and make the deep changes needed, rather than just dealing with surface-level problems. This change needs to start from within Sudan itself, with all regions and communities, including Darfur, working together to build a better future.

Speaker: Hamid E. Ali is a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) and served as the Dean of the School of Economics, Administration, and Public Policy from 2020 to 2023. He also held a research position at the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), where he substantially contributed to several reports for US congressional committees. He has been a distinguished invitee at forums hosted by the US Institute for Peace, the US State Department, and Chatham House. Ali has teaching experience from institutions like Texas State University and Southern Methodist University. He is a member of the Task Force of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)/ IASIA and the IASIA Board of Management. He previously served as the President of the Association of Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration. Currently, he is the Chair of the International Commission on the Accreditation of Public Administration and Training Programs (ICAPA) and is an active member of the NASPAA Diversity and Social Equality Committee. Additionally, Hamid participates in the College Board and the Public Policy Leaders’ group for the International Public Policy Association (IPPA). He published in international journals including Public Administration Review, Peace Research, Food Policy, Defence and Peace Economics

Moderator: Rogaia Abusharaf, Georgetown University in Qatar

Article written by CIRS Research Assistant, Haala Qamar (Class of ’26)

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Assessments, Implications, Prospects - Roundtable Discussion
2024-11-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
On October 25, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar hosted a closed-door roundtable discussion to examine the Russian invasion of Ukraine and discuss how it has not only reshaped the geopolitical landscape in Europe but also the repercussions it has had across many regions. The event brought together experts from multiple disciplines to analyze the ongoing situation and its global implications and tried to lay the groundwork for future discussions and partnerships aimed at addressing complex geopolitical challenges. The discussion was structured around three fundamental questions: the war’s impact on Western powers (both direct and indirect), its implications for non-Western players, and the most practical endgame scenarios.

The discussion was divided into three sessions with the first session looking at the Impact of Three Years of Conflict on Key Players and Alliances. During the conversation it was highlighted that the conflict has led to a reevaluation of strategic partnerships, debunking the myth of Russia as an anti-colonialist ally. There is growing recognition of Chinese undercurrents and its gains from the situation, alongside evolving mediation efforts. Prior to 2022, mediation centered around US-EU dynamics, but the Middle Eastern nations have shown success in targeted mediation efforts post-2022. the increased threats to European security were also highlighted, with an alarming number of Europeans still conflating Ukraine with Russia. The need for clear strategic objectives was stressed, recognizing that neutrality would not resolve current challenges. Significant internal changes were observed in Russia, leading to a more consolidated regime that has become resilient against external pressures. Bureaucratic replacements have strengthened the central authority over traditional elites. Discussion included the historical trajectory of US-Ukraine relations, transitioning from minimal involvement to recognizing the conflict as a vital concern. Despite Russia’s framing of its actions as resistance to American interests, the US continues to focus strategically on its competition with China. Complexities involving territorial and security concerns complicate potential resolutions. Participants explored the roles of nuclear deterrence, sanctions, and engagement with the Global South, emphasizing varied international mediation strategies. The need to understand historical contexts in planning future security arrangements was reiterated, alongside discussions of required victory conditions and implications for global order.

The second session, Assessing the War’s Impact on Global South International Relations, addressed the perspectives from various regions, including the Middle East, Central Asia, and China. The decline of Western influence was acknowledged, with China strategically moving to fill vacuums left in global governance. It aims to cease hostilities without direct involvement, despite its EU trade relations. Central Asian countries are balancing relations while heavily dependent on Russian infrastructure, leading to an identity crisis among youth. For example, nations like Kazakhstan have expressed support for Ukraine while dealing with economic ties with Russia. Arab nations approach the conflict cautiously, weighing the risks and opportunities it presents while maintaining diplomatic relations with the US. Their responses vary across international forums, influenced by potential food security and oil trade implications. Iran’s foreign policy reflects a “look East” strategy, emphasizing strong neighborly relations and resilience against Western sanctions. Its complex relationship with Russia is economic and strategic, favoring independence in its foreign relations.

The last session, End Game Scenarios, tried to bring the conversations from the first two panels together and examine potential ways forward to end the conflict. It was discussed that the future trajectory of the war remains contingent on various factors, with both Russia and Ukraine committed to continuing the conflict. Analysts presented three main policy options for external powers: facilitate a peace settlement favoring Ukraine, achieve a cessation of hostilities, or continue supporting Ukraine indefinitely. Each choice carries significant risks, particularly regarding potential escalation or instability in Ukraine. Western powers are urged to pursue the first option, aligning closely with Ukrainian objectives while ensuring robust military and economic support. The discussion highlighted the potential for a long-term stalemate, with time not favoring Ukraine. The US’s engagement and coherence in strategy are deemed critical for Ukraine’s eventual success, with calls for a reinvigorated assessment of NATO’s posture against Russian threats. It was highligthed that the current dynamics could lead to a prolonged conflict, with Russia’s perceived victories potentially becoming a strategic liability for the West. The need for a decisive shift in international strategies toward Russia was emphasized, highlighting the crucial upcoming years in determining the global order and European security landscape.

In conclusion, these sessions collectively showcased the multifaceted nature of the conflict and its broad geopolitical ramifications, illustrating the complexities faced by global powers and regional actors involved.

Article written by Misba Bhatti, Research Analyst, CIRS

Writings from the Pitch: Qatar's Perspectives on Football, Identity, and Global Influence
2024-11-24 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
This panel discussion is hosted in collaboration with the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum Library.

Moderator: Gerd Nonneman, GU-Q

Speakers:

Danyel Reiche, GU-QAisha Al-Kuwari

Register

America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar World Cup | Roundtable Meeting I
2024-12-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
On November 10 and 11, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) held the first research workshop under its research initiative, America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar World Cup. The purpose of the two-day meeting was to discuss and provide feedback on a collection of drafts submitted for the project. Scholars, practitioners, and experts working on the topic of basketball in the region were convened for the meeting from around the globe. The topics discussed included the development of the game in Lebanon, Turkey, and Egypt, the hosting of the 2027 men’s World Cup in Qatar, Saudi Arabia’s interest in developing the game, China’s sponsorship, the use of social media, and female basketball players, among others.

The discussion started with a look at Turkey’s long history of basketball with a focus on Karamürsel. Onur Yildirim explored the social and cultural impact of the American military presence in Karamürsel, Turkey, during the Cold War era (1950s-1970s), focusing on basketball as a medium of cultural exchange. He discussed that Karamürsel an American military airbase, the Karamürsel Airbase, established in 1957, which served as a gateway for introducing American culture to the town. Basketball emerged as a significant avenue for cultural interaction between Americans and locals, with American personnel from the base participating in the local sports club, Karamürsel Gençlik. From 1969 to 1979, American volunteers played alongside local players, helping the team win regional championships and popularizing basketball among the town’s youth. The departure of American personnel following the transfer of the base to the Turkish military led to changes in the town’s cultural landscape, but the influence of basketball and American culture persisted. Yildirim will use interviews with local and American basketball players and community members to analyze how basketball facilitated cultural exchange between the American base and the local community. The final paper will aim to explore the broader social and cultural implications of the Cold War era in Karamürsel, highlighting how activities like basketball fostered cross-cultural interaction and understanding in the context of global geopolitics.

The next session examined the historical origins and development of basketball in Lebanon. Nadim El Kak expressed that the Middle East is increasingly investing in sports, with basketball gaining prominence. Lebanon stands out as one of only six countries worldwide where basketball is arguably the most popular sport. He provided a historical timeline of basketball’s development in the country from the 1920s to the late 1990s. He highlighted that the recently established FIBA and NBA outreach programs, and international recruitment of Lebanese basketball professionals, hint at the emergence of a new golden generation. He also argued that basketball in Lebanon serves as a catalyst for cross-confessional solidarity, community building, national pride, job creation, and youth role model as well as a stage for political co-optation, sectarian tensions, exclusionary discourses, weak governance, and uncompetitive business practices. Using archival resources and original interviews, he aims to look at lessons and challenges from the Lebanese experience as the Gulf region increases its investments in basketball.

Next Can Evren argued that the recent developments in sports economics, such as Qatar hosting FIFA and FIBA World Cups and the potential EuroLeague expansion to Dubai, challenge traditional conceptual frameworks of global sports history. These developments cross established continental and regional boundaries in sports, which were formalized by world sports federations like FIFA and FIBA in the early 1960s. His work aims to reassess the sport’s history through a contractual lens, focusing on the more flexible, event-based contracts of the early postwar period. Istanbul’s basketball scene in the early postwar era serves as a case study for alternative original stories that don’t align with current continental divisions in sports. Istanbul hosted international basketball tournaments in the early 1950s, featuring teams from diverse regions. The Mediterranean Games are presented as a surviving remnant of this early trans-regional sports history. He argued that it is important to uncover these early trans-regional histories and develop new conceptual frameworks for sports historiography. This historical perspective is deemed crucial for informing public debate on current challenges in sports as commercial economies and popular cultures undergo new waves of trans-regional expansion.

Discussing Lebanese female basketball players, Assile Toufaily narrated that Lebanese basketball has become a prominent force in Middle Eastern basketball, with significant growth since Antoine Choueiri’s investment. The men’s national team has competed in multiple FIBA World Cups, and clubs like Al Riyadi and Sagesse have won multiple Asian Cup titles. The women’s national team ranks among the top ten in Asia, with some players receiving professional contracts abroad. However, female athletes in the region face numerous obstacles in pursuing professional sports careers, often leading to early retirement. She aims to provide insight into the development of women’s basketball in Lebanon and examine factors contributing to its growth. Her work will focus on how women’s basketball developed in Lebanon, what factors contributed to its rise, and the role of the American college basketball system in this development. Toufaily aims to explore the connection between Lebanese American players in the US college system and the development of the Lebanese women’s national team.

Addressing the role of social media and the rise of female basketball, Nida Ahmad added that the overall women’s participation in sports in the MENA region has grown over the last two decades. Social media has become an important tool for sportswomen in the MENA region to share their experiences and increase visibility. The growth of women’s basketball globally and the WNBA’s expansion into Toronto, Canada, illustrate the increasing popularity and globalization of women’s sports. She aims to explore the progress of women’s basketball in the MENA region by examining how women basketball players such as professional players like Soraya Mohamed, known as “Queen of the People,” are represented on social media platforms. Her research seeks to explore the intersection of social media, women’s basketball, and sports participation in the MENA region, reflecting the growing importance of both women’s sports and digital platforms in shaping athletic landscapes globally and regionally.

Shifting the focus to traditional media and the journalistic role in the coverage of sporting events, Claudia Kozman argued that there is a strong interdependence between sports organizations and media, with each reinforcing the other's popularity and profitability. She highlighted that media played six journalistic roles, including loyal-facilitator, watchdog, and infotainment in sports journalism. While historically seen as “cheerleaders,” recent research shows sports journalists also acting as watchdogs and providing infotainment. Her paper will examine the relationship between journalistic roles and sources in the coverage of Qatar’s preparations to host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Using comparative quantitative content analysis of Qatari and international media, the study will measure the relationship between journalistic role performance and sourcing relying on a media systems approach. This work would expand understanding of journalistic cultures in sports coverage and how professional role performance in covering a major sports event varies across countries. It will also aim to provide insights into how different media outlets and cultures approach sports journalism, particularly in the context of a significant international event like the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Danyel Reiche then explored the key elements of Qatar’s investment in Monumental. In July 2023, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) became a minority investor in Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), a Washington D.C.-based sports and venue management company. QIA reportedly bought a 5% stake in MSE for approximately $200 million. This investment was made possible by an NBA rule change in late 2022 that allowed sovereign wealth funds to buy up to 20% stakes in franchises. QIA became the first national sovereign wealth fund to invest in American basketball. The investment received critical reactions in local D.C. media, with concerns raised about ethics and sportswashing. Some critics argued that Qatar’s involvement in U.S. sports could be seen as complicity in funding terrorism, given Qatar’s alleged support for Hamas. Reiche’s works aim to examine the QIA-MSE deal in the context of academic literature on sportswashing, considering perspectives from QIA, MSE, NBA, and WNBA. He will explore the motives of different stakeholders involved in this investment and relate them to theoretical discussions on sportswashing.

In the next session, Jung Woo Lee discussed how basketball is increasingly influenced by non-Western stakeholders, particularly Chinese corporations. The 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha presents a unique situation where it provides an opportunity for FIBA’s Chinese sponsors to strengthen their presence in the Arab world. It also potentially creates a point of collision for American and Chinese geoeconomic interests in the Middle East. China’s involvement in FIBA sponsorship is seen as a political choice to diversify its public diplomacy networks and showcase its ambitions in the global sports industry. Qatar and China have existing cooperative relationships, including within the Belt and Road Initiative and financial sector collaborations. The event occurs in a context of shifting power balances in the Middle East, with the US and China competing for strategic and economic hegemony in the Arab world. Gulf states like Qatar are leveraging their position to safeguard national interests amidst this geopolitical struggle. The 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha represents a complex interplay of diplomacy, involving the spread of an American cultural product, financed largely by Chinese capital, to a Qatari audience. Lee’s work aims to examine the nuanced sports diplomacy involving Qatar’s relationships with both China and the US in the context of this basketball tournament.

Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff discussed in the next session basketball’s role in diplomacy and global development, with a particular focus on its potential impact in the Middle East. She highlighted that basketball can be utilized as a tool for globalization and addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly at the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, and migration. The establishment of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is an example of basketball’s potential beyond sports. The upcoming 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Qatar is a focal point for exploring basketball diplomacy in the Middle East. Using interviews with FIBA officials and members of Middle Eastern sporting and diplomatic communities, her paper, co-authored with J Simon Rofe, will highlight the sport’s global appeal and its capacity to engage with local contexts and actors, potentially offering a more authentic form of sports diplomacy compared to other initiatives in the region.

Sebastian Sons highlighted that Saudi Arabia is using sports investments as a significant part of its economic diversification strategy, which includes job creation efforts, and fostering international business and political relationships. Sports serve as a driver for economic modernization, social liberalization, and national identity construction in Saudi Arabia during this transitional period. While previous academic discussions focused on football, Formula 1, and golf, basketball has emerged as another important pillar in Saudi Arabia’s sports engagement strategy. The Saudi government is investing in domestic basketball infrastructure, training facilities, and educational programs, particularly targeting youth and female participation. Internationally, the Saudi sovereign wealth funds Public Investment Fund (PIF) is becoming a global player in sports business, with plans to enter the US market and potentially the NBA. Saudi Arabia is hosting various sports mega-events (SMEs) and may consider organizing basketball tournaments as part of its future sports policy. Sons argued that basketball serves multiple purposes for Saudi Arabia, including, national identity construction, nation branding, power consolidation, and sports diplomacy. His paper will aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of Saudi Arabia’s basketball policies and future plans, contributing to the broader discussion on the kingdom’s sports strategy.

Addressing the Jr. NBA tournament hosted in Doha, Morgan Fisher and Amy Walker highlighted that youth participation in organized sports has positive effects on physical and mental health, academic performance, and social skills. The Jr. NBA Leagues, a collaborative initiative between the NBA and WNBA, was created in 2022 to provide American youth access to basketball. In 2022, the Jr. NBA Leagues expanded to Abu Dhabi, UAE, and in April 2024, it launched in Qatar, hosted by the Qatar Foundation. Their study aims to understand the perceptions of parents and coaches as adult stakeholders in the inaugural season of the Jr. NBA League in Qatar. With a focus on how the expansion of the Jr. NBA Leagues in Qatar has influenced youth growth and development and the perceptions of adult stakeholders, the study will use snowball sampling to identify participants and employ coding and hermeneutics-based interpretation for analysis. Their work aims to fill a gap in understanding the impact of the Jr. NBA Leagues’ expansion in the Middle East, specifically in Qatar, from the perspective of adult stakeholders.

Focusing on the game’s popularity and Qatar’s potential to host the 2027 World Cup, Nadim Nassif outlined that Qatar has emerged as a global powerhouse in hosting major sports events, with its capital, Doha, consistently listed in the Ranking of Sports Cities since 2012. Following the successful organization of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Doha achieved its highest position to date, ranking 11th in 2023. This rise in prominence aligns with Qatar’s strategic objectives to strengthen its soft power, enhance foreign diplomacy, and improve national security. As part of this strategy, Qatar will become the first Arab country to host the men’s FIBA World Cup in 2027. The research aims to measure the global popularity of basketball and evaluate how hosting this event will impact Qatar’s international exposure and geopolitical positioning. To achieve this, the study will utilize the World Ranking of Countries in Elite Sport (WRCES), which assesses sports popularity through a complex methodology that considers global media presence, with consideration to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) coefficient of each country. By identifying sports featured on major websites in the respective country, and scoring their prominence, the WRCES will provide a comprehensive analysis of basketball’s global media popularity and how the upcoming World Cup could further enhance Qatar’s role in international sports diplomacy.

Craig LaMay discussed the NBA’s expanding ambitions in the Middle East, highlighting its significant potential in the region and Europe, which is estimated to be worth up to $3 billion annually. The league has established partnerships with FIBA and EuroLeague, and developed relationships with the UAE and Qatar. The NBA accounts for 91% of basketball’s global value, primarily from domestic media rights, and will see the 2027 FIBA World Championships in Qatar as a test of the region’s potential in the sport’s growth. Additionally, the NBA has a multifaceted deal with Abu Dhabi that includes pre-season games, junior leagues, and promotional events. The league has allowed investments from sovereign wealth funds, leading to the Qatar Investment Authority acquiring a stake in the Washington Wizards’ ownership group. However, challenges remain, including providing Arabic content, adapting to local time zones, developing regional gameplay, and navigating human rights concerns. LaMay’s paper aims to examine the future of professional basketball in the Middle East, considering the ambitions of the NBA and Gulf states, as well as cooperation with FIBA and EuroLeague.

The last session focused on Egypt and the development of basketball in the country. Ashraf Elmidani, Kamilla Swart and Gerard Akindes outlined that since 1974, Egypt has won thirteen out of twenty-four Arab Basketball Championship titles and secured five AfroBasket championships, also finishing second and third multiple times. As the most populous Middle Eastern nation, Egypt has been a pioneering sports country, being the first in the region to participate in major international competitions like the FIFA World Cup, Olympics, and FIBA World Championship. Egypt was instrumental in establishing FIBA Afrique (originally AFABA), playing a leading role in African sports confederations. Their work aims to explore Egypt’s basketball history through secondary data and interviews, examining its leadership in establishing continental basketball organizations, its consistent performance in regional competitions, and its position in the contemporary, globalized basketball landscape, including the emergence of the Basketball Africa League and increasing NBA influence in Africa and the Middle East.

For the roundtable agenda, click here.

For the participants’ biographies, click here.

For the research initiative, click here.

Participants and Discussants:

Nida Ahmad, Independent researcher and Consultant

Gerard A. Akindes

Zahra Babar, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Misba Bhatti, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Nadim El Kak, American University of Beirut

Ashraf ELmidani,

Can Evren, Boston University

Morgan D. Fisher, Georgetown University in Qatar

Noor Hussain, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Claudia Kozman, Northwestern University in Qatar

Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, New York University

Craig LaMay, Northwestern University

Jung Woo Lee, University of Edinburgh

Nadim Nassif, Notre Dame University

Danyel Reiche, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Sebastian Sons, Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)

Kamilla Swart, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Assile Toufaily, PhD candidate

Amy S. Walker, Georgetown University in Qatar

Elizabeth Wanucha, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Onur Yildirim, Middle East Technical University in Ankara

Article by Misba Bhatti, Research Analyst at CIRS

The State of the Game: Women's Basketball in the Middle East
2024-12-10 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
A discussion on the development of women’s basketball in the Middle East. Basketball is widely considered to be an ‘American Game’, all while increasingly becoming one of the most watched and played sports in the world, including the Middle East. The International Basketball Federation, FIBA, announced on April 28, 2023, that Qatar has been awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 men’s FIBA Basketball World Cup.

In this panel, the speakers discussed the state of women’s basketball in the Middle East; in particular, how Lebanese women’s basketball may lean on the US college basketball system to develop, and why the Middle East is ripe for basketball diplomacy.

Speakers:Assile Toufaily is a third-year PhD student working on a thesis titled “The Socialization of Women’s Football: A Comparative Study between Lebanon and France.” Her research provides an innovative analysis of the sociocultural influences on the careers of female football players in two distinct settings—one with a professional sports infrastructure and the other where the sport remains underdeveloped.

Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff is a Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport and sports diplomacy expert specializing in Franco-American relations and basketball. Author of “Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA” (Bloomsbury, 2023) and “The Making of Les Bleus: Sport in France, 1958-2010”, (Lexington Books, 2013), her work has appeared with TIME, CNN International, The Athletic, and The New Yorker. Director of FranceAndUS and former co-director of the “Basketball Diplomacy in Africa” project (SOAS University of London), she is a veteran of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Historian.

Moderator: Danyel Reiche, Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) and a Visiting Associate Professor at Georgetown University Qatar

Connect and Converse with Agnès Callamard, Secretary General at Amnesty International
2025-01-22 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
At this talk, students learned about critical issues surrounding advocacy, freedom of speech, and human rights with with Dr. Agnès Callamard, a distinguished figure in the realm of human rights advocacy and the Secretary General at Amnesty International. This was a unique opportunity to learn from Dr. Callamard’s extensive experience and to engage in meaningful dialogue about her/the organization’s work.

Biography: Dr. Agnès Callamard is Secretary General at Amnesty International. She leads the organization’s human rights work and is its chief spokesperson. She is responsible for providing overall leadership of the International Secretariat, including setting the strategic direction for the organization and managing relations with Amnesty International’s national entities. Agnès has been a prominent figure in the human rights world for decades. In 2016, she was appointed as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary killings. Along with her UN work, Agnès was also the Director of Global Freedom of Expression at Columbia University in New York. Previously, she was Executive Director of the freedom of expression organization Article 19. She returns to Amnesty after twenty years having previously held the role of Chef de Cabinet for then Secretary General Pierre Sané. As a leading advocate for freedom of expression, a feminist, and an anti-racism activist, she pushes out the frontiers of rights through her scholarship and advocacy.

Lilian Estafanous on "Copts in North America: Diaspora Politics, Generational Dynamics, and Digital Advocacy"
2025-02-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
Lilian Estafanous is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar. She has also served as a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University. Lilian earned her first PhD in International Relations from Cairo University in 2016 and her second PhD in Comparative Politics from Queen’s University in Canada in 2024. Her recent doctoral research focuses on diaspora studies, the mobilization of ethnic and religious minorities, and social movement studies. Currently, her work examines the digital mobilization of first- and second-generation Copts in North America. Lilian has received numerous academic awards and fellowships, including the Queen’s Graduate Award (QGA), Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), Graduate Dean’s Doctoral Field Travel Grant, ASMEA Research Grant, R.S. McLaughlin Fellowship, Robert Sutherland Fellowship, and Senator Frank Carrel Fellowship.

Diplomatic Roundtable
2025-03-19 15:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
Moderated by Noha Aboueldahab, Assistant Professor of International Law, GU-Q

Ralph Wilde, Professor of International Law, University College London, discussed the legal obligations of “third states”—comprising all states, except Israel and Palestine, in this particular context—to end Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), which includes the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. Wilde discussed several ways in which third states can engage in joint responsibilities as a response to Israel’s violations of international law. He explained the international rights and obligations incumbent upon all states to bring Israel to account for its transgressions, stating that Israel’s presence in the OPT is, in and of itself, illegal as a violation of the international law of self-determination and the international law on the use of force. He pointed to Israel’s “existential” illegality, noting that the very existence of Israel’s presence is illegal, as well as Israel’s “conduct-based” illegality in the OPT, which includes maintaining and expanding settlements, perpetrating racial discrimination and apartheid, among other abuses, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Wilde concluded by noting that “third states” must change their relationship to Israel through non-engagement, including no diplomatic dealings, no economic relationships or trade deals, and no engagement on any activities that entrench Israel’s presence in the OPT. States must therefore institute a complete and comprehensive embargo against Israel on all fronts, including arms, technology, finance, education, culture, and sports, among other sectors. All third states have a legal right to invoke the illegal nature of Israel’s presence, and to call upon Israel to bring it to an immediate end.

Ralph Wilde is a legal academic and also acts as counsel and advocate on international law to states, international organizations and NGOs. His academic work has covered, amongst other subjects, the extraterritorial application of human rights law, international territorial administration and the concept of trusteeship over people in international law, and international law as it relates to Palestine and the Palestinian people. In his practice, he served as Senior Counsel and Advocate of the 22 States of the Arab League in the ICJ Palestine Advisory Opinion proceedings, and the ongoing consideration of the Situation in the State of Palestine by the ICC, where he also represented the Palestine Independent Commission on Human Rights. He is also currently acting as Senior Counsel to the Gaza-based Palestine Center for Human Rights NGO, responsible for their written submission that will form part of the memorial (written submission) of South Africa in the South Africa v. Israel case concerning the Genocide Convention before the ICJ.

Khalid Albaih: Sudan in Ink: Politics, Protest, and Art
2025-04-10 17:30 - 18:30 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
During this CIRS dialogue, Khalid Albaih (the 2025 GUQ Artist-in-Residence) was in conversation with Suzi Mirgani, contextualizing the history of Sudanese art through times of conflict. At the Georgetown University in Qatar campus, CIRS installed two exhibitions of Khalid’s artwork. An exhibition of Khalid’s political cartoons on Sudan was curated by Larissa-Diana Fuhrmann, and another exhibition on Khalid’s political cartoons depicting international affairs was curated by GUQ students Noon Elsharif and Ayah Ahmed.

Khalid Albaih is a Sudanese independent political cartoonist renowned for his incisive human rights advocacy, shared globally under the name “Khartoon.” His cartoons have been exhibited worldwide, and his writings have appeared in major international publications. Albaih was the central figure in The Guardian’s short documentary *The Story of Civil Rights is Unfinished* (2016) and has published two influential books: Khartoon! and Sudan Retold, an art book he co-edited, featuring contributions from 31 Sudanese artists documenting Sudan’s rich history. His work extends beyond drawing, with installations like Bahar, a poignant video piece using found footage of refugees at sea; The Walls Have Ears (Documenta 15), and Shahid (Mathaf, Qatar, 2024), Season of Immigration to the North (Brescia Musei, Italy, 2024), all exploring themes of displacement and social justice. In 2024, he broadened his influence by hosting Alhasil Shino? on AJ+. Albaih is also the editor-in-chief of KhartoonMag.com, a platform for displaced Sudanese cartoonists, and creator of the award-winning Doha Fashion Fridays, which amplifies marginalized voices. Albaih remains a vital force in art activism, championing global social justice and freedom of expression.

Khalid is a participant in the CIRS Sudan Research Project.

(إعادة) جمع السودان: ورشة عمل أرشيفات الفن والثقافة الأولى
2025-04-30 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
في الفترة من 11 إلى 12 أبريل 2025، عقد مركز الدراسات الدولية والإقليمية (CIRS) أول ورشة بحث ضمن مبادرته البحثية حول السودان. تناولت الورشة بعنوان “(إعادة جمع السودان: أرشيفات الفن والثقافة” تقاطعات التعبير الثقافي والصراع، وأجرت مسحا واسعا ومعمقا لأرشيفات الفن والثقافة بجميع أشكالها. كان هدف الاجتماع الذي استمر يومين هو مناقشة وتقديم ملاحظات حول مجموعة من مسودات المقترحات المقدمة للمشروع.

بدأ النقاش بإلقاء نظرة على “الأرشفة العرضية”، وهو موضوع رئيسي يفحص كيف أنشأت الممارسات الفنية السودانية أرشيفات قيمة أثناء الصراع. تأملت ريم الجيالي وكاتارزينا غريبسكا في جهودهما التعاونية لتوثيق الفن السوداني باستخدام أدوات رقمية غير رسمية مثل وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، وورش العمل، ومواقع المشاريع. هذه الأرشيفات العفوية، التي صنعت من الضرورة وسط الحرب، تصبح مستودعات حيوية للذاكرة والتجربة الجماعية. ركز النقاش على التحديات المتعلقة بملكية الأرشيفات والغرض وسهولة الوصول إليها خلال الأزمات التي تتعطل فيها الأرشفة التقليدية، مما يبرز الدور العميق للارتجال في الحفاظ الثقافي.

استكشفت جلسة سها حسن كيف تحافظ الأرشيفات المجزأة على الذاكرة الجماعية، رغم الاضطرابات والدمار. وركزت على الأرشيفات المنتشرة عبر عدة دول بالقرب من ملتقى النيل، وصورت الأرشيفات كمساحات ديناميكية مترابطة تتيح إعادة تفسير مستمرة لتاريخ السودان وهويته. سلطت الضوء على عدم حيادية الأرشيف، الذي تشكل بفعل المعايير المؤسسية والثقافية، ووصفت كيف أن القطع الأثرية الصغيرة على ما يبدو، مثل البطاقات البريدية، تفتح سرديات أوسع حول التراث المعماري السوداني والنقاشات حول إعادة الثقافة إلى الوطن.

بعد ذلك، مشروع إيمان حسين وإريكا كارتر (الذي شارك في تأليفه مع طلال عفيفي) هو دراسة جماعية ذاتية الإثنوغرافية لأرشيف الفنان السوداني حسين شريف. تسلط أبحاثهم الضوء على كيف تعزز اللقاءات الأرشيفية الحوار وصنع المعنى خلال الأزمات الثقافية. من خلال محادثات مسجلة وتحليل موضوعي، استكشفوا كيف يؤثر القرب والمسافة على عمليات الأرشفة وسرد القصص. يبرز هذا العمل الأرشيفات كمواقع علاقية تمكن بناء العالم التعاوني والوصاية الأخلاقية للمجموعات الشخصية.

حللت سلمى أمين تطور ممارسات الأرشيف السوداني وسط الاضطرابات، مع التركيز على المنصة الرقمية “أنداريا” التي أطلقت في 2015، والتي شاركت في تأسيسها مع أمية شوكت. تعد الأندرية مساحة حيوية لتوثيق وتفاعل مع الثقافة السودانية على الإنترنت وخارجه، ومراعاة التكيف مع الرقابة والعنف والنزوح. أكد أمين على أن الأرشفة الرقمية التي تقودها القاعدة الشعبية ضرورية للحفاظ على الذاكرة الجماعية، مع معالجة تحديات مثل أمن البيانات، والاستدامة، وإمكانية التحريف. تكشف رؤاها عن التفاعل المعقد بين التكنولوجيا وجهود المجتمع والمرونة الأرشيفية في سياقات غير مستقرة.

في الجلسة التالية، استكشفت لاريسا-ديانا فورهمان كيف يستخدم الفنانون السودانيون إنستغرام كأرشيف نشط للحفاظ على السرديات الشخصية ومواجهة سرديات الدولة. فحصت التوترات بين الحرية الإبداعية، وسياسات المنصات، والرقابة، والقيود الخوارزمية. باستخدام التحليل البصري والمحتوى إلى جانب الإثنوغرافيا الرقمية والمقابلات، تكشف أبحاثها عن إنستغرام كموقع للمقاومة وبناء الذاكرة الجماعية تحت القمع السياسي. تسلط هذه الدراسة الضوء على الدور الناشئ لوسائل التواصل الاجتماعي في توثيق التاريخ وتعزيز المشاركة السياسية في السودان.

ثم تحول النقاش إلى الحفاظ على التراث السوداني وأرشفته في ظل التدهور المؤسسي والصراعات المستمرة. ركز بنتلي براون وحنين سيد أحمد على الحفاظ على التراث السوداني من قبل المجتمعات وسط انهيار المؤسسات والصراع، مع التركيز على التقاليد الشفوية ومشاركة الشتات. استكشفوا “الأرشفة العاطفية”، حيث ترتبط الذاكرة بالعاطفة والنزوح، حيث تبني مجتمعات الشتات أرشيفات لامركزية وتقوم بصنعها، خاصة عبر الإنترنت. يستخدم عملهم المقابلات والتوثيق المرئي لفهم كيف تخلق الموسيقى والقصص والتجارب الحياتية السودانية تراثا ذا معنى. تؤكد أبحاثهم على أن الوكالة المجتمعية أساسية للبقاء الثقافي في السياقات المجزأة.

بعد ذلك، استعرض أحمد سيكاينغا الثقافة الشعبية النابضة بالحياة في الخرطوم عبر القرن العشرين، مع التركيز على الموسيقى والرقص والموضة والرياضة. باستخدام السجلات الاستعمارية والتاريخ الشفهي والصور الفوتوغرافية، حلل كيف أثرت العرقية والهوية والصراعات على الحياة الاجتماعية الحضرية في شمال السودان. تسلط هذه الأعمال الضوء على التفاعل بين التعبير الثقافي والديناميكيات الاجتماعية والسياسية، مما يثري فهم الهوية الحضرية المتطورة للسودان خلال الفترتين الاستعمارية وما بعد الاستعمار.

سلطت مارلين ديغان والوهبي عبد الرحمن الضوء على العمل التحولي لمشروع ذاكرة السودان منذ عام 2013 في رقمنة وحماية التراث الثقافي السوداني المهدد. قامت المبادرة بتركيب معدات رقمنة في جميع أنحاء البلاد، بما في ذلك في جامعة وادي النيل، للحفاظ على المخطوطات والصور والأفلام والقطع الأثرية. رغم التحديات، درب المشروع مئات الأشخاص، والتقط حوالي 300,000 صورة، وأطلق أرشيفا إلكترونيا قويا. تعمل ذاكرة السودان الآن كشريان حياة ثقافي حيوي، تعزز دور الذاكرة الثقافية في الهوية الوطنية السودانية.

مواصلة الحوار حول ذاكرة السودان، مثل قطوف إلعبيد ورند العربي مجموعة لوكال، وألقيا الضوء على مشروع يتفاعل نقديا مع الأرشيفات الرقمية لذاكرة السودان لتحدي السرديات التاريخية السائدة وإبراز التواريخ السودانية التي تم تجاهلها. درس مشروعهم مواضيع مثل الإرث الاستعماري، وتواريخ الحب، وتقاطعات التصميم والسياسة، والتأثيرات الصناعية. من خلال تحليل المواد الأرشيفية المتنوعة، تدعو المبادرة إلى أن تكون الأرشيفات مواقع نشطة للبحث، تكشف الأصوات المهمشة وتطرح التساؤلات حول بنى الهوية بعد الاستعمارية. يوسع عملهم التأريخ السوداني، مما يعزز إعادة تفسير أكاديمية وعامة تنعش الخطاب الثقافي والتاريخي السوداني.

ثم استكشف علاء خير الدور الحيوي للتصوير الفوتوغرافي في توثيق الاضطرابات الاجتماعية والسياسية الأخيرة في السودان. تتبع تطور التصوير الفوتوغرافي من الحقبة الاستعمارية إلى العصر الرقمي، مؤكدا على مساهمات المصورين المحترفين والهواة في سرد المقاومة. ناقش تحديات مثل الرقابة والمخاطر الشخصية، إلى جانب فرص جديدة من الصحافة المواطنة عبر التكنولوجيا. تجمع أبحاثه بين المقابلات وتحليلات وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي لتسليط الضوء على تأثير التصوير الفوتوغرافي على الرأي العام والسياسات والذاكرة الجماعية، ويدعو إلى بناء أرشيف فوتوغرافي شامل للحفاظ على تاريخ السودان المعاصر.

درس رحيم شداد السياسات الثقافية السودانية خلال الستينيات والسبعينيات، مع التركيز على مؤسسة مصلحة الثقافة، وهي مؤسسة تأسست عام 1971 لتعزيز تعبيرات فنية متنوعة تتجاوز السرديات العربية الإسلامية السائدة. قيم عمله كيف عزز مشروع الثقافة الشمولية وشكل هوية وطنية واسعة من خلال مجموعة متنوعة من البرامج. وباستخدام البحث الأرشيفي، والتواريخ الشفهية، والمقابلات، تسلط أعماله الضوء على هذه الفترة التي غالبا ما يتم تجاهلها من صنع السياسات الثقافية، مقدمة رؤى للنقاشات الحالية حول الهوية الثقافية والسياسات في السودان.

في الجلسة التالية، ناقشت ربا الملك وريم عباس كيف استخدمت النساء السودانيات الموضة والشعر و”أغاني البنات” لتوثيق الأحداث الاجتماعية والسياسية في السودان، خاصة في ظل تدمير الأرشيف الوطني والبنية التحتية الفنية على يد النظام الإسلامي. وقد عرضوا أدوار النساء كمؤرخات وأمينات أرشيف من خلال تواصلهن اليومي وملابسهن، محافظين على التراث الثقافي من خلال التأمل في القضايا الاجتماعية والتجارب الشخصية ومكانتهن في المجتمع السوداني. سلط المؤلفان الضوء على القماش السوداني (الطوب) من عصور سياسية مختلفة، وصور، وموسيقى، وشعر، ليبرزان كيف بنت النساء أرشيفا عضويا من خلال نهجهن في الحياة اليومية، مؤكدين على مرونة وحيوية جهود النساء السودانيات في جهود التأريخ.

في مشروع تمثيل التراث الحي السوداني (SSLH) والمؤلفتين المشاركتين زينب جعفر وهيلين مالينسون، أكدت أمنة الإدريسي على التفاعل بين نقل التراث التقليدي والأرشفة المعاصرة في السودان خلال الأوقات السلمية والمضطربة. وبينما تسلكت مشاريع مثل متحف المجتمع في غرب السودان ومنصة SSLH الإلكترونية، ناقشت تطور المتاحف إلى مساحات مجتمعية تشاركية تدعم النقل الثقافي المستمر. تتكيف هذه الجهود مع الحفاظ على التراث مع النقل عبر تقنيات الاتصال الحديثة، مما يضمن بقاء التراث الثقافي ممارسة حية ومتطورة بدلا من أن يكون أثرا ثابتا، حيويا للمرونة وسط تحديات مثل التحديث والصراع.

ركزت الجلسة الأخيرة على تجارب العمال السودانيين المهاجرين في بيروت، لبنان، من خمسينيات القرن الماضي وحتى الوقت الحاضر. نظرت آنا رومير في كيفية استبعاد هؤلاء المهاجرين من السرديات التاريخية الرسمية رغم مساهماتهم الكبيرة في المجتمع اللبناني. من خلال التاريخ الشفهي، والأرشيفات الشخصية، والأفلام المستقلة، شرحت كيف خلق هؤلاء المهاجرون إطارا موازيا للذاكرة العامة اللبنانية، موثقين حياة المهاجرين السودانيين وشاركوا في تضامن سياسي عابر للمناطق. تفحص أعمالها تطور المجتمعات السياسية المهاجرة السودانية، وتفاعلها مع النضالات الأفريقية والمناهضة للاستعمار، وتأثير التحولات السياسية في السودان، بما في ذلك ثورة ديسمبر 2018 والحرب المستمرة، على شعورهم بالنفي وآفاق العودة.

لعرض جدول أعمال مجموعة العمل، اضغط هنا

لقراءة سير المشاركين الذاتية، اضغط هنا

اقرأ المزيد عن هذه المبادرة البحثية

المشاركون والمناقشون:

ريم عباس، باحثة مستقل

وهبي عبد الرحمن، جامعة وادي النيل، السودان

Ahmأحمد أبو شوق، جامعة قطر

آيه أحمد، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

رند ألعربي، مدرسة الشتادلشوله (Hochschule für Bildende Künste)، ألمانيا

سارة العطية، متاحف قطر

خالد البايه، فنان مقيم، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

معز علي، إرثنا Earthna: مركز المستقبل المستدام في مؤسسة قطر

ريم الجيلي، استوديوهات ميوز متعددة

سلمى أمين، أندارية

زهرة بابر، مركز الدراسات الدولية والاقليمية، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

مسبا بهاتي، مركز الدراسات الدولية والاقليمية ، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

بنتلي براون، الجامعة الأمريكية في الشارقة

إريكا كارتر، كلية كينغز

مارلين ديغان، كلية كينغز

علا دياب، مجلة 500 كلمة

أمنه إلإدريسي، حماية التراث الحي في السودان (SSLH)

ربا الملك، باحثة مستقلة

قطوف إلعبيد، محلي

نون الشريف، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

لاريسا-ديانا فورمان، معهد أبحاث السلام فرانكفورت

Zزينب جعفر، حماية التراث الحي في السودان (SSLH)

كاتارزينا غرابسكا، جامعة جنيف

سها حسن، موانه

آية حسن، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

نور حسين، ، مركز الدراسات الدولية والاقليمية ، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

إيمان حسين، كلية الملك

ليندا إيرولو، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

علا خير، باحث مستقل

ديل مينيزيس، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

سوزي ميرغاني، مركز الدراسات الدولية والاقليمية ، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

فرات أوروج، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

آنا سيمون روميرت، المدرسة الجديدة، الولايات المتحدة

نادية سبيتي، جامعة جورجتاون في قطر

رحيم شاداد، معرض وسط المدينة

أمنية شوكت، أنداريا

حنين سيدحمد، أرشيف أشرطة السودان

أحمد سيكاينغا، جامعة ولاية أوهايومقال بقلم محللة أبحاث، بمركز الدراسات الدولية والاقليمية ميسبا بهاتي

The Evolution of Basketball in the Middle East
2025-05-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
The CIRS Panel on “The Evolution of Basketball in the Middle East,” was held on May 29, 2025, at Georgetown University Hilltop Campus in Washington, D.C., and is an extension of the CIRS research initiative on “America’s Game in the Middle East: the 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup.” Missionaries, merchants and military brought the game of basketball starting in the early 20th century to the Middle East, making it the only American sport that successfully spread throughout the region. In this panel, we are going to discuss the history and today’s popularity of basketball across the Middle East, and American-Middle Eastern engagements in basketball such as NBA pre-season games in Abu Dhabi, Gulf sponsorships of American teams, and Middle Eastern players at U.S. college teams.

Speakers:– Danyel Reiche, Georgetown University in Qatar– Sebastian Sons, Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)– Nadim Nassif, Notre Dame University – Louaize (NDU)– Onur Yıldırım, Middle East Technical University– Misba Bhatti, CIRS, Georgetown University in Qatar (Moderator)

America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar World Cup| Roundtable Meeting II
2025-08-05 08:00 - 17:00 | Education City, Al Luqta St, Ar-Rayyan, Doha, Qatar
On May 29 and 30, 2025, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted its second research workshop as part of the initiative on America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup. Over two days, participating scholars and experts engaged in dynamic discussions that addressed a range of critical themes, including basketball diplomacy, the experiences of female basketball players, the influence of social media, the concept of “sportswashing,” Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy, and the evolving landscape of US college basketball and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Onur Yildrim opened the workshop by examining the role of American military bases in Cold-War era Turkey, specifically the Karamürsel Air Base, in facilitating cultural exchange through basketball. He argued that such bases primarily served military purposes, but they also introduced American customs and goods to local communities, albeit with limited direct social interaction. Basketball, however, emerged as a significant conduit for cross-cultural engagement, particularly following the establishment of the Karamürsel Youth Sports Club in 1969. American soldiers, some of whom joined the team as licensed players, contributed to the development of local talent, and the team’s regional success sparked a newfound passion for basketball in a community previously oriented toward traditional Turkish sports. Yildrim’s analysis underscores the enduring impact of grassroots efforts in fostering genuine intercultural connections.

Nadim Nassif assessed the global popularity of basketball and evaluated how Qatar’s hosting of the 2027 FIBA World Cup could enhance the country’s international standing and geopolitical influence. Employing the World Ranking of Countries in Elite Sport (WRCES) and the World Sport Power Index (WSPI), Nassif demonstrated that basketball consistently ranks as the world’s second most popular sport after football. He argued that, although the Basketball World Cup does not match the prestige of the Olympics, hosting the event provides significant global visibility for Qatar. Nassif contended that Qatar’s strategic use of sport, particularly through hosting high-profile events, is central to its soft power ambitions, even as its national basketball team’s achievements remain limited.

Lindsay Krasnoff and J. Simon Rofe presented a paper highlighting basketball’s unique capacity to serve as a vehicle for diplomacy and social transformation in the Middle East, drawing on examples from NBA’s Basketball Africa League and other regions. They emphasized basketball’s global reach and adaptability, which allow the sport to bridge divides, foster cultural exchange, and address issues such as gender equality, migration, and integration. The authors identified four key takeaways: basketball as a means of representation and negotiation; its potential to promote gender equality; the importance of local context; and the sport’s ability to forge a global identity that transcends national boundaries. They argued that locally driven initiatives, rather than externally imposed models, are most effective in leveraging basketball for diplomatic purposes.

Ashraf ELmidani, on behalf of his coauthors Kamilla Swart and Gerard Akinde, explored Egypt’s historically prominent role in African and Middle Eastern basketball. Egypt’s legacy is marked by early institutionalization, significant achievements in regional and international competitions, and leadership within FIBA Africa. Despite recent challenges related to infrastructure, funding, and competitiveness, Egypt continues to demonstrate resilience through club development, regional diplomacy, and international collaborations, including partnerships with the NBA. The study also highlighted Egypt’s commitment to youth, women, and para-sports, as well as its regional support for Palestine, while noting persistent systemic obstacles to reclaiming the country’s former dominance in the sport.

Misba Bhatti presented Nida Ahmed’s research on how women basketball players from the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region utilize Instagram to navigate cultural expectations and challenge stereotypes. Through digital ethnography of athletes from Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye, Ahmed introduced the concept of the “athletic labour of SWANA femininity,” illustrating how these athletes balance athleticism with culturally specific expressions of femininity while resisting Western media’s sexualization of women athletes. Social media emerges as a platform for empowerment and visibility, countering dominant narratives and highlighting the agency of non-Western sportswomen.

Assile Toufaily examined the development of women’s basketball in Lebanon and the critical influence of the US collegiate system. Her research demonstrated that Lebanese athletes with US college experience significantly contribute to the sport’s growth in Lebanon, despite persistent social, cultural, and economic barriers. Toufaily underscored the importance of social media for scouting and recruiting, the impact of the Lebanese diaspora, and the need for greater institutional support to advance women’s sports development in the country.

Jung-Woo Lee analyzed the diplomatic implications of Qatar hosting the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup within the broader context of US-China-Qatar relations. He argued that Qatar’s investment in global sports aligns with the country’s economic diversification and image enhancement strategies, as articulated in the Qatar National Vision 2030. The World Cup is positioned as a platform for both American cultural diplomacy and Chinese economic engagement, reflecting the complexities of contemporary geopolitical rivalries.

Claudia Kozman investigated Qatari and international media coverage of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, focusing on journalistic roles and sourcing practices. Her findings indicate that sources―primarily athletes, coaches, and politicians―significantly shape journalistic approaches, with Qatari media tending toward infotainment and loyal-facilitator roles, while international outlets often adopt more critical or watchdog stances. The research highlights the hybrid and culturally contingent nature of sports journalism in the region.

Danyel Reiche reviewed the academic literature on sportswashing, noting its association with soft power and information manipulation, but argued that not all foreign sports investments constitute sportswashing. He examined the Qatar Investment Authority’s 2023 acquisition of a stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, emphasizing that the move was primarily a business decision aimed at revenue diversification, rather than an attempt at narrative control or prestige enhancement.

Sebastian Sons explored Saudi Arabia’s evolving engagement with basketball as part of its broader sports diplomacy and economic diversification strategy under the country’s Vision 2030. While football, motorsports, and tennis have received greater attention, basketball is gaining prominence through increased infrastructure, youth training, and female participation, as well as the hosting of major events such as the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup. Sons argued that basketball advances Saudi objectives in nation branding, identity construction, and international leverage, though its potential remains underutilized compared to other sports.

Craig LaMay concluded the workshop by discussing the NBA’s near-monopoly on global basketball broadcasting revenues and its aggressive expansion into Europe and the Middle East in pursuit of new talent, fans, and revenue streams. The NBA’s evolving media strategy, including a landmark partnership with Amazon, reflects its efforts to reduce reliance on regional broadcasters and tap into underserved markets. LaMay also noted the potential for Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, to emerge as competitors through the potential creation of a global basketball super league, signaling a new era of alliances and rivalries among the NBA, FIBA, Euroleague, and Gulf investors.

For the roundtable agenda, click here.

For the participants’ biographies, click here.

For the research initiative, click here.

Participants and Discussants:

Zahra Babar, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Misba Bhatti, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Ashraf ELmidani,

Noor Hussain, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

Claudia Kozman, Northwestern University in Qatar

Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, New York University

Craig LaMay, Northwestern University

Jung Woo Lee, University of Edinburgh

Nadim Nassif, Notre Dame University

Danyel Reiche, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar

J Simon Rofe, University of Leeds

Sebastian Sons, Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)

Assile Toufaily, PhD candidate

Onur Yildirim, Middle East Technical University in Ankara

Article by Misba Bhatti, Research Analyst at CIRS

CIRS Open House
2025-09-01 13:00 - 14:30
On September 1, 2025, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) held an open house for GU-Q students, faculty, and staff to learn more about CIRS, the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) program, and the different ways students can be involved in the Center’s work. Over 25 attendees met CIRS staff members and listened to presentations by Misba Bhatti, Research Analyst at CIRS, and Noor Hussain, Research Program Specialist at CIRS, alongside valuable contributions from Professor Firat Oruc and GU-Q’s Author in Residence, Kamila Shamsie.

In the presentation, Misba outlined the Center’s work in academic research, policy analysis, and its broader thematic clusters. She emphasized the ways in which CIRS organizes its projects under sustained themes, drawing attention not only to long-standing clusters such as regional and environmental studies, but also to new areas of inquiry including race and society, as well as the Center’s growing engagement with the Hiwaraat conference series, an initiative of the Dean’s Office that is closely connected to CIRS’s intellectual mission. She further highlighted the Center’s extensive publications program. Aside from the web-based projects that feature interactive content, CIRS has produced over forty academic publications since 2005, many of which are available in the GU-Q Library and bookstore, with additional titles freely downloadable from the CIRS website.

Noor then expanded on the CURA program, which remains one of the ways for undergraduate students to connect directly with the Center’s work. The CURA program revolves around three interlinked components: student research presentations, research skills workshops, and the Beyond the Headlines series. In research presentations, students are invited to present findings their research findings ranging from honors thesis to class papers to the GU-Q community. These sessions, held as open lunch talks, provide a valuable opportunity for students to practice the art of presenting complex research clearly and concisely, while learning to respond to questions and critique in a professional and intellectually engaged setting.

The CURA workshops introduce students to the craft of research itself, giving them hands-on experience with foundational skills that can be applied across disciplines. Noor drew attention to the upcoming workshop led by Khalid Albaih, GU-Q’s Artist in Residence, on making political art across mediums. This workshop, at once artistic and political, reflects CIRS’s ongoing commitment to expand the boundaries of how research and public engagement are conceived, understood, and practiced on campus.

Misba Bhatti spoke about the Beyond the Headlines series, which provides students with a space to examine current events in greater depth. Panels bring together GU-Q faculty and students to interrogate the historical and cultural contexts behind the news, encouraging dialogue that goes beyond immediate coverage. In these conversations, students consider pressing global issues alongside GU-Q faculty, interrogating the historical context, the silences, and the wider implications that lie beneath the surface of headlines. Students are invited to propose topics and join discussions. Professor Firat Oruc, who moderates the series, also spoke at the open house. He emphasized how Beyond the Headlines offers students a platform to connect their perspectives with faculty expertise and to situate global events within broader intellectual debates.

Professor Oruc also introduced the upcoming Hiwaraat conference, Seeing Sudan: Politics through Art, organized by CIRS. He stressed how the Center is cultivating critical spaces where conflict, displacement, and questions of politics can be interrogated not only through the lens of international relations, but through the textures of culture, art, and literature. He noted how art and cultural production often provide unique avenues to understand the lived experiences of war and authoritarianism, and why they remain central to grasping Sudan’s present and imagining its possible futures. This point was echoed by Kamila Shamsie, GU-Q’s distinguished Author in Residence, who reflected on how poets and writers have historically been among the first voices silenced in times of repression. She drew from her own experiences and authorship and highlighted how listening to artists and poets offers a raw and urgent interpretation of political crises that cannot be captured by official discourse alone.

The event concluded with an open reception, during which students and faculty continued their conversations with CIRS staff, asked questions about the CURA program, and explored concrete ways to become involved in the work of the Center.

Article by Maryam Daud, CIRS Administrative Coordinator

CURA Research Workshop: From Idea to Impact: Making Political Art Across Mediums
2025-09-11 12:30 - 15:00
On September 11, 2025, the Center for International and Regional Studies hosted a CURA research workshop titled “From Idea to Impact: Making Political Art Across Mediums.” The session took place at Georgetown University in Qatar and was led by Khalid Albaih, Artist in Residence at Georgetown University in Qatar. The workshop guided students from identifying a political idea to creating a focused visual study rooted in drawing and interpretation.

Where do political artworks come from, and where can they go? In this interactive workshop, Khalid Albaih guided students through the creative process of transforming political ideas into visual expression. The session began by exploring the origins of political art and how it often emerges from personal experience, social memory, or the emotional weight of a headline or online post. Through discussion and hands on exercises, participants reflected on issues that resonated with them and developed those ideas into drawings and visual interpretations.

Using simple multimedia materials, students experimented with symbolism, visual metaphors, and narrative framing to communicate their perspectives. The workshop encouraged participants to think critically about how political art functions as both commentary and resistance, and how a single image can invite reflection, dialogue, or change. By the end, many participants had produced captioned cartoon studies, poster style compositions, and small panel sequences that translated reflection into clear visual messages.

About the Artist

Khalid AlbaihArtist-in-Residence

Khalid Albaih is a Sudanese independent political cartoonist renowned for his incisive human rights advocacy, shared globally under the name Khartoon. His cartoons have been exhibited worldwide, and his writings have appeared in major international publications. Albaih was the central figure in The Guardian’s short documentary The Story of Civil Rights is Unfinished (2016) and has published two influential books: Khartoon! and Sudan Retold, an art book he co-edited featuring contributions from 31 Sudanese artists documenting Sudan’s rich history.

His work extends beyond drawing, with installations such as Bahar — a poignant video piece using found footage of refugees at sea — The Walls Have Ears (Documenta 15), Shahid (Mathaf, Qatar, 2024), and Season of Immigration to the North (Brescia Musei, Italy, 2024), all exploring themes of displacement and social justice. In 2024, he broadened his influence by hosting Alhasil Shino? on AJ+. Albaih is also the editor-in-chief of KhartoonMag.com, a platform for displaced Sudanese cartoonists, and creator of the award-winning @DohaFashionFridays, which amplifies marginalized voices. Through his work, Albaih remains a vital force in art activism, championing global social justice and freedom of expression.
