A Century of Football in the Middle East

In this Webinar, the panelists offer a historical perspective of football in the Middle East. Moderator: Abdullah Al-Arian (Georgetown University in Qatar) Panelists: Simon Chadwick (Skema Business School in Paris), Ibrahim Elhoudaiby (Bard College),Yağmur Nuhrat (Bilgi University), Maher Mezahi (Football Journalist), and Zahra Babar (Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar)

A World Cup for Qatar or the Middle East?

In 2010, Qatar won the bid to become the first ever Middle Eastern and Arab country to host a FIFA World Cup. Even though all 32 teams will be hosted in Qatar and all 64 games will be played in local stadiums, the state is emphasizing the broader regional character of the event. Join us…

UNDP Human Development Report 2021/2022

This panel is the country launch for the 2021-2022 UNDP Human Development Report. The report authors will discuss how to understand and navigate today's uncertainty complex as explored in the report - driven by the Anthropocene, by purposeful societal transformation, and by intensifying polarization. Distinguished panelists will reflect on the report’s implications for Qatar, the…

Energy and the World Cup

This special panel is hosted as part of CIRS and GUQ's research focus on Qatar and the FIFA World Cup 2022, and addresses issues related to energy and the hosting of the tournament. In this panel, we consider what lessons and avenues the World Cup 2022 offers for the energy humanities in the Gulf region…

CIRS Lunch Talk: The Beautiful Game in America

Speaker: Andrew Guest (University of Portland in Oregon USA) Moderator: Danyel Reiche (Georgetown University in Qatar) Location: CIRS Conference Room, Georgetown University in Qatar

Qatar’s World Cup Goals: Moving from the Periphery to the Center Working Group II

On September 25 and 26, 2022, the Center for International and Regional Studies held the second working group under its research initiative, “Qatar’s World Cup Goals: Moving from the Periphery to the Center.” The meeting convened regional and international scholars who discussed their draft papers and received extensive feedback for revisions. The topics discussed at…

Russian Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East

Moderated by GUQ Professor Mehran Kamrava, the event discusses Russia’s motives in the Middle East, examining its growing role in the region and its efforts to defend its national interests. The discussion addresses both domestic and external drivers of Moscow’s foreign policy, tracing the historical evolution of Russia’s presence in the region within the last…

Football and the State in the Middle East

This panel discussion was the second event being hosted to highlight the research conducted under CIRS project Football in the Middle East, the outcome of which is a new book edited by Professor Abdullah Al-Arian published by Hurst/Oxford University Press. The panel looks at how football is affecting states, governments, and societies across the region.  Moderator:…

Affects of Energy Transition Working Group II

On September 5, 2022, the Center for International and Regional Studies held a second working group under its research initiative on Energy Humanities. The meeting was organized as a hybrid event, which allowed for both in-person and virtual participation. The convened scholars received critical feedback and commentary on the draft chapters that they had submitted…

The World Cup and Women’s Empowerment in Qatar

In 2010, Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Only two years later in 2012, the first Qatari woman competed in the Olympic Games. This panel discussion will look at the impact of hosting the first World Cup in the Middle East on women’s participation in sports, as well as their rights and lived experiences…

Football in the Middle East: State, Society, and the Beautiful Game

A tour d’horizon exploring how the world’s best-loved game is affecting people, societies and governments across the region. Far and away the most popular sport in the world, football has a special place in Middle Eastern societies, and for Middle Eastern states. With Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, this region has been cast…