- 07 Nov 2013
WILL THE MIDDLE EAST IMPLODE?
Abstract:
The Middle East has long been fraught with tension and volatility. However, the recent Arab uprisings have intensified instability, turning this ‘hot-spot’ into a veritable tinderbox whose potential for implosion has far-reaching regional and global consequences.
In this presentation, leading Middle East scholar Mohammed Ayoob argues that the Arab Spring has both changed and charged some of the region’s thorniest problems – from the rise of political Islam to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Israel–Palestine conflict to rivalries between key regional powers. Exploring the sources of conflict in the Middle East and their various linkages, Ayoob offers a thoughtful and balanced assessment of whether the region is indeed destined for implosion or whether political sagacity and diplomatic creativity can bring it back from the brink.
About the Speakers
Mohammed Ayoob, is University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Relations, Michigan State University, and Adjunct Scholar, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. He is the author most recently of The Many Faces of Political Islam (University of Michigan Press, 2008) and editor of Assessing the War on Terror (Lynne Rienner, 2013). His book Will the Middle East Implode? will be published in January 2014.
