Richardson Institute

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Louise Kettle, Assistant Professor in Politics and International Relations in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham. Louise is the author of Learning from the History of British Interventions in the Middle East (Edinburgh University Press, 2018) amongst other things. On this episode Simon and Louise talk about history, 9/11, marketing, Soho, learning processes, the Chilcot inquiry, studying with Aziz Alghashian, and much more!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Dr Inna Rudolph, a Research Fellow on the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme at King's College London. Inna is a world leading expert on the hashd al shabi in Iraq and has done fascinating work on the topic. On this episode Simon and Inna talk about living in Yemen, meeting Ali Abdallah Saleh, working in Palestine, the hashd, tishreen and more. This is not to be missed!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Erwin van Veen, senior research fellow at Clingendael's Conflict Research Unit (CRU). He is an experienced professional who delivers high quality and insightful strategic advice that helps mitigate violent conflict. His direct area of expertise are the relationships between political order, protest and violence in countries like Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Syria and Turkey. On this episode, Simon and Erwin talk about travelling in the region, balancing policy and academic interests, the interplay of ideational and material factors, violence, Erwin's new book and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Professor Christopher Phillips of Queen Mary University about his fantastic new book Battleground: Ten Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East. The book, out on 27th February 2024 with Yale University Press, builds on Chris' earlier work and applies it to 10 'battlegrounds' across the Middle East and its neighbours in a provocative and timely analysis of conflict in the region. On this episode Simon and Chris speak about the book, its themes, the changing nature of the region and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Shabnam Holliday, Associate Lecturer at the University of Plymouth. Shabnam is the author of a number of books and articles on Iran, global IR and the wider Middle East. On this episode Simon and Shabnam talk about living across the region, working in Gaza, the Islamic Republic, the current situation and much, much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Satgin Hamrah, PhD Candidate in History at Tufts University and editor of Contextualizing Sectarianism in the Middle East and South Asia: Identity, Competition and Conflict. On this episode, Simon and Satgin talk about rejecting the lived experiences of the 'ancient hatreds' narrative and the lessons taken from non-MENA cases

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Edward Wastnidge, Deputy Director of SEPAD about 2023 and the various activities, publications, workshops, and more. It's a deep dive into the many things that SEPAD and the wonderful people that are involved in our project have been up to. We're very lucky to have such a great group of people involved with us. Here's an overview of what we've been up to.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Gerasimos Tsourapas, Gerasimos Tsourapas is Professor of International Relations at the University of Glasgow. He is also the Chair of the Ethnicity, Nationalism, & Migration Studies (ENMISA) Section of the International Studies Association. He works on the international relations of the Middle East and the broader Global South, with a particular focus on the politics of migrants, refugees, and diasporas. On this episode, Simon and Gerasimos talk about a movement, scholarship in the US and the UK, Fred Halliday, migration, Egypt, the state and so much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Raihan Ismail, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. Raihan is the author of two fabulous books published by OUP: 2021's Rethinking Salafism: The Transnational Networks of Salafi ‘Ulama in Egypt, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, and 2016's Saudi Clerics and Shi‘a Islam. On this episode, Simon and Raihan talk about a personal journey from Malaysia to Oxford, the influence of her father, Salafism, Saudi Arabia, ulema, the interplay of intimately tiny and hegemonic dynamics, and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Professor Andrea Teti. Andrea looks at connections between the production of knowledge and relations of power, and second, the use of discourse analysis to examine how political actors conceive of and act in pursuit of key goals such as democracy. He is on twitter (X) at a_teti. On this episode Simon and Andrea speak about his journey into scholarship, studying at St Andrews', Die Hard (you'll have to listen!), discovering continental philosophy, IR-Area studies, and critical scholarship on the Middle East.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Eyad Al Refai, Aziz Alghashian, Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro about Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom's growing influence in global football. Eyad, Aziz, Guy and Francesco all work at the interplay of football and politics in the Middle East, while Aziz and Eyad have experience of attending games in Saudi Arabia. On this episode, Simon and the group discuss the rising prominence of football in Saudi Arabia, reflecting on why the Kingdom has become involved in football, how it is funded, the global economy of football, its role in Vision 2030, the interplay of football and politics, the Kingdom's oldest football team, sports washing, sectarianism and nationalism. There's a lot of coverage of football in the Kingdom, a great deal of which is beset by orientalist, xenophobic and Islamophobic assumptions. This podcast seeks to challenge this, offering a considered discussion of Saudi Arabia's role in the beautiful game.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Javier Bordon Osorio about his recent report 'Spatialising Securitisation'. Javier is a PhD student at Lancaster University and a PhD Fellow with SEPAD. He is on twitter at @JavierBordonOs. The report reflects on the following questions: How do processes and dynamics of spatialisation inform security conceptions? Who securitises, and why? What relational and behavioural patterns emerge from security articulations? How do threats develop, travel and crystallise across time and space? Who is included and who is excluded? How is (in-)security experienced and lived in and through space? The report is available here: https://www.sepad.org.uk/report/spatialising-securitisation-in-the-middle-east

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Jamie Allinson, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh. Jamie is a scholar of politics and international relations with a particular interest in the contemporary Middle East. I am especially interested in how forms of political power - within, across and beyond borders - interact with people and movements originating in the realms more commonly thought of as 'society' and 'the economy.' He is the author of The Age of Counter-revolution: States and Revolutions in the Middle East and The Struggle for the State in Jordan: The Social Origins of Alliances in the Middle East. On this episode, Simon and Jamie talk about politics, Thatcher, the Beano and the Dandy, Palestine, the transformation of Ramallah, Game Theory and Japan, Jordan, counter-revolutions and the Arab Uprisings, sovereignty and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Abdolrasool Farzam Divsallar and Eyad Al Refai about the Saudi-Iran deal. Eyad is a Fellow with SEPAD and a PhD Student at Lancaster University. He is the author of a number of articles and opinion pieces on regional security in the Middle East including on transforming the Saudi-Iranian rivalry (with Samira Nasirzadeh). He is on twitter at @eyadalrefaei. Abdolrasool Divsallar is a visiting professor at the Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, focusing on Iran's military affairs, Russia-Iran relations, and Persian Gulf security architecture. He is also a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington. Dr. Divsallar co-founded and led the Regional Security Initiative at the European University Institute (EUI) from 2020-22. He is on twitter at @divsallar. On this episode Simon, Farzam and Eyad talk about the deal and its impact on security and defence policies, how to transform relations, the nuclear question, the role of the US and China, Yemen, Syria and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod - the first (that we are aware of) to bring Saudi and Iranian scholars together - Simon speaks with Banafsheh Keynoush and Aziz Alghashian about recent diplomatic developments between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Banafsheh is a scholar of international affairs who has conducted fieldwork in the Middle East for two decades, including in Saudi Arabia and Iran. She is the author of Saudi Arabia and Iran: Friends or Foes? (Palgrave, 2016) and The World Powers and Iran: Before, During and After the Nuclear Deal (Palgrave, 2022). She is on twitter @banafshehkeynoush. Aziz is a Saudi researcher who is fascinated with the elusively of Saudi foreign policy. He obtained a PhD from the University of Essex in 2019 where he taught International Relations, and Politics and Middle Eastern Studies for several years. He is on twitter @azizalghashian. On this episode, Simon, Banafsheh and Aziz talk offer a critical reflection on the normalisation agreement, the drivers of the agreement, how it was received in both countries, the US role, and the importance of scholars and civil society actors in helping transform perceptions of the other. Truly not to be missed.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Youssef Cherif, Director of CGC Tunis and a political analyst who specializes in Maghreb affairs. A member of Carnegie's Civic Research Network, Youssef contributes to a number of think-tanks on Maghreb affairs. Youssef is a Researcher at Leiden University - Institute of Area Studies. He is on twitter at @Faiyla. On this episode Simon and Youssef talk about Indiana Jones, classics, IR, studying the Maghreb/North Africa and why people don't, the MENA/SWANA/WA debate, recent developments across the Maghreb and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Youssef Cherif, Director of CGC Tunis and a political analyst who specializes in Maghreb affairs. A member of Carnegie's Civic Research Network, Youssef contributes to a number of think-tanks on Maghreb affairs. Youssef is a Researcher at Leiden University - Institute of Area Studies. He is on twitter at @Faiyla. On this episode Simon and Youssef talk about Indiana Jones, classics, IR, studying the Maghreb/North Africa and why people don't, the MENA/SWANA/WA debate, recent developments across the Maghreb and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Maya Mikdashi, an interdisciplinary scholar of the state at Rutgers University. Maya is the author of the wonderful Sectarianism: Sovereignty, Secularism, and the State in Lebanon, published by Stanford University Press. She is the co-founder of Jadaliyya and the director of About Baghdad (2004) and Notes on the War (2006) , a feature length documentary film on the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War, and others. You can find her on twitter @mayamikdashi. On this episode, Simon and Maya talk about becoming interested in the state and the politics of difference, travelling to Baghdad, filming documentaries, the importance of human experience, anthropology and political science, sectarianism and sex, sectarianism and the state, the process of ‘un-seeing', Jadaliyya, trust, and much more!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Ibrahim Halawi and Ruba Ali Al-Hassani about their recent report Desectarianization and the End of Sectarianism? Funded by The Henry Luce Foundation the report looks at desectarianization in Iraq, Lebanon and Bahrain. In the discussion, Simon, Ibrahim and Ruba reflect on desectarianization as 're-imagining', sectarianism and episteme, bottom up and top down processes, and the role of violence. The full report is available here: https://www.sepad.org.uk/report/desectarianization-and-the-end-of-sectarianism

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Edward Wastnidge, Deputy Director of SEPAD and Senior Lecturer at the Open University about SEPAD's activities across 2022 and into 2023. Picking out some of their memorable moments from the year, Simon and Eddie reflect on the conference, various reports, the successes of our Fellows and some things to look out for in 2023.

n this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Gabriel Garroum, Margarita Salas Postdoctoral Researcher at abriel is an interdisciplinary researcher specialized in International Relations and Middle East Politics. Born into a Syrian-Catalan family, his main research areas include political violence, critical IR theory, contemporary security issues, and critical geopolitics. He is also a member of the Research Centre in International Relations (King's College London) and co-director of "Això era casa meva/This Was My Home "(2019), a documentary on the Syrian civil war premiered at the British Film Institute. You can find him on twitter @gabrielgarroum On this episode Simon and Gabriel talk about political identities, double minorities, political subjectivities, affect, sovereign power, Aleppo, urban politics, modernity and much, much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Maria Kastrinou, Lecturer in (Social) Anthropology at Brunel University. Maria's research focuses on sectarian politics and national belonging, religion, state, conflict and energy in the Middle East and South-Eastern Mediterranean. She is the author of Power, sect and state in Syria: The politics of marriage and identity amongst the Druze (IB Tauris, 2016). On this episode, Simon and Maria talk about activism and politics, the importance of people, Palestinians, Druze, Syria, statelessness and much more.

On this episode, Simon speaks with Javier Guirado, PhD candidate at Georgia State University, a Visiting Doctoral Researcher at the Orient-Institut Beirut, and a SEPAD Fellow. His work explores the historically changing relation between society, urban space, and narratives of modernity in the Gulf. He is writing his dissertation about social movements and urbanization in Qatar during the Long Sixties. Javier is a the editor of a new report on the political economy of infrastructure in the Middle East which can be accessed here: https://www.sepad.org.uk/files/documents/infrastructure_sepad-compressed.pdf On this episode, Simon and Javier discuss the report at length, the importance of infrastructure and the need for an approach that focusses on the social components of infrastructural projects.

On this episode of SEPADDiscusses, Simon speaks with Stacey Philbrick Yadav, Vincent Durac and Azal Alsalafi about Stacey's wonderful new book Yemen in the Shadow of Transition: Pursuing Justice Amid War. Over the course of the discussion, Stacey sets out the main argument of the book while Vincent and Azal reflect on the many strengths of the text. This is not to be missed.

On this episode of SEPADPod, Simon speaks with Mariam Mabrouk, an Egyptian artist and former Lancaster University student, who is acting as our first ‘artist in residence'. Mariam has produced some amazing pieces of art for forthcoming SEPAD publications and you can see her work on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/studiomabrouk/ On this episode Simon and Mariam talk about artistic influences, the importance of urban environments, the 2011 uprisings in Egypt, Mariam's work 'hanged' (https://www.instagram.com/p/BtfrCkEg966/) and her new piece 'entangled', which is on the cover of Simon's new book. This is a little bit different, but a fascinating conversation!

On this episode of SEPADPod with Jillian Schwedler, Professor of Political Science at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Jillian is the author of a huge number of books, articles, opinion pieces and more. She is on twitter @DrJSchwedler. On this episode Simon and Jillian talk about Broadway, travelling across the Middle East as a student, working with Augustus Richard Norton, civil society, Jordan, Yemen and Jillian's wonderful new book protesting Jordan. During this conversation Simon and Jillian reflect on the importance of space and spatial approaches to the study of the Middle East. This is not to be missed.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Ali Bakir, assistant professor at Qatar University's Ibn Khaldon Center for Humanities and Social Sciences and nonresident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Middle East programs. Ali has extensive experience of working within the foreign policy and security realms, consulting with senior officials, decisionmakers, and stakeholders for governmental, nongovernmental, and private-sector institutions. He is on twitter @alibakeer. On this episode, Simon and Ali talk about Ali's childhood across the region, fusing the academic and the personal, the evolution of Turkish foreign policy, Turkish-Russian relations, the importance of an Islamic approach to IR theory and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Jannis Grimm, head the Research Group Radical Spaces at the INTERACT Center for Interdisciplinary Peace and Conflict Research at Freie Universität Berlin. Jannis' work centres on political violence and state repression in the Middle East and North Africa as well as on processes of mass mobilization and regime contestation from below. He is the author of Contested Legitimacies: Repression and Revolt in Post-Revolutionary Egypt (University of Amsterdam Press, 2022) which is open access here: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/52656. On this episode, Simon and Jannis talk about being in Egypt during the Arab Uprisings, the ensuing coup, studying social movements and authoritarianism, legitimacy, meaning making, interdisciplinary and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Sharri Plonski, Senior Lecturer in International Politics at Queen Mary University of London. Her work, which is anchored in the political terrain of Palestine and the Israeli state, focuses on the materiality (and mobility) of colonial relations and the struggles that reveal and challenge them. She also co-produces the podcast series ‘Surviving Society Presents: Material Crimes' and she loves to tell stories – the current one she is working on is about a train. She is on twitter @SharriPlonski. On this episode, Simon and Sharri talk about the lives leading to a PhD, the amazing people Sharri studied with, anti-Zionism, the Palestinian cause, infrastructure, space, Doreen Massey, normalisation, the train to nowhere and so much more!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Diana Galeeva, Non-Resident Fellow with Gulf International Forum. Diana was previously an Academic Visitor to St. Antony's College, University of Oxford (2019-2022). She is the author of two books “Qatar: The Practice of Rented Power” (Routledge, 2022) and “Russia and the GCC: The Case of Tatarstan's Paradiplomacy” (I.B. Tauris/ Bloomsbury, 2022). She is also a co-editor of the collection “Post-Brexit Europe and UK: Policy Challenges Towards Iran and the GCC States” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). You can find her on twitter at @diana_galeeva. On this episode, Simon and Diana talk about a desire to study Qatar and the Gulf, hard/soft/smart/subtle power, Rented Power, Tatarstan, the 2022 World Cup, covid19, and Russian links to the Gulf. A wide ranging conversation not to be missed!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon is joined by Edward Wastnidge, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies at the Open University where he is also the Director for the International Studies programme. Eddie is the author of a range of publications on Iran and the Middle East and co-director of SEPAD. On this episode, Simon and Eddie talk about their new edited volume with Manchester University Press titled 'Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Struggle to Shape the Middle East'. In a wide ranging conversation Simon and Eddie talk about relationships and rivalries, sectarianism and Islam, moving beyond proxy wars, the importance of time and space, the complexities and contingencies of political life across the Middle East, approaching the study of Saudi-Iranian relations and much more!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Anoush Ehteshami, Professor of International Relations in the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University. Anoush is also the Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations and Director of the HH Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Programme in International Relations, Regional Politics and Security. Anoush is the author of myriad books, articles and chapters on Iran, international political economy, the Persian Gulf and more. He is on twitter @AnoushEhteshami. On this episode Simon and Anoush talk about the evolution of Anoush's engagement with Iran, IPE and the Middle East. They focus on the motivating forces for Anoush's scholarship, his work with Ray Hinnebusch, his broader contribution to the field - and the huge number of successful PhD students he has supervised - and a burgeoning interest in China. This is not to be missed.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Hendrik Kraetzschmar, Associate Professor in the Comparative Politics of the Middle East and North Africa at the University of Leeds. Hendrik holds a PhD from the LSE and works on the comparative politics of the Middle East with a particular interest in Islamism and political parties. He has been working at the Department of Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at Leeds University since 2007. Prior to that he worked at the American University in Cairo. He tweets at @henky74, On this episode, Simon and Hendrik talk about the journey to working on the Middle East, learning Arabic in Cairo, political parties, Islamism, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and much more. It's not to be missed!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Lucia Ardovini, Lecturer in International Relations (Theory) at Lancaster University. Lucia's work focuses on the intersection of social movements, transnational activism and ideology. She is the author of Surviving repression: The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood after the 2013 coup. She is on twitter @LuciaArdovini. On this episode, Simon and Lucia talk about studying the Middle East, the impact of activism, social movements, structure/agency, contextual factors shaping the Brotherhood's actions, identity, ideology, space and much more!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Rima Majed, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Sociology, Anthropology and Media Studies Department at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Her work focuses on the fields of social movements, sectarianism, conflict, and violence. She is currently a visiting fellow at the Middle East initiative at Harvard University for 2022/23. Her work has appeared in several journals, books and media platforms such as Social Forces, Mobilization, Routledge Handbook on the Politics of the Middle East, Middle East Law and Governance Journal, Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of the Middle East, Global Dialogue, Idafat: The Arab Journal of Sociology, Al Jumhuriya, OpenDemocracy, Jacobin, Middle East Eye, CNN and Al Jazeera English. She is also the co-editor of the upcoming book The Lebanon Uprising of 2019: Voices from the Revolution (I.B. Tauris, 2022), and the Principal Investigator on the “Critical Approaches to Development Studies" project at the American University of Beirut. You can find her on twitter @rima_majed. On this episode, Simon and Rima talk about protest, the second intifada, political economy, neoliberalism, neoliberalism in Lebanon, sectarianism and neoliberalism, protest in Lebanon and Iraq, social movements, and much more.

On this special episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Dr Aziz Alghashian and Dr Nir Boms about Saudi-Israeli normalisation in the first podcast of its kind, bringing Saudi and Israeli scholars together. Aziz is a Fellow with SEPAD and a Saudi researcher focusing on Saudi foreign policy towards Israel. Aziz obtained his PhD in Saudi foreign policy towards Israel, from the University of Essex, where he lectured from 2019-2021. Aziz has published on Saudi political history and Discoursing sectarianism, in addition to a number of journalistic pieces with The Conversation, AGSIW and the SEPAD website. Aziz is currently working on his book project on Saudi relations with Israel. Nir is D a research fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University. He is the Chairman of the Syria Research Forum and the Gulf Israel Policy Forum as well as the coordinator of the TAU Workshop on Israel and the Middle East and the Hiwar Forum for Intra-Regional Dialogue. On this episode, Simon, Aziz and Nir talk about the Abraham Accords and prospects for Saudi-Israeli normalisation. The conversation includes a discussion of existing relations, ideas of a 'tacit security regime', Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, the role of the US, and the importance of the Palestinian question.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Zaid Al Ali, the Senior Adviser in Constitution-Building in the Arab Region for International IDEA. He has law three law degrees from Harvard Law School, the Sorbonne University, and King's College London. He has been practicing international commercial arbitration since 1999 and has been advising on constitutional drafting in Arab countries since 2005. Zaid is the author of Arab Constitutionalism: The Coming Revolution (2021) amongst other pieces. He is on twitter at @zalali. On this episode, Simon and Zaid talk about studying law from a political family, 9/11, the war on terror, the invasion of Iraq, weapons of mass destruction, the new constitution and its failings, constitutions after the Arab Uprisings, developments in Tunisia and much, much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Clemens Chay, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute. Clemens' research focuses on the history and politics of the Gulf states, with a particular emphasis on Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. At MEI he spearheads a public education series entitled “Bridging the Gulf”. He is currently working on a book project related to Kuwait's diwaniyas (affectionately known as diwawin, and more widely known as majalis outside Kuwait), the reception rooms for informal meetings that have implications for society, politics and diplomacy. He is on twitter at @sinGulfura. On this episode, Simon and Clemens talk about studying the Middle East in France and the UK, the role of the diwaniya in Kuwait, the spatial and normative aspects of the diwaniya, and recent developments in Kuwait.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with four wonderful scholars about power sharing and protest in Lebanon and Northern Ireland. With Simon are three SEPAD Fellows: Professor John Nagle, Dr Ibrahim Halawi, AK Ronn, and Dr Drew Mikhael, making his SEPAD debut. John is Professor of Sociology at Queen's University Belfast, Ibrahim is Teaching Fellow in International Relations at Royal Holloway University, AK is a researcher at Aarhus University, and Drew is a Research Fellow at Queen's University Belfast. On this episode, Simon, John, Ibrahim, AK and Drew discuss the recent elections in Lebanon and Northern Ireland, the emergence of non-sectarian blocs and parties, protest movements (or the lack thereof), structure-agency, and so much more. It's a long one, but a good one!

On this episode of SEPAD Discusses, Simon speaks with Mariam Salehi, Stacey Philbrick Yadav and Mohammad Dhia Hammami about Mariam's wonderful new book Transitional Justice in Process: Plans and Politics in Tunisia. Mariam Salehi is Research Group Leader at the INTERACT Centre for Interdisciplinary Peace and Conflict Research at Freire Universitat Berlin. Stacey Philbrick Yadav is Associate Professor of International Relations at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Her latest book Yemen in the Shadow of Transition: Pursuing Justice amid war is due to be published in September. Mohammad Dhia Hammami is a PhD student in Political Science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and public Affairs at Syracuse University

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Somdeep Sen, Associate Professor of International Development Studies at Roskilde University. Somdeep is the author of the fabulous Decolonizing Palestine (Cornell University Press 2020). He is on twitter @ssen03. On this episode Simon and Somdeep speak about Som's wonderful new book, the journey from India to Denmark via the US, the process of doing research in Gaza, settler colonialism, the broader intellectual environment and much more.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with two SEPAD Fellows about the recent elections in Lebanon, Dr Ibrahim Halawi and Larissa Abou Harb. Ibrahim is a Teaching Fellow at Royal Holloway University who specialises in counter revolution in the Middle East. Larissa is a PhD student at the University of Exeter working on protest movements in Lebanon and Bosnia. Ibrahim is on twitter @IbrahimHalawi and Larissa is on twitter @Abouharblarissa. The episode begins by reflecting on the background context affecting the elections before moving into an analysis of the results themselves and ending with a discussion of possible futures. It is not to be missed.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Ajay Gudavarthy, a political theorist, analyst and columnist in India. Ajay is associate professor in political science at Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is the editor of India after Modi: Populism and the Right (Bloomsbury, Delhi, 2018)and Secular Sectarianism: Limits of Subaltern Politics (Sage, 2019)and author of countless articles and opinion pieces on Indian politics, secularism, populism and sectarianism. On this special episode, Simon and Ajay talk about sectarianism in India in the form of a 'secular sectarianism'. They do this by reflecting on Ajay's twin roles as a public intellectual and academic, looking at the complex interplay between identity politics, resistance and authoritarianism. This is a must listen for anyone looking at sectarianism in a comparative context.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Lea Bou Khater, Lecturer in Development Studies at the American University Beirut. Lea holds a PhD from SOAS and is the author of the wonderful book 'The Labour Movement in Lebanon'. She is on twitter @leaboukhater. On this episode, Simon and Lea talk about labour movements and the state in Lebanon, tracing the history of labour movements across the civil war, reconstruction and recent periods. Lea and Simon talk about the labour movement's relationship with the state, the troika and sectarian identities. At the heart of the discussion is a reflection on Lea's wonderful new book, published by Manchester University Press.

On this episode Simon speaks with Dr Mohammad Kalantari, Research Fellow in International Relations and Co-Director of Centre for Islamic & West Asian Studies at Department of Politics and International Relations. Mohammad's research lies in the International Relations of the Middle East with a particular focus on the interaction of regional doctrines, elite ideologies, and political Islam. He is the author of The Clergy and the Modern Middle East: Shi'i Political Activism in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. You can find him on twitter at: https://twitter.com/mrkalantari On this episode, Simon and Mohammad talk about The Clergy and the Modern Middle East, positionality and much more. It's not to be missed!

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Juan is the author of myriad books, articles and chapters on Islam, the Middle East, and Muslim South Asia, including Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires ( Bold Type Books, 2018) The New Arabs: How the Millennial Generation is Changing the Middle East ( Simon & Schuster, 2014).Sacred Space and Holy War: The Politics, Culture and History of Shi`ite Islam. (I.B. Tauris, 2002). Shi`ism and Social Protest. [Edited, with Nikki Keddie]. (Yale University Press, 1986) and more recently Peace Movements in Islam: History, Religion and Politics (Bloomsbury, 2021). He tweets @jricole and can be found at his blog Informed Comment. On this episode, Simon and Juan talk about studying Islam at the time of The Beatles, developments in the study of Islam, working with Nikki Keddie, peace studies and Islam, and Juan's wonderful new edited collection. Please do like, share and subscribe in all the usual ways. We even have a jingle now (thanks Eddie) so we're contractually obliged to ask you to do this.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Anicee Van England, Associate Professor of International Security & Law at the Cranfield Forensic Institute. Anicee holds a PhD in Islamic Studies, Politics and Law from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris (2006). She graduated in law from Paris II Assas and furthered her studies with three masters: a masters in law from Harvard Law School (2004), a masters in international relations from Paris II Assas (2002) and a masters in Iranian studies from Paris III Sorbonne. She is on twitter @AniceeVE. On this episode, Simon and Anicee talk about Iran and Belgium, studying with Olivier Roy, Islamic Law and all its nuances, and the nuclear negotiations. Lots to reflect on! Please do like, share and subscribe in all the usual ways. We even have a jingle now (thanks Eddie) so we're contractually obliged to ask you to do this.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Andrew Delatolla, Lecturer in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Leeds, a Visiting Research Fellow at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He was the former Chair of the LGBTQA+ Caucus of the International Studies Association 2020/2021. You can find him on twitter @a_delatolla. Andrew is the author of the wonderful Civilization and the Making of the State in Lebanon and Syria. 1Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan (2021) along with articles in ISQ, TWQ, BJMES and ISR. On this episode, Simon and Andrew talk about Lebanon, Lebanese culture, the state, the concepts of civilisation and sexuality and much more. Please do like, share and subscribe in all the usual ways. We even have a jingle now (thanks Eddie) so we're contractually obliged to ask you to do this.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Ruba Ali Al Hassani, post doctoral research fellow at Lancaster University. Ruba is the author of a number of articles, chapters and opinion pieces including the wonderful 'Storytelling: Restorative Approaches to Post-2003 Iraq Peacebuilding' in the Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding. Ruba was also a fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy where she authored a number of pieces including the battle for state sovereignty. timep.org/commentary/analysis/…r-state-sovereignty/. She tweets @RubaAlHassani. On this episode, Simon and Ruba speak about engaging in political questions from different disciplinary backgrounds, the importance of story telling, protests and much more. Here's a reference to the chapter discussed in the podcast. Ruba Ali Al-Hassani (forthcoming 2021) "Iraq's October Revolution: Between Structures of Patriarchy and Emotion",  Palgrave Handbook on Communication and Gender in MENA. Please do like, share and subscribe in all the usual ways. We even have a jingle now (thanks Eddie) so we're contractually obliged to ask you to do this.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Shamiran Mako, assistant professor of international relations at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. Her research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics of the Middle East with a substantive emphasis on foreign intervention, ethnic conflict, political violence in divided societies, and institutions and statebuilding. Shamiran is on twitter @shamiranmako She is the author of After the Uprisings: Progress and Stagnation in the Middle East and North Africa, with Valentine Moghadam. Shamiran is the editor of ‘Building Sustainable Peace in Iraq', a special issue of the Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding available here: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/risb20/15/4 On this episode, Simon and Shamiran talk about Shamiran's work on Iraq, the special issue and her wonderful new book. Please do like, share and subscribe in all the usual ways. We even have a jingle now (thanks Eddie) so we're contractually obliged to ask you to do this.

On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Katherine 'Kitty' Harvey, n Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. She is also on the Board of Advisors at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and holds a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies from King's College London. Kitty is the author of the wonderful A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The Saudi Struggle for Iraq. You can find her on twitter at @kittysharvey. On this episode, Simon and Kitty talk about A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, reflecting on the complexities of Saudi Arabia's engagement with post 2003 Iraq and the impact of this in regional politics. Please do like, share and subscribe in all the usual ways. We even have a jingle now (thanks Eddie) so we're contractually obliged to ask you to do this.