Middle East Dossier

The Trump administration may be preparing to abandon its efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state. This raises the question as to whether a two-state solution is still a viable option to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Find out about the roots and prospects of the two-state solution with Dr Victor Kattan in this lecture of the ME 101 series held on 9 October.  

Maritime piracy attacks have plagued the Middle East for the past decade. Operating out of the Horn of Africa, they have posed serious problems to maritime shipping and the safety of maritime navigation. In this talk, Professor Milena Sterio discusses the legal aspects of maritime piracy in the Middle East.

Dr Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman challenges us to rethink what traditional Islam means in South-east Asia through exploring the shifting boundaries of Sunni Islam in this region. What are some of the current trends in Muslim political mobilisation in South-east Asia? Find out more about the new spectrum of Islamism in Malaysia and Indonesia in this lecture of the ME 101 series held on 2 October.

For the past half-century, Saudi Arabia has engaged in a wide range of activities to propagate globally its distinctive brand of Islam. In this lecture, Dr Peter Mandaville discusses the impact and evolution of Saudi transnational proselytisation, and future trends in light of new Saudi leadership.

With the rise of Asia in the 21st century, Arabia is becoming ever more engaged with the rest of Asia. In this lecture, Dr Zoltan Pall discusses the potential trends in transregional connections, focusing on religious ties, and using Gulf charities in Cambodia as a case study.

Three aspects differentiate the Middle East from other regions—foreign interests, religion and ideology, and competing visions to identity and socio-political organisation, Dr Fanar Haddad argues. How do these factors interplay? How do Middle Powers play a role in the geopolitical scene? Find out about geopolitical competition in the Middle East with Dr Haddad and Ms Susan Kurdli in this lecture o...

"After seven years (of working with Syrian refugees in Lebanon), I'm still alive," Love Aid Singapore Founder Gilbert Goh joked. Why did this Singaporean decide to dedicate so much time and effort to humanitarian efforts there? Find out about Mr Goh's mission and the challenges he encountered in this lecture of the ME 101 series held on 28 August.

Why should Singapore care about the Middle East? MEI Chairman Mr Bilahari Kausikan kickstarted the ME 101 lecture series on 21 August with an introduction to developments in the Middle East and what they mean for Singapore.  The lectures give an overview of the circumstances and impact of the encounters between the Middle East and the rest of the world in terms of politics, economics, and cultural...

The United States-Iran Conference held on 13 August 2019 at Orchard Hotel examined escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Indian Member of Parliament and Former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar spoke about the view from India.

The United States-Iran Conference held on 13 August 2019 at Orchard Hotel examined escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Dr Kazem Sajjadpour, President, Institute for Political and International Studies, Tehran, spoke about the view from Iran.

The United States-Iran Conference held on 13 August 2019 at Orchard Hotel examined escalating tensions between the US and Iran. Former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage spoke about the view from the US.

Automated Twitter accounts, or bots, have played a crucial role in poisoning online discussions in the Arabic Twitterverse. Dr. Marc Owen Jones discusses the extent to which bots have been weaponised by Saudi Arabia to spread disinformation and fake news in the Middle East.

The establishment of Israeli settlements throughout the Palestinian territories has had an immense impact on the lives of Palestinians living in Jerusalem and beyond. In her talk, Ms Nur Arafeh discusses the logic behind the settlement project and explores its impact on the lives of Palestinians.

From the 1948 war to the 1967 war, where Jerusalem was divided between Jerusalem and Israel, the city has changed demographically and geographically. In his talk, Professor Menachem Klein summaries the major changes the city has undergone and comments on how these changes have affected Israeli and Jordanian national policy.

The dynamic nature of Jerusalem's city borders have had a great impact on the outcome of political agreements between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. By closely examining the history of this contested city, Professor Michael Dumper comments on the potential for a negotiated agreement.

As China’s economic ties with the Middle East continues to expand, some expect that the Middle Kingdom will start to play a bigger role in regional security by deploying its own armed forces in the region, as the United States is doing now. Professor Jonathan Fulton of Zayed University explains why this may not be the case.

To many, the history of colonialism is far removed from the logistical landscapes of today. However, this view is inaccurate as Professor Laleh Khalili argues why the two are more closely related than one would expect. Tune in to find out more!

Many assume that Sufism in southern Thailand came about because of Middle Eastern influences. But Dr Srawut Aree and Dr Christopher M. Joll, who spoke at MEI on Sufi movements in Thailand's southern provinces, said this is inaccurate. Tune in here to find out why.

The Chagos Islands, a group of seven atolls disputed between the UK and Mauritius, came to the fore on February 25, 2019 when the International Court of Justice ruled that the decolonisation of the latter was not lawfully completed. MEI Senior Research Fellow Victor Kattan examines how the Chagos issue could be relevant to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Listen to his talk!