Abstract

The oil-rich and strategically important Middle East has persistently been an arena of regional and major power rivalry since World War II. The region has seen more conflicts and volatility that have profoundly impacted its landscape than some of the other parts of world. This presentation focuses on two vital questions: How stable is the Middle East today compared to its turbulent past, and what are the main sources of threat that could affect its direction in the coming years?

About the Speaker

Amin Saikal, AM, FASSA is Distinguished Visiting Fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia, and Non-Resident Fellow of the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination at Princeton University. His latest books include Iran Rising: The Survival and Future of the Islamic Republic (Princeton University Press, 2021); The Spectre of Afghanistan: The Security of Central Asia (I.B. Tauris, 2021) – co-author; Islam Beyond Borders: The Umma in World Politics (Cambridge University Press, 2019) – co-author; Iran and the Arab World: A Turbulent Region in Transition (Palgrave, 2016) – editor; and Weak States, Strong Societies: Power and Authority in the New World Order (I.B. Tauris, 2016).