Scholars in the Press
Higher Education and Authoritarianism: Lessons From Afghanistan for the US
By Abdul Aziz MohibbiMay 15, 2025 Published by The Diplomat The Taliban’s return to Kabul in the summer of 2021 sent shock waves through the university system. Students at Bamyan University, where I was chancellor at the time, fled back to their homes in rural areas. As Taliban…Continue reading→
New Publication: Art Against Authoritarianism in Southwest Asia and North Africa (Political Communication and Media Practices in the Middle East and North Africa)
by Tijen Tunali (Herausgeber) Abstract: Over the past decade, there has been a burgeoning interest in the realm of art activism within the Southwest Asia and North Africa region, shedding light on the political implications of aesthetic representation. Nevertheless, a critical inquiry into how political aesthetics can…Continue reading→
New University in Exile for Afghan Artist Fellow, Mujib Mehrdad, featured in USA TODAY
“America promised them safety. Now they fear what Trump will do next.“ April 23, 2025 By Sara Pequeño in USA TODAY Mujib Mehrdad and his wife, Aria Mushahed “Mujib Mehrdad, 40, and his wife, Aria Mushahed, 35, were supposed to be on their honeymoon when…Continue reading→
New Publication: Fascism or Whatever You Want to Call It
By Saladdin Bahozde Published by De Gruyter Brill About this book Fascism or Whatever You Want to Call It constructs a crucial framework for diagnosing and exposing fascist ideologies and movements in whatever historical and geographical circumstances or disguises they may appear. At no point in…Continue reading→
New Publication: The Syrian Refugee Crisis and Global Security Threats – A Case Study of Germany
By: AHMAD BARAKAT The arrival of a substantial number of Syrian refugees in Europe elicited xenophobic apprehension in some nations. Syrian refugees have become widely linked to issues of security, violence, and crime as well being seen as a danger to social cohesion and jobs….Continue reading→
New Publication: The Images of Syrian Refugees in the Mainstream Narrative: A Case Study of Lebanon
By: AHMAD BARAKAT This paper re-examines the images that were associated with the Syrian refugee crisis between 2015-2018 through a case study in-vestigating depictions in the mainstream narrative. The main con-tribution of the paper is to establish a link between the mainstream narrative and the…Continue reading→
One would-be Romanian president is a plagiarist. But will voters care?
Published in Times Higher EducationFebruary 28, 2025By: Ararat Osipian Victor Ponta quit as prime minister amid scandals including a renounced doctorate. Should he be allowed to run for president, asks Ararat Osipian When the US has elected a convicted felon accused of numerous other serious crimes and found liable…Continue reading→
Navigating the Crisis of Transitional Justice in Post-Conflict Arab Regions: Challenges and Pathways to Reconciliation Volume 60- Issue 1
By Adel Dashela, Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia Global Center (CGC), AmmanDecember 26, 2024 This article discusses the transitional justice crisis in the Arab regions in the post-conflict phase and studies the implementation challenges and transitional justice mechanisms in areas suffering from conflict. It also explores the…Continue reading→
Fascism in the Middle East: Nationalism, Islamism, and Imagining Other Futures
By Saladdin Bahozde Published January 14, 2025 by Routledge Following decades of brutal campaigns against left forces, fascism in its nationalist and religious forms has been dominating Turkish, Iranian, and Arab politics for over half a century. At first, with key enemies vanquished, military generals assumed power…Continue reading→
New publication: Academic Freedom in a Plural World Global Critical Perspectives
Academic Freedom in a Plural World Global Critical Perspectives Editors: Frédéric Mégret Nandini Ramanujam The notion of academic freedom dates back to the creation of universities and has long been understood to be central to their vocation. This freedom has come under attack by…Continue reading→