All 5 episodes of our new season of Instant Coffee are out now! For this season, we teamed up with @afsee-lse.bsky.social to hear from AFSEE Fellows from the Middle East on topics ranging from archiving, education, urban inequality, activism and women's economic empowerment. ow.ly/gyH450YNokO

What is the economic impact of the Iran War on global supply chains? Early assessments of the impact of the war underestimated its broader shock to the global supply chain, writes international economist Mina Toksöz for the LSE MEC blog. Read the full analysis: https://ow.ly/GXTU50YNmOw

Can training programmes shift labour‑market and civic engagement for climate‑displaced women? Read our new paper evaluating the effectiveness of a training programme on displaced women from southwestern Mosul in #Iraq. Available in English or Arabic: https://ow.ly/8QtH50YMrs3

Professor Fawaz Gerges appeared on Sky News Today with Gareth Barlow to discuss the prospects of a deal between #Iran and the #US. 🎥 Watch the full interview: bit.ly/4tpACp6 @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social

Who gets pushed out of the city, and what would it take to design spaces built for everyone? Tune into our final Instant Coffee podcast episode with @afsee-lse.bsky.social to hear about theories of urban planning and design through case studies of Jordan and Dubai. ow.ly/PMsF50YJVbS

Higher energy prices are expected to shave around 0.3 percentage points off global growth. The IMF has downgraded its global growth outlook, highlighting broader downside risks from elevated energy costs and geopolitical uncertainty. blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessrevi...

How does infrastructure shape belonging in cities? In the final episode of our podcast collaboration with @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social, AFSEE Fellow Ahmad Abu Hussien and colleagues explore infrastructure as a political & social system that shapes belonging. 🎧Listen to the episode: buff.ly/KbUPtp0

💧 How does water shape power, politics and cooperation across the Middle East and North Africa? Greg Shapland breaks down why transboundary water is becoming one of the region’s most strategic resources for the MEC blog. https://ow.ly/V8R850YJO2t

In February, we hosted a book launch for 'Governance of Resistance in North and East Syria: The Experience of Rojava', edited by Zeynep Kaya and Robert Lowe. The event recording is available to listen to here: https://soundcloud.com/lsemiddleeastcentre/governance-of-resistance-launch

The deadlines for LSE-Kuwait Academic Collaborations have been extended by one week. The new deadline for expressions of interest is 22 April, and the deadline for applications is 20 May. Find out more: www.lse.ac.uk/middle-east-...

Our MEC publication, The Yazidi Genocide: A Demographic Documentation of ISIL’s Attack on Tel Qasab and Tel Banat, is now available to read in both English and Arabic. It is the second publication of the Yazidi Victims Demographic Documentation Project (YVDDP). https://ow.ly/WAkM50YCnkw

🎧 New Instant Coffee episode: Creating Real Economic Empowerment for Women in MENA Yara Shawky Shahin (@afsee-lse.bsky.social) speaks to her colleague Yasmine D'Alessandro about how to create programmes of real economic empowerment for women in the MENA region. https://ow.ly/UawC50YCbY5

We were honoured to host award-winning novelist Elif Shafak as the speaker for our Keynote Lecture on 18 March! Elif delivered an inspiring talk exploring what literature, storytelling & arts can offer in our fractured world. 📺Watch the recording: buff.ly/ba0nEJk

📚 New research out now: When having a job is not enough: poor-quality employment in Egypt, 1988-2018 Proud to share that research we supported on the Egyptian labour market has been published in the Oxford Development Studies Journal. Read the full article: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Israel’s war with Iran reflects its new regional strategy on foreign and security policy. Following 7 October 2023, Israel has shifted from long‑standing containment strategies to an activist‑offensive posture. Amnon Aran for the @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social blog.

📣 2 months to go until the Algeria: Historical Struggles and Imagined Utopias Conference! The conference brings together scholars working on #Algeria to share their research across Algerian political, social, cultural and economic fields. 📍28-29 May | LSE Find out more: https://ow.ly/pXTJ50YB991

📢The deadline for applications to join us as the next Editor of the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (BJMES) has been extended! 🗓️New deadline: 17:00 on 15 April 2026 More info: bit.ly/bjmes #AcademicPublishing #Editor #Journal #MiddleEastStudies

Last week, we hosted a public event on the Israel-US-Iran war, examining the geopolitical dynamics shaping the conflict and its potential consequences at both regional and international levels. A recording of the event is available to listen to here: https://ow.ly/3FgG50Yyk17

🎥 Professor Fawaz Gerges appeared on DW News to discuss mediation efforts in the US–Iran war and evaluate the prospects for meaningful diplomatic progress. Watch the full interview to learn more: www.youtube.com/live/XVltCl6... #Iran #US @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social

What is the relationship between #archives and #power? Professor Hoda Elsadda explains the theory behind power and control in the archives, breaking down the role of feminist archiving in promoting women's rights in Egypt. 🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode: https://ow.ly/BiVU50YygG8

📢 #CallForApplications | The British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (BJMES) is seeking applications for a new Editor. The successful candidate will lead the journal’s next phase and oversee its editorial direction. Apply by 30 Mar 2026 #EditorRole #MiddleEastStudies

We are proud to be sponsoring the LSE Africa Summit 2026 "AI in Africa", taking place 28th-29th of March at LSE! We are excited that three AFSEE Fellows, Gabriella Razzano, Fola Adeleke, and Faith Chitawo are speaking in the summit panels this year! 🎟️ Book your ticket now: www.lseafricasummit.org

The Iran energy crisis underlines that transitioning to a low carbon economy is the only way to protect against future shocks to the energy system. ✍ @daisyjameson.bsky.social & Carina Perez @granthamlse.bsky.social @lse-ei.bsky.social blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

How is the Iran War impacting Iraq's political stability? Raad Alkadiri writes about how the #IranWar may yet prove the gravest challenge to Iraq’s political cohesion since the 2014 ISIS invasion for the MEC blog. Read the blog: blogs.lse.ac.uk/mec/2026/03/...

Iran's forward defence strategy allowed Tehran to project influence across the Middle East. But it has now helped bring Iran into direct conflict with the US and Israel. ✍ Arash Reisinezhad @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

Eid Mubarak from the LSE Middle East Centre to all those celebrating! ✨🌙

While the official aim of Israel’s war on Lebanon is clear – complete disarmament of Hezbollah – Israel is drawing itself into the same trap as the US in Iran, writes @yezidsayigh.bsky.social @carnegiemec.bsky.social on the @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social blog.

Join us for a webinar with Professor Rana Jawad examining perceptions of social protection and conflict prevention in Lebanon and Jordan among policymakers and household recipients of state-provided cash transfers. 📌 Monday 30 March | 3-4 pm UK time | Zoom www.lse.ac.uk/middleeastce...

We loved hosting Dilar Dirik, Farangis Ghaderi, Elif Sarican yesterday with @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social 🫶 @hsw.bsky.social

🚨 New blog: Israel's Lethal Hubris in Lebanon While the official aim of Israel’s war on Lebanon is clear: complete disarmament of Hezbollah, Israel is drawing itself into the same trap as the US in Iran, writes @yezidsayigh.bsky.social Read the full piece here: blogs.lse.ac.uk/mec/2026/03/...

Can archives catalyse change in Egypt? In the third episode of our podcast collaboration with @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social, AFSEE Fellow Diana Magdy and Prof Hoda Elsadda unpack the politics of archiving, revealing archives as spaces of power and resistance. 🎧 Listen to the episode: buff.ly/yJsj8JC

The LSE-Kuwait Programme is inviting applications for academic collaborative research projects between scholars at #LSE and institutions in #Kuwait. Expressions of interest must be submitted by 15 April and the full application deadline is 13 May. Find out more: www.lse.ac.uk/asset-librar...

🚨 We have a few tickets left for tomorrow’s exciting event with @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social ⬇️ Grab your tickets now: www.lse.ac.uk/gender/event...

Very excited for next week’s event on Kurdish lifeworlds! Co-hosted by @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social ⬇️⬇️⬇️ Free tickets here: www.lse.ac.uk/gender/event... @hsw.bsky.social

We asked Asma Mustafa, an English language teacher from Gaza, what the biggest challenge facing educators is. Her answer was displacement. 🎧 Listen to the full episode ‘Keeping Education Going in Gaza’ here: https://ow.ly/REGJ50YsYZo

Special themed section of @signsjournal.org on transnational anti-gender politics and resistance, edited by Clare Hemmings and @sumimadhok.bsky.social out now! Read it here: www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/signs/cu...

We’re seeking to hire a Senior Administration Officer to take lead operational responsibility for the management of our physical resources and the delivery of our diverse portfolio of internal research events Further details ⬇️ www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminst...

Join us for a Kuwait Programme workshop on Wednesday 25 March from 1:00-2:00 pm GMT, presenting research by Fabrício M. Fialho and Abrar Al-Hasan on the influence of social media on food-consumption behaviours in Kuwait. Attend in-person or online: https://ow.ly/uMAj50Ysich

How should we understand regional politics in the Middle East? For decades, IR was explained through a simple divide: powerful ‘core’ states and weaker ‘peripheral’ regions. That picture no longer holds, writes Marianna Charountaki for the MEC blog. Read the blog here: https://ow.ly/MvJO50YrKIs

Last month, we hosted a book launch with @lseir.bsky.social for Daniel Neep's latest book, 'A History of Modern Syria' 📚 We were joined by discussant Charles Tripp and chair @jasminekgani.bsky.social. You can listen to the event recording here: soundcloud.com/lsemiddleeas...

Join us today for a Book launch event: Forced Migration, Masculinities, and Vulnerabilities in the Mediterranean 📆 Tuesday 10 March 2026, 5.30pm - 6.30pm ➡️ buff.ly/gBTmWHO

🚨 Upcoming event: The geopolitical implications of the Israel-US-Iran war Join us on 17 March for a panel discussion with Sanam Vakil @chmenap.bsky.social, Toby Dodge and Peter Trubowitz on the geopolitical dynamics shaping the conflict and its potential consequences. www.lse.ac.uk/events/middl...

Iraqi women photographers are building a counter-archive that challenges dominant climate narratives. ✍️ Khamael Al Safi, Zainab Mahdi and Noor Omer write about the photographers capturing local women’s experiences of climate change for the MEC blog. Read the blog here: https://ow.ly/51zT50Ypzvz

Where will the US-Israeli war in Iran end? Our latest newsletter is out now 📬 considering this question and the broader geopolitical history of the Middle East. We also share posts to mark Women's History Month and International Women's Day. Read more 👉 us21.campaign-archive.com?e=4a56edb876...

Join us and @lsegender.bsky.social for an event exploring how gender, culture, literature and practices of writing both shape - and are shaped by - Kurdish lifeworlds. 🗓️ Wednesday March 18 ⏰ 5:30-7:00 pm 📍 MAR.1.04 (Marshall Building), LSE Register here: www.tickettailor.com/events/lsede...

📢 We are looking forward to the AFSEE Keynote Lecture on Wednesday 18 March! In the event, Turkish-British writer Elif Shafak and AFSEE Fellow Lily Jamaludin will discuss our world today, the stories that bring us together & the silences that keep us apart.

Iraqi feminist activist Yanar Mohammed was shot and killed outside her home in Baghdad by unidentified gunmen the day before Iraqi Women’s Day. For the blog, @alktaif.bsky.social & @haydersh.bsky.social remember Yanar blogs.lse.ac.uk/mec/2026/03/...

Politics in the Middle East have shifted: alongside global powers, states like Turkey, Iran & influential non‑state actors now shape outcomes. Sustainable political change requires frameworks that involve all key actors in the region’s future, writes Marianna Charountaki @lsemiddleeast.bsky.social

The #CallforPapers for the German Middle East Studies Association (DAVO) Congress 2026 is open! Highlights include a conference keynote by Prof Abdel Razzaq Takriti and a featured panel on #AcademicFreedom and #MiddleEastStudies. 🗓️22 March 2026 ➡️ davo1.de/en/en-call-f...

Episode 2 of our new season of Instant Coffee is now live 🎧 Manar Alzraiy, a Palestinian education professional dedicated to resilience and equity in crisis-affected schools, brings together her colleagues to talk about keeping education going in Gaza. Listen here: https://ow.ly/EyRS50Ypz3L