Publications and presentations

Publications

Presentations

2024

  • Matthiesen, Toby (2024) "Arab Islamist responses in context", presentation at the TOI Workshop 'Arab Islamist Responses to the War on Gaza',  King's College London March 6 2024.

  • Gunning, Jeroen (2024): "Arab Islamist Responses to the War on Gaza" presentation at the TOI Workshop 'Arab Islamist Responses to the War on Gaza',  King's College London March 6 2024.

2023

  • Gunning, Jeroen (2023). The relation between Hamas and Hezbollah, Presentation at DIIS Event "What is Hamas? History, politics and relation to other jihadist movements, Danish Inst. for International Studies, Copenhagen, Dec 7 2023.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2023). What is so Sectarian about Sectarian politics, Presenation at Religionsvidenskabelig Forening, Aarhus University, Nov 21 2023.

  • Gunning, Jeroen (2023): Hamas: Between Politics and War, The Pivot, November 3. 

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2023): Mellemøsten et årti efter det arabiske forår, FUAU Det gode selskab - Den politiske verden omkring os, October 26.

  • Gunning, Jeroen (2023) In Context: Hamas After Oct 7, LSE Middle East Centre, October 26.

  • Matthiesen, T. The Caliph and The Imam (S. 13, Ep. 5)”. POMEPS Middle East Political Science Podcasts with Marc Lynch. October 2023

  • Haddad, F. Shia Power (S13, Ep. 2), POMEPS Middle East Political Science Podcasts with Marc Lynch. September 2023.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2023) Saudi scenarios – triangular reflections on possible causes and consequences of the Saudi reform process, presentation at the conference ”Economic Change and the Future of the Middle East”, Arab and Islamic Studies, Aarhus University, September 27-28.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2023) Danish diplomacy and the Middle East, Talk at the Danish Foreign Policy Society, Aarhus, September 12 2023.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2023), Shakespearean lessons on identity politics and proxy warfare in the Middle East, Presentation at the conference ”Proxy warfare and great power rivalries”, Royal Defence College, Copenhagen, Sept 7-8 2023.

  • Saramifar, Younes (2023) Warring Ecology and violent pleasures of inhumanities: Shia militancy from Qassim Soleimani’s testicles to AK47 Presentation at the panel “War & Fun”, European International Studies Association, 16th Pan-European conference on International Relation, Potsdam, Germany, 5-9 September.

  • Gunning, J. & Smaira, D (2023). Theorising ‘nested security fields’ from Beirut’s Southern Suburbs. Paper on virtual panel on “Bourdieu and the (inter)national politics of the Middle East” at the 16th Pan-European Conference on International Relations of the European International Studies Association (EISA PEC 2023). 5 September 2023.

  • Gunning, J. & Robin D’Cruz, B. (2023) Fielding Hamas and the Sadrists: The role of Sunni versus Shia religious field dynamics in shaping forms of authority and leadership of armed Islamist movements engaged in politics. Paper on virtual panel on “Bourdieu and the (inter)national politics of the Middle East” at the 16th Pan-European Conference on International Relations of the European International Studies Association (EISA PEC 2023). 5 September 2023

  • Valbjørn, Morten (with Jeroen Gunning) (2023), Expanding the Islamist case universe beyond Sunni-centrism: Three ways of bringing Shia Islamists in Presentation at the panel “Islamism and Islamist Politics in the Middle East” at the 2023 American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, United States · August 31 – September 3.

  • Freer, Courtney (2023) Islam, Islamism(s), and Democracy. Presentation at the conference “Parliament of World's Religions”, Chicago, US, August 14 2023

  • Gunning, J. (2023) Critical Terrorism Studies and Decolonisation. PREVEX Conference on “Governing through counter-terrorism in the Arab world.” SciencesPo, Center for International Studies, Paris. 19 June 2023. 

  • Gunning, J. & Smaira, D. (2023) Class and land conflict in warscapes: The case of Lassa, Lebanon, Paper at Book Workshop on “Warscapes in the Middle East and North Africa”. Sciences Po, Paris, 5-6 June 2023

  • Lefevre, Raphael & Jeroen Gunning, Morten Valbjørn (2023). From Emulation To Repulsion: Mapping The Effects Of The Iranian Revolution On Armed Sunni Islamist Groups, Presentation at the conference ”The Iranian Revolution at 45: Short- And Long-Term Global Effects on Islamist Politics”, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK, April 3 2023

  • Freer, Courtney (2023). Sunni Islamist Reactions to the Iranian Revolution: The Case of Kuwait, Presentation at the conference ”The Iranian Revolution at 45: Short- And Long-Term Global Effects on Islamist Politics”, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK, April 3, 2023

  • Gunning, J. "Security Politics & Beirut’s Southern Suburbs (S. 12, Ep. 23)”. POMEPS Middle East Political Science Podcasts with Marc Lynch. 6 April 2023. https://pomeps.org/security-politics-beiruts-southern-suburbs-s-12-ep-23

  • Matthiesen, Toby (2023) The Sunni/Shia Schism during history, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University, Denmark. February 27 2023.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2023). Approaching sectarian identity politics and Middle East international relations in the first post-Arab Uprisings decade – a stocktaking, Aula Mediterrània, IEMed, Barcelona, Spain, February 23 2023.

  • Gunning, J. Critical Security Studies and Decolonisation. Keynote paper at Conference on “Security and Strategic Studies: The State of the Field”. Strategic Studies Unit, Arab Center for Research & Policy Studies, Doha. 18 February 2023. https://bit.ly/3XHYiEq

  • Gunning, J. co-authored with Dima Smaira (2023) Afterlives of Martyrdom and Debt in Everyday Welfare Contestations: Notes from Lebanon (). ISSR-funded workshop on “Generational Afterlives of Martyrdom: Care, Inheritance and Turbulence between Religiosity and Militancy”, Sana Chavoshian and Jeroen Gunning. Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, 13 February 2023

2022

  • Gunning, J. & Smaira, D. (2022) Theorising ‘nested security fields’ from Beirut’s Southern Suburbs, virtual workshop as part of SEPAD project on “Spatialising Securitisation in the Middle East Gunning”. 5 December 2022

  • Saramifar, Younes We are history: an anthropological understanding of Shia militancy, Presentation at the panel “Bringing in the Other Islamists – comparing Shia and Sunni Islamism”, The Middle East Studies Association’s 56th annual meeting, Denver, United States. , December 4 2022.

  • Freer, Courtney An Islamist Disadvantage?: Revisiting Electoral Outcomes for Islamist Parties in the Middle East, Presentation at the panel “Bringing in the Other Islamists – comparing Shia and Sunni Islamism”, The Middle East Studies Association’s 56th annual meeting, Denver, United States. , December 4 2022.

  • Leber, Andrew, Courtney Freer, Jeroen Gunning, and Morten Valbjørn. What We Talk About When We Talk About Islamistst, Presentation at the panel “Bringing in the Other Islamists – comparing Shia and Sunni Islamism”, The Middle East Studies Association’s 56th annual meeting, Denver, United States. , December 4 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten, Raphaël Lefèvre, and Jeroen Gunning: When Transnationalism is not Global: The Transnational Dynamics of Shia Islamist Armed Groups, Presentation at the panel “Bringing in the Other Islamists – comparing Shia and Sunni Islamism”, The Middle East Studies Association’s 56th annual meeting, Denver, United States, December 4 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2022), The Other Islamists, Presentation at the workshop “Comparing Shia and Sunni Transnationalism”, Dept of Political Science, Aarhus University, November 10 2022.
  • Gunning, Jeroen (2022), Transnational Dynamics of Shia Islamist Armed Groups, Presentation at the workshop “Comparing Shia and Sunni Transnationalism”, Dept of Political Science, Aarhus University, November 10 2022.
  • Gunning, J. & Smaira, D. (co-authored with Morten Valbjørn) (2022) Comparing Shia and Sunni geographies of ’everyday islamistness’ in Greater Beirut. Virtual work in progress seminars. SEPAD (The Sectarianism, Proxies and De-sectarianisation project, Lancaster University). 31 October 2022
  • Lefèvre, Raphaël, Jeroen Gunning, Morten Valbjørn The Sunni Bias: New Data on Armed Shia Islamists and Implications for Research on Islamist Insurgencies, Presentation at the panel “War and transnational violence”, Danish Political Science Association Annual Meeting 2022, Hotel Nyborg Strand, Oct 27-28 2022.

  • Lefevre, Raphael (2022), All jihad is local: the micro-politics of armed Islamism, Presentation at “GIC Seminar Series”, University of Bristol, United Kingdom, October 19, 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten Sunni-centrism, Shia Islamism and Sectarianism. Presentation at the panel “Beyond Sunni-centrism: Shia and Sunni Islamism in the Middle East”, the 12th Nordic Conference for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, September 23 2022.

  • Gunning, J. & Smaira, D. (2022) Navigating Dahiyeh, negotiating everyday peace: Mediation practices across Beirut’s Southern Suburbs, virtual workshop on “Everyday Peace practices in the Middle East: Insights for research and practice”,. Finnish Institute in the Middle East (FIME), Beirut, 22 September 2022

  • Freer, Courtney Revisiting a Social Movement Theory Approach to Sunni and Shii Islamists. Presentation at the panel “Beyond Sunni-centrism: Shia and Sunni Islamism in the Middle East”, the 12th Nordic Conference for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, September 23 2022.

  • Matthiesen, Toby Comparing State Sponsorship for Sunni and Shii Islamist movements. Presentation at the panel “Beyond Sunni-centrism: Shia and Sunni Islamism in the Middle East”, the 12th Nordic Conference for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, September 23 2022.

  • Freer, Courtney, Kuwaiti Elections: A Chance for Real Change?, Gulf International Forum, September 20, 2022.

  • Gunning, J. co-authored with Dima Smaira and Morten Valbjørn (2023) Comparing Shia and Sunni geographies of ’everyday islamistness’ in Greater Beirut, Royal Geographical Society Annual Conference. Newcastle, 31 Aug 2022.

  • Gunning, Jeroen (with Dima Smaira and Morten Valbjørn). (2022). Comparing Shia and Sunni geographies of ‘everyday Islamistness’ in Greater Beirut. Presentation at Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference 2022, Newcastle University. Aug 30-Sept 2 2022.

  • Robin-D’Cruz, Benedict (2022). The Sadrist Electoral Machine & the Islamist Electoral Edge. Presentation at the panel “Bringing In The Other Islamists – Comparing Shi’a And Sunni Islamism“ at the BRISMES Annual Conference, University of St. Andrews (UK), July 5 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (with Jeroen Gunning) (2022). Sunni-centrism, Shia Islamism and Sectarianism. Presentation at the panel “Bringing In The Other Islamists – Comparing Shi’a And Sunni Islamism“ at the BRISMES Annual Conference, University of St. Andrews (UK), July 5 2022.

  • Lefèvre, Raphaël (with Mohammed Ataie, Morten Valbjørn, Jeroen Gunning) (2022). The Other Foreign Fighters: the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Rise of State-Backed Shia Foreign Fighters. Presentation at the panel “Bringing In The Other Islamists – Comparing Shi’a And Sunni Islamism“ at the BRISMES Annual Conference, University of St. Andrews (UK), July 5 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten, Raphaël Lefèvre, and Jeroen Gunning (2022). A Global or Regional Jihad: Transnational dynamics of Shia Islamist armed groups. Presentation at TOI-POMEPS workshop “Islamists in Warscapes”, Dept of Political Science, Aarhus University, June 29-30 2022.  

  • Lynch, Marc, Morten Valbjørn, and Jeroen Gunning (2022). Changing Warscapes, Changing Islamists. Presentation at TOI-POMEPS workshop “Islamists in Warscapes”, Dept of Political Science, Aarhus University, June 29-30 2022.  

  • Robin-D’Cruz, Benedict (2022). State Capital, the Iraqi Judicial Field, and the Regulation of Political Struggles, presentation at “New Perspectives on Security in Iraq”, Royal Danish Defence College, Copenhagen, June 5-6 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (with Raphaël Lefèvre, and Jeroen Gunning). Transnational dynamics of Shia Islamist armed groups. Presentation at Transjihad workshop “Jihadism: a particular form of conflict, governance and theology?”, Danish Inst. for International Studies (DIIS), Copenhagen, May 23-24, 2022

  • Gunning, J. co-authored with Vivienne Matthies-Boon) (2022) Imbaba in Frankfurt: Towards decolonising Critical Theory. Paper at conference on “Politics from the Margins”, 72nd PSA Annual International Conference, University of York. 12 April 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2022). Approaching international relations in a sectarianized new Middle East, ToRS, Copenhagen University, Denmark. April 4 2022.

  • Lefevre, Raphael (2022). Jihad in the CityThe Paul Wilkinson Memorial Lecture, The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV), University of St Andrews, United Kingdom. March 3 2022.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2022) Sectarian Politics, AIS, Aarhus University, Denmark. March 2 2022

  • Lefevre, Raphael (2022). All Jihad Is Local: the Micro- P Politics of Militant Islamism in 80 1980’s Lebanon and Beyond, St.Antony’s College Middle East Centre, Oxford University, United Kingdom, February 18 2022.

  • Lefevre, Raphael, Jeroen Gunning & Morten Valbjørn, A Regional Jihad? Transnational Dynamics of Shia Islamist Armed Groups, TOI-POMEPS workshop (online), February 4 2022.

  • Freer, Courtney (2022): Book Talk Political Islam in the Gulf Region, Gulf International Forum (online), January 12 2022.

2021

  • Gunning, J. co-authored with Dima Smaira (2021) Navigating Dahiyeh, negotiating everyday peace: Mediation practices across Beirut’s Southern Suburbs , Lunchtime Seminar, Middle East Centre. LSE, 9 December 2021

  • Juergensmeyer, Mark, Mark Sedgwick, Lene Sedgwick and Morten Valbjørn (2021), Round table discussion on religious and secular nationalism, Aarhus University, November 25 2021.

  • Gunning, Jeroen and Dima Smaira (2021), Navigating Dahiyeh, Crafting Everyday Peace: Mediation practices across Beirut’s Southern Suburbs, Paper presented at LSE MEC Lunchtime Seminar, London School of Economics and Political Science, December 9, 2021.

  • Gunning, Jeroen & Morten Valbjørn (2021), To speak out or not to speak out? Explaining variation in Islamist responses to the Abraham Accords Paper presented at WiP SEPAD Workshop, Lancaster University (online), November 29 2021.

  • Haddad, Fanar (2021), The Shia Challenge to Shia Politics,’ Presentation at "Arab Shia Communities in Transition: A Peacemaking Opportunity for the International Community", The Arab Gulf States Institute, Washington DC., November 22 2021.

  • Matthiesen, Toby (2021), The Caliph and the Imam : Writing a Global History of Sunni-Shii Relations, presentation at "5e journée d'études sur le chiisme contemporain", École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, November 19 2021.

  • Haddad, Fanar (2021), Iraq in the region, presentation at the "Iraq Initiative Conference 2021", Chatham House, London, Nov 15-16 2021.

  • Lefèvre, Raphaël, The Other Jihadis: How Shia and Sunni Jihadis differ from each other, guest lecture at the Department of Political Science, Aarhus University, November 16 2021.

  • Gunning, Jeroen, Courtney Freer, Thomas Richter and Morten Valbjørn (2021), “To speak or not to speak? Explaining variation in Islamist responses to the Abraham Accords”, Paper presented at the DPSA: Danish Political Science Association’s annual meeting, Vejle Fjord, October 29 2021.

  • Gunning, J. & Smaira, D. Navigating Dahiyeh, negotiating everyday peace: Mediation practices across Beirut’s Southern Suburbs, virtual workshop on “Urban peace and conflict – exploring geographies of hope in violently contested cities”. 6-8 September 2021

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2021): “What is so Sectarian about Sectarian Politics? Identity Politics and Authoritarianism in a New Middle East", presentation at CMES Research Seminar, Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies
, Lund University, May 20 2021.
  • Valbjørn, Morten (2021). “Beyond the beyond(s): On the (many) third way(s) beyond primordialism and instrumentalism in the study of sectarianism”, presentation at Higher Research Seminar, Department of Political Science, Lund University, May 19 2021.

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2021). Changing Warscapes, Changing Islamists?, Presentation at ICSRU workshop, Aarhus University, March 11.

  • Gunning, Jeroen, Lynch, Marc & Valbjørn, Morten (2021): Changing Warscapes, Changing Islamists? Religion, Organization, Strategic Context and New Approaches to Jihadist Insurgencies, presentation of framing paper for the virtual TOI-POMEPS workshop "Changing Warscapes, Changing Islamists? Religion, Organization, Strategic Context and New Approaches to Jihadist Insurgencies", January 6-7 2021.

2020

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2020). Observing (the Debate on) Sectarianism: On Conceptualizing, Grasping and Explaining Sectarian Politics in a new Middle East. Presentation at the virtual SEPAD conference “10 Years On: The People & the Protests”, Lancaster University/virtual, December 17 2020.

  • Valbjørn, Morten & Jeroen Gunning "TOI: Bringing in the Other Islamists", Presentation at TOI-TJ-RJC Workshop on (Shia and Sunni) Jihadism Aarhus University/DIIS/Uppsala University (virtual), November 4 2020.
  • Fanar Haddad discusses his new book “Understanding ‘Sectarianism’: Sunni-Shi’a Relations in the Modern Arab World” with Charles Tripp and Morten Valbjørn, hosted by Simon Mabon in the inaugural episode of SEPADDiscusses, July 27 2020.
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2019

  • Valbjørn, Morten (2019) Bringing in the Other Islamists, Presentation at ICSRU-TOI Workshop, Arab Islamic Studies, Aarhus University, October 28 2019.

  • Gunning, Jeroen & Morten Valbjørn (2019): TOI Framing paper, Paper presented at “TOI Kick-off Research Workshop”, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University, October 21 2019.