This is a newsletter from Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES), Lund University |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CMESNewsletter #57February 2026 | | | | Message from the DirectorThe Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) at Lund University continues to strengthen its role as a leading interdisciplinary hub for Middle East research and education. 2026 has begun with new research contributions, including work on environmental sustainability and groundwater management in arid regions, reflecting CMES’s growing engagement with interdisciplinary climate and resource studies.
CMES is as usual offering a full suite of Arabic language courses in Spring 2026 through its skilful and popular teacher Rafah Barhoum, supporting students and researchers working in or on the region. This spring seminar series features a rich lineup of talks addressing governance, conflict, migration, environmental ethics, fieldwork challenges, everyday life, and international law across the region, with speakers from leading international institutions (https://www.cmes.lu.se/strategic-research-area-middle-east/research-seminars). Beside our seminar series, the CMES will also host a public lecture with Swedish radio’s long standing Middle East correspondent Cecilia Uddén on the topic of “What will happen in Gaza”. The lecture will take place on the 8th of May. CMES provides travel grants and writing support to advance high-quality scholarly output. During the spring, CMES will issue its yearly call for major interdisciplinary projects in the MENA region. CMES researchers offer expertise across key themes including democratization, migration, environment and sustainability, religion and culture, and security and peacebuilding in the MENA region. Consequently, Lund University continues to conduct Middle Eastern research of high international quality and strong societal relevance across multiple faculties. Follow CMES on social media and visit our website to stay updated on research, events, and expert insights.
| Ronny BerndtssonCMES Director and MECW Coordinator
| | | |
26 February - CMES Seminar: Between War and Peace: Governance and Political Authority in Yemen.
Presentation by Maria Louise Clausen, Danish Institute of International Studies. Read more here.
| | | | 12 March - CMES Seminar: Qur’anic Gardens and Muslim Environmentalism: Religious Environmental Ethics in Practice.
Presentation by Zenia Henriksen, University of Southern Denmark. Read more here.
| | | | 26 March - CMES Seminar: The Making of Migrant Labour: Politics of Land, Displacement and Social Reproduction in Turkey.
Presentation by Sinem Kavak, LUCSUS, Lund University. Read more here.
| | | | 9 April - CMES Seminar: Challenges and Strategies for Fieldwork in Repressive and Illiberal Countries.
Presentation by Merouan Mekouar, York University, Canada. Read more here.
| | | | 16 April - CMES Seminar: Worlds of Waymaking: Viability, Orientation, and the Recalibration of Syrian Lives
Presentation by Andreas Bandak, University of Copenhagen.
Read more here.
| | | | 7 May - CMES Seminar: Jewish Settler Violence in Palestine as Israeli State Responsibility: From Attribution to Accountability under International Law
Presentation by Alice Panepinto, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast.
Read more here.
| | | | 8 May - CMES Seminar: What is going to happen in Gaza?
Cecilia Uddén, author the recent book, Allt har en smak av aska. Skräddaren i Gaza och Andra människor i en plågad region, Middle East Correspondent, Sveriges Radio. Read more here
| | | | 21 May - CMES Seminar: Idle Days and Nights: Leisure, Entertainment, and Everyday Life in Modern Iraq.
Presentation by Pelle Valentin Olsen, CMES and Department of History, Lund University. Read more here.
| | | | 21 May - CMES Seminar: Eco-Syria: Exploring Conflict-Environment Interactions for Sustainable Development and Conservation.
Presentation by Pinar Dinc, Lina Eklund, Maria Andrea Nardi, Mo Hamza, Hakim Abdi, CMES and Lund University.
Read more here.
| | | | Mitigation of groundwater salinity vulnerability through land cultivation scenarios.Publication from CMES researcher Hossein Heshemi and Ronny Berndtsson. Read more here.
| | | | Occupied intimacies: Borderisation in Palestine, Georgia and Western Sahara.New publication from CMES researcher Nina Gren. Read more here.
| | | | Looking for an Expert on the Middle East and North Africa?CMES researchers conduct research on a range of themes related to countries in the MENA region: democratization, migration and sustainable socio-economic development; environment and sustainable development; religion, identity and culture; and security and sustainable peace. To find out more, please visit our website's list of experts. | Find Out More About Middle East Research at Lund UniversityLund University conducts Middle Eastern research of international quality and with a societal relevance across and between faculties. To find out more about the Middle East research being conducted at LU in Science, Medicine, Engineering, Humanities and Theology, and Social Sciences, please visit our website. | |
About This NewsletterThis is a newsletter from the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University. With the objective to provide an overview Middle Eastern studies undertaken at Lund University, this newsletter is intended to give updates on research, events, and other related news. It is also intended to form a window towards the society, showcasing important Middle Eastern research conducted at Lund University. Subscribe here Send the CMES Newsletter to a friend UNSUBSCRIBE |
|
|
|
