CIRS Participates in the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Conference in Washington, DC

MESA

Members of Center for International and Regional Studies traveled to attend the Middle East Studies Association’s (MESA) 51st Annual Meeting in Washington, DC from 18 to 21 November, 2017. Dr. Mehran Kamrava, director CIRS; Zahra Babar, associate director of research; Suzi Mirgani, managing editor; and Islam Hassan, research analyst, attended the conference.

Mehran Kamrava presented a paper titled, “The State and the Changing Social Contract in the GCC,” in the session, “States and Identities in the Oil-Rich Arab World,” on 20 November 2017. Whereas, Zahra Babar presented her research titled, “The GCC-South Asia Labor Recruitment System: Comparing Nepal and Pakistan,” in the session, “Workers Across Borders: Labor, Migration, and Class,” and Islam Hassan presented his paper, “UAE: A Small State with Middle Power Aspirations,” in the session titled, “Foreign Relations in and Beyond the Middle East,” on 19 and 21 November, respectively. Suzi Mirgani also showcased her film titled, “Scraps of the City,” at the conference’s 34th annual Film Fest.

CIRS also staffed an exhibition booth as part of MESA’s Book Bazaar where CIRS staff disseminated the latest publications in both English and Arabic and spoke to conference participants about ongoing research initiatives. Finally, on November 19, 2017, CIRS held a reception inviting a number of scholars and researchers participating in the conference.