Middle Eastern Studies

US President Donald Trump may think his 20-point proposal will end the Gaza war and solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but reality on the ground suggests otherwise.
To be sure, Mr. Trump's proposal is the only game in town, if only because no one, not Israel, not the Palestinians, who weren't consulted, not the Arab states, wants to get on the wrong side of the president.
While all welcomed Mr. Trump's proposal, a set of principles with no terms or mechanism for implementation, no one has wholeheartedly bought into the scheme.

Questo libro ha un sottotitolo quasi utopistico alla luce degli eventi recenti accaduti in Medio Oriente: “Possono gli psicoanalisti contribuire al dialogo israelo-palestinese?”. Tale questione cruciale, dopo ciò che il 7 ottobre 2023 ha comportato per entrambe le parti in conflitto, sembra alquanto anacronistica poiché tale conflitto ha visto una ‘escalation’ in senso disumanizzante. Naturalmente non si tratta di un libro di psico-politica né di storia di tale conflitto, sebbene il libro intenda toccare alcune questioni riguardanti la contrapposizione di narrazioni storiche tra le due parti. La contrapposizione tra la Shoah e la Nakba costituisce la polarizzazione di due sistemi di narrazioni e di memorie collettive tra loro conflittuali.
Vamik Volkan nel suo capitolo sottolinea l’importanza dei confini psicologici e dell’esigenza di ‘identicità’ (sameness) dei grandi gruppi antagonistici: durante una guerra si può vedere che il mantenimento a tutti i costi dei due principi, l’identicità ed i confini psicologici, comporta il fallimento della diplomazia nel promuovere negoziati tra i due grandi gruppi antagonistici volti a far cessare i combattimenti.
Il capitolo di Merav Roth, presente in questo libro, è stato scritto all’indomani dell’attacco del 7 ottobre 2023, in uno sforzo davvero non comune di coniugare una rigorosa ‘disciplina clinica’, volta a far fronte all’orrore e al trauma indicibile nonché a favorire la resilienza, con la fede incrollabile della psicoanalista nei più alti valori umani, spirituali e morali.
Mentre la Roth fornisce dieci chiari strumenti di intervento sul trauma acuto e nel promuovere la resilienza, il contributo di Abramovitch concerne gli effetti sul lavoro psicoanalitico della trasmissione intergenerazionale dei traumi collettivi.
Maria Patrizia Salatiello, a cui il presente libro è dedicato, nel suo capitolo intitolato “Gaza” mostra il modo in cui il suo sguardo su Gaza fosse “pieno di affetto, di stima per questo popolo sofferente, per questi bimbi che hanno visto ciò che nessun bimbo, ma io credo nessun essere umano dovrebbe mai sperimentare” (come Ambra Cusin scrive nella Postfazione).

Presented as a roadmap to peace, Trump’s plan for Gaza appears little more than power politics dressed up as diplomacy. While this might explain the rallying support from the international community, the risk is confusing short-term negotiations on a ceasefire with the broader need for sustainable post-war scenarios.

Le centenaire du traité de Lausanne et de la proclamation du régime républicain en Turquie ont donné lieu à de nombreuses célébrations et publications en 2023 1 . Ce fait mémoriel est intéressant pour les historiens à plusieurs égards. En août 1923, au moment où il est signé, le traité de Lausanne signifie la reconnaissance par les Grandes puissances impérialistes de l'époque de l'indépendance d'un nouvel État-nation sur les ruines de l'Empire ottoman. Le fait qu'il jouit d'une souveraineté politique et économique complète constitue alors une exception à l'échelle du globe. C'est la raison pour laquelle cette reconnaissance est accueillie avec enthousiasme et espoir dans le monde extra-occidental, qui d'une certaine manière érige la lutte kémaliste en modèle de résistance anticoloniale. En même temps, la signature de ce traité signifie pour les populations chrétiennes de l'Empire ottoman, populations dont une partie considérable a été victime des politiques d'éradication étatique pendant et après la Première Guerre École pratique des hautes études,

It doesn't take much effort for a Palestinian to fall back on a narrative of recurring catastrophe, nakba, with Gaza the latest and most horrific in a long series of catastrophes. With Israel forbidding international media to enter Gaza, this newest catastrophe is mediated to us by the Gazans themselves. They try to communicate to us their suffering, but also other ways in which they want us to see them. How do we make sense of songs, smiles and small moments of hope in the middle of so much death and destruction? In their explicit defiance to being reduced to numbers, victims and refugees, Palestinians in Gaza challenge us who remain at a distance to think differently about the chronology of being Palestinian and re-inscribe it with a series of returns rather than catastrophes.

O presente artigo analisa os ideais e práticas da racionalidade científica árabe-islâmica do Mediterrâneo a partir do livro Muqaddimah (1377), do polímata magrebino Ibn Khaldun. As passagens selecionadas para pesquisa, que tratam do tema das ciências e do conhecimento, foram examinadas a partir do aporte teórico da epistemologia histórica de Lorraine Daston (2017). Os resultados alcançados foram o realce dado por Khaldun às propriedades teórico-metodológicas dos conhecimentos, o delineamento de suas aproximações e distanciamentos em relação ao aristotelismo e a elaboração de um hábito científico, que constituem aspectos da racionalidade dos conhecimentos árabe-islâmicos do Magrebe.

There are no attested proof of the origin of the country-name Qatar. So, speculation and conjecture abound. This paper examines some of these theories and suggest a far more plausible source of the name that is in line with its topography as known to the geographers of the classical era.

This essay explores the contrasting political archetypes embodied by Daenerys Targaryen and Rhaenyra Targaryen within the Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon narratives, examining how audience perception reflects real-world societal biases toward charismatic revolutionaries versus burdened successors. Daenerys is positioned as a messianic liberation figure whose rhetoric of destiny and justice masks authoritarian traits typical of historical tyrants. In contrast, Rhaenyra represents the quieter, duty-bound heir whose leadership is rooted in negotiation, legitimacy, and emotional restraint. Through a philosophical and socio-political lens, the essay argues that public preference for Daenerys over Rhaenyra mirrors widespread societal tendencies to romanticize emotionally charged revolution and mythic redemption while overlooking the complexities of governance and sustainable power. The analysis suggests that these narrative responses reveal deeper cultural patterns concerning leadership, trauma, moral absolutism, and the psychology of power acceptance. Ultimately, the essay concludes that Daenerys captivates through emotional spectacle, while Rhaenyra endures as a model of political reality and institutional resilience.

IMPORTANCE Nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) represents the third most common stroke type with unique etiologies, risk factors, diagnostics, and treatments. Nevertheless, epidemiological studies often cluster SAH with other stroke types leaving its distinct burden estimates obscure. OBJECTIVE To estimate the worldwide burden of SAH. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Based on the repeated cross-sectional Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study, the global burden of SAH in 1990 to 2021 was estimated. Moreover, the SAH burden was compared with other diseases, and its associations with 14 individual risk factors were investigated with available data in the GBD 2021 study. The GBD study included the burden estimates of nontraumatic SAH among all ages in 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2021. EXPOSURES SAH and 14 modifiable risk factors. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Absolute numbers and age-standardized rates with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) of SAH incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) as well as risk factor-specific population attributable fractions (PAFs). RESULTS In 2021, the global age-standardized SAH incidence was 8.3 (95% UI, 7.3-9.5), prevalence was 92.2 (95% UI, 84.1-100.6), mortality was 4.2 (95% UI, 3.7-4.8), and DALY rate was 125.2 (95% UI, 110.5-142.6) per 100 000 people. The highest burden estimates were found in Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, and high-income Asia Pacific. Although the absolute number of SAH cases increased, especially in regions with a low sociodemographic index, all age-standardized burden rates decreased between 1990 and 2021: the incidence by 28.8% (95% UI, 25.7%-31.6%), prevalence by 16.1% (95% UI, 14.8%-17.7%), mortality by 56.1% (95% UI, 40.7%-64.3%), and DALY rate by 54.6% (95% UI, 42.8%-61.9%). Of 300 diseases, SAH ranked as the 36th most common cause of death and 59th most common cause of DALY in the world. Of all worldwide SAH-related DALYs, 71.6% (95% UI, 63.8%-78.6%) were associated with the 14 modeled risk factors of which high systolic blood pressure (population attributable fraction [PAF] = 51.6%; 95% UI, 38.0%-62.6%) and smoking (PAF = 14.4%; 95% UI, 12.4%-16.5%) had the highest attribution. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Although the global age-standardized burden rates of SAH more than halved over the last 3 decades, SAH remained one of the most common cardiovascular and neurological causes of death and disabilities in the world, with increasing absolute case numbers. These findings suggest evidence for the potential health benefits of proactive public health planning and resource allocation toward the prevention of SAH.

Background: Since 1990, neonatal, infant, and child mortality has substantially decreased in Iran. However, estimates for mortality by cause at subnational scale are not available. Methods: This study is part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors study (GBD) 2019. Here we report the number and rates of neonate, infant, and child deaths by cause across provinces of Iran from 1990 to 2019. Results: Between 1990 and 2019, the neonatal mortality rate per 1000 live births decreased from 31.8 (95% UI: 28.1-35.5) to 6.8 (6.1-7.4). The child mortality rates decreased from 71.2 (63.6-79.1) to 11.1 (10.2-12.0) per 1000 live births. Mortality rates among neonates per 1000 live births ranged from 3.1 (2.6-3.7) to 10.0 (9.2-10.8) across provinces in 2019. Child mortality rate per 1000 live births ranged from 5.5 (4.6-6.5) to 17.9 (16.4-19.4) across provinces in 2019. Neonatal disorders, congenital birth defects, and lower respiratory infections were the three main causes of mortality in almost all provinces of Iran. The majority of neonatal disorders were due to neonatal preterm birth and neonatal asphyxia, trauma, and infections. The trends of mortality across provinces from 1990 to 2019 were converging and decreased along with increase in sociodemographic index (SDI). Conclusions: All provinces achieved the Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of neonatal mortality less than 12 and child mortality less than 25 per 1000 live births. However, disparities still exist across provinces, specifically in low-SDI provinces.

Deadline to submit content is December 5th, 2025: -upcoming events such as conferences, workshops, lectures, and calls for abstracts for these events; -publications of monographs, peer-reviewed articles, and book chapters; -open positions and funding opportunities; -a short presentation of one or several ongoing projects; projects that have been granted funding. The network Promoting the Field of Middle Eastern Christianity is concerned with the field of Middle Eastern Christian Studies in the homelands and the diasporas (from approx. 1800 until the present). It is a scholarly newsletter and therefore does not feature events or publications promoted by a particular Church (unless these are scholarly). It illustrates the work of a growing community of scholars working on Middle Eastern Christianity, scattered across various disciplines, departments, countries, scholarly traditions, and writing in different languages. Initiated by Anna Hager, University of Vienna.

We deemed it necessary to write about the Sufi tradition in Kazakhstan and its unfolding transformation into new practices. Religious revival in Kazakhstan has made Sufism, its teaching and practices very attractive. Its traditions have survived in the Soviet past and were revived in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Pilgrimage to holy places, first and foremost within Kazakhstan, and veneration of saints have gained popularity as prominent features of Sufism. The same process is unfolding in the neighboring states—in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, the North- ern and Southern Caucasus, and Turkey.
In Soviet times, in Kazakhstan, how- ever, the Sufi tradition was partly crushed by repressive secularization practiced by Sovi- et authorities, which explains why Sufism is sometimes revived in the form of pseudo Sufi teachings.
Sufism is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, therefore, the forms of its revival should be studied in depth to tap its spiritual and moral potential for the purposes of our country’s cultural development. No wonder that Sufism and its profound spiritual teaching of Islamic mysticism have stirred up a lot of interest in both Muslim and Christian regions in the country’s western part.
The article examines the forms of revival, traditions and transformations of Sufism in our country. In our analysis we relied on scientifically proven information from open academic sources and our field studies carried out using the methods of participant observation and in-depth interviews.

Food holds an important position in people’s everyday lives and in the social values of individuals and groups, shaping identities along religious, ethnic, linguistic, and national lines and according to variables including gender, class, and location.  In the Middle East and North Africa and among diasporic communities, culinary culture is and has been a source of deep pride, while reflecting ethical values that people place on sharing food with guests or with others in need.  Regarding foodways as part of their cultural heritage, peoples of Middle Eastern origin aware of illustrious culinary traditions that go back not only centuries, but millennia, starting with ancient innovations in agriculture that benefitted human societies at large.  This book explores the themes of “commensality” (being at the same table) in an interdisciplinary lens, with literal and metaphorical implications for respecting differences among those who share a meal. At the same time, this book considers the study of cultural heritage among Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the Middle East and in associated diasporas through foodways, meaning customs regarding the preparation and consumption of food.  At a time when the field of food studies is flourishing, this book argues for the centrality and import of the Middle East and its diasporas within this scholarly domain, while setting agendas for future research.

We say that at the root of European languages lies a strong presence of Turkish. We say that English, German, the Latin-based languages like French, Spanish, and Italian, as well as the northern, Nordic tongues—all have Turkish at their foundation. They are stunned. We add: Turkish is not just an ordinary element in the roots of these languages, it is their very founder. Then they feel insulted. Let me say this upfront. Crazy but totally true. Of course, these claims are not easy to swallow for those hearing them for the first time.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is not just about borders or religion it's about politics, power, and the failure of unity in a region that once promised solidarity. More than seventy years have passed since the creation of Israel, yet the struggle for Palestinian freedom and statehood remains unresolved. Behind every war, blockade, and peace talk lies a complex web of interests that keeps this conflict alive.

"For younger Palestinians, most of them diasporic, the heroics of the past are no compensation for the absence of an organized liberation movement. Abandoning the myths of statehood through negotiated settlement, they are defining the goals of liberation and return anew."

Presentado como un plan de paz, la propuesta de Donald Trump para Gaza parece poco más que un ejercicio de poder disfrazado de diplomacia. A pesar del creciente apoyo que ha reunido entre la comunidad internacional, existe un riesgo de confundir las negociaciones a corto plazo sobre un alto el fuego con la necesidad más amplia de escenarios sostenibles tras la guerra.

The contributions to The Routledge Handbook on Global China highlight the diverse and dynamic relations between Global China and multiple actors, contexts and agencies. The relationship between China’s international outreach and the effects of Global China is not straightforward, and understanding the nature and implications of China’s rise requires acknowledging the multiple sites, voices and faces of Global China. The Handbook reveals epistemic traps that hinder the understanding of Global China, such as othering and strategic narcissism. It argues for a more nuanced approach that embraces alternative perspectives and challenges existing binaries. The Handbook also emphasizes the importance of accounting for positionality and recognizing different perceptions of China as a global actor. It suggests analytical registers of relationality, global capitalist processes, language and discourse power, and planetary scale modernization to guide future research on Global China. By adopting these registers, researchers can better understand the multifaceted factors shaping Global China within the broader global context of competition and crisis

The article studies the network of moneychangers in the Shi‘i community of Kufa during the eighth-ninth centuries. It argues that apart from exchanging currencies, some of these moneychangers acted as financial agents for the imams, collecting funds from their following, receiving donations on their behalf, and with the collected money regulating the internal affairs of the Kufan Shi‘i community. By looking at the history of the Shi‘i community and, still broader, of the region as a whole, the article seeks to explain why the group of moneychangers became important among the Kufan Shi‘is, especially during Ja‘far al-Sadeq’s time and later, while being virtually insignificant at earlier periods. The article combines a quantitative study of biographical dictionaries with evidence found in literary accounts.

Olvidado durante décadas, el documental Palestina, otro Vietnam (1971) resurge como una obra clave del Cine del Tercer Mundo, revelando los vínculos entre América Latina y la causa palestina. Dirigida por los argentinos Jorge Denti y Jorge Giannoni y la suiza Manuela Generali, la película retrata la efervescencia revolucionaria de la época mientras abre preguntas sobre la representación de género en las luchas. En esta nota, Carolina Bracco recupera las voces de la cineasta Khadijeh Habashneh y la propia Generali para iluminar la experiencia del Colectivo de Cine del Tercer Mundo en la Revolución Palestina.

https://revistabache.com.ar/cultura/cine-series/palestina-otro-vietnam-filmar-la-revolucion-desde-adentro/

Writing a book is not an act but a process, and it involves not one person but many people. I am very grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received from colleagues, friends, and family over the course of researching and writing this book. I am especially grateful to those who closely read and provided comments on the entire manuscript: Walter Armbrust, Orit Bashkin, Joel Gordon, Elliot Shapiro, and an anonymous reader. Your insights have enriched this book. I would also like to thank the many people who helped me by reading drafts, discussing ideas, parsing words, and assisting my research in a variety of ways. Thank you to

Ruth Lenore Galpin (1916-2003)

Other (married) name: Ruth Lenore Dickson.

Wartime Photograph Album: April - October 1943

Locations pictured align with events described in her war diary dated February 1942-December 1943.
A combination of personal and commercially provided photographs.

Locations: British Mandate Palestine/Eretz Yisrael, Lebanon, Syria

Service Number 69456 AWMM

Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) WAACs (R22502074)

Embarkation:

WW2 Sister AWMM New Zealand Army Nursing Service AWMM

Online Cenotaph record link:

https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C118326

Relevant records:

McNabb, S. (2015). 100 years New Zealand military nursing : New Zealand Army nursing service :
Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps, 1915-2015. Hawke's Bay, N.Z.: Sherayl McNabb. AWMM
Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary
Force No. 9 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1942 to 31st December, 1942). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt.
Printer. AWMM
p.143 AWMM

WAAC [Women's Auxiliary Army Corps] - Lists - Overseas Information [including Strength Returns
and Embarkation Rolls] (1943 - 1945) - Archives New Zealand, Wellington, (R22502074) AWMM

It's an amazing life story, which comes up with the blend of realism and Fiction. To inspire the young authors to write and succeed, to invent the culture of postmodern writing, I have provided you with Children's Young Adult Fiction, which takes the imagination of the readers through its strong imagery and emotions.

"Factual Shift To Adventures" is an engaging exploration of [insert key theme/topic—since you haven’t specified, I’ll keep it general]. The book combines factual storytelling with imaginative scenarios, inviting readers to reflect on real-world events while experiencing adventurous narratives. It is suitable for young adults and anyone interested in stories that bridge reality and imagination.

This article explores the process of transgressive activation of Jabal ʿAmil's (Ǧabal ʿĀmil) tobacco growers, in South Lebanon, during the decade preceding the outbreak of the Civil War (1975-1990). Prompted by the material backlashes of the coeval reengineering of the tobacco economy by the Régie monopoly, the mobilization rapidly evolved from a collective demand for better purchase prices and licensing policies to a broad-based confrontation against the state's marginalizing policies and the organic relation between economic and political power defining Lebanon's hegemonic power relations. Building from Antonio Gramsci's methodological criteria for the study of subaltern groups to reconstruct growers' transgressive activation, the article challenges the dominant assimilationist narratives that frame this history as part of the broader "Shia awakening" under the leadership of the Imam Musa al-Sadr (Mūsà al-Ṣadr, 1928-1978) or leftist movements. In so doing, it aims at resituating tobacco growers in their own history of mobilization against landowners and the state, and recentralize the role of their agency on the political agendas of al-Sadr and the Lebanese Communist Party.

This study examines the transformation of rural settlement in the Shephelah region of Ottoman Palestine as a reflection of communal adaptation to changes in the political and security landscapes. Focusing on Khirbet Drūsye (Horvat Midras), we integrate archaeological evidence with Ottoman fiscal surveys and Sharia court registers to trace the site’s transition from a prosperous Mamluk-era village to a seasonal habitation (ʿizbeh) by the 1550s. This spatial reconfiguration illustrates how rural communities modified their settlement patterns and economic strategies in response to the declining security environment during the Early Ottoman period. The study of Drūsye, alongside other cases in the southern Bilād al-Shām/Levant, highlights not only the diverse ways that settlement systems evolved in response to political and economic pressures but also reveals sophisticated settlement patterns that challenge our understanding of 'permanent' versus 'transient' occupation. More broadly, the case demonstrates the methodological value of combining archaeological and documentary sources to reconstruct historical geographies and understand local responses to imperial transition. Beyond its regional focus, the case of Drūsye demonstrates a more general lesson: rural communities under imperial regimes often developed flexible, hybrid strategies of land use that challenge simple distinctions between permanence and abandonment. Such adaptive patterns have relevance for comparative studies of frontier zones, resilience, and the archaeology of “decline”.

*The exhibition „Partea nevăzută a colecției Alexandru Phoebus (1899–1954)”, The Art Collections Museum, Bucharest, 6 November 2019–25 March 2020, and The Repertory of Alexandru Phoebus’ Collection.

* L’exposition ”Autour et alentours du Surréalisme”, Musée National d’Art de Roumanie, Bucarest, 27 Septembre 2019–2 Février 2020.

Theater in its modern form is a new phenomenon in Iran. In fact, this cultural phenomenon manifested itself in the form of experiments in the field of dramatic literature in Iran at the same time as the emergence of modernity and the acquaintance of intellectuals of that era with this art. Tabriz is the gateway to the manifestations of modernism in Iran due to its geopolitical location. Literature based on social criticism was presented mostly in the form of poetry and stories before the establishment of the play format-in its Western form-in Iran, given its brilliant precedent. However, the first plays that had a critical look at the issues of Iranian society were written by Mirza Fathali Akhundzadeh and Mirza Agha Tabrizi, and in fact, the foundation of theater based on social and political criticism in Iran began in the years of the Constitutional Era. During that era, theater in Tabriz dealt with topics such as the criticism of traditions, as well as the denunciation of superstitions and the adaptation of existing conditions to assumed conditions. Tabriz theater has always played an active role in this period of time-the Constitutional Era until the end of the 1960s-and in the ups and downs of social and political life. In this article, in parallel with the historical treatment of the evolution of theater in Tabriz, the reciprocal impact of the political and social ups and downs in Tabriz on the critical thought of the performed plays and vice versa is pointed out. This research will proceed in a descriptiveanalytical format and will try to approach the answer to the problem step by step.

This study provides a comprehensive empirical analysis of the foreign aid policies of two prominent non-Western donors, China and Qatar, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA-17) region from 2014-2021. Utilizing Heckman Poisson selection models and unique datasets-AidData for China and QATARAID for Qatar-the research compares their distinct motivations, aid modalities, and geographical priorities. Findings reveal a stark contrast between their approaches. Qatar's aid strategy is overwhelmingly concentrated within MENA-17, driven primarily by humanitarian concerns, recipient need, and diplomatic leveraging for regional stability, with negligible influence from commercial interests. In contrast, China's aid exhibits a more globally diversified portfolio, deeply rooted in economic statecraft and broader geopolitical objectives. Chinese aid is strongly correlated with its commercial interests, particularly exports, and aims to foster political alignment, emphasizing infrastructure development, trade facilitation, and long-term economic engagement. This comparative analysis significantly contributes to understanding the evolving global aid architecture and the diverse strategic roles played by emerging donors, unmasking the heterogeneous nature of non-Western aid.

This article examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous drone technologies into contemporary military infrastructures, focusing on the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as a key case study. It explores how AI systems such as Lavender, Gospel, and Where is Daddy? Algorithmically mediate target identification and lethal decision-making, highlighting the emergence of a digitized ‘kill chain’. Through investigative reporting by Yuval Abraham and broader analysis of cloud infrastructure projects like Project Nimbus, the article reveals how corporate platforms (e.g. Google and Amazon) facilitate large-scale data surveillance and AI-based warfare. These developments exemplify a shift toward Hyperwar, where acceleration, automation bias, and machine-based decision-making increasingly dominate the battlefield. The article argues that such systems embody authoritarian logics, producing a ‘responsibility gap’ and enabling forms of digital authoritarianism that dissolve the boundaries between military action, surveillance, and governance – especially in asymmetric conflicts. Ultimately, the case underscores the dangers of AI weaponization, the erosion of human oversight, and the normalization of computational control over life and death.

This study explores how non-adjudicatory Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms can address complex international conflicts involving nuclear security, sovereignty, and geopolitical tensions where traditional judicial forums like the ICJ or PCA often fall short. Using the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a case study, it demonstrates how negotiation, mediation, and continuous dialogue enabled progress on Iran’s nuclear program while maintaining channels for diplomacy. The research underscores ADR’s strengths in fostering cooperation and tailoring flexible, interest-based outcomes in high-risk contexts. Yet, it also identifies structural weaknesses exposed by the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and subsequent escalations in 2025, highlighting ADR’s dependence on sustained political will and institutional resilience. The analysis concludes that for ADR to remain effective in nuclear and security disputes, its frameworks must evolve to integrate stronger verification systems, crisis response mechanisms, and adaptive safeguards capable of withstanding abrupt geopolitical upheavals.

This paper examines how partial compliance with peace proposals challenges traditional binary (accept/reject) frameworks in conflict resolution. Through analysis of Hamas's October 2025 response to President Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan, I demonstrate that contemporary peace processes fail to accommodate conditional acceptance-a common yet theoretically neglected phenomenon. Three actors interpreted the same document in radically different ways: Trump declared Hamas "ready for lasting peace," Netanyahu viewed the response as rejection requiring continued military action, and Hamas offered strategic partial acceptance to preserve organizational relevance while appearing reasonable. This divergence reveals a fundamental flaw in peace agreement architecture: binary frameworks force premature closure and misrepresent the iterative nature of conflict resolution. Drawing on comparative analysis of the Northern Ireland peace process, Colombian FARC negotiations, and failed attempts at Camp David II, I argue for "graduated compliance frameworks" that recognize conditional acceptance as a legitimate negotiating position. The paper proposes a five-level compliance scale and modular agreement architecture that could better accommodate realworld negotiation dynamics. These findings have immediate relevance for ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and Yemen, where similar partial compliance patterns emerge.

This book chapter analyses Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative through a geopolitical lens, examining the intended role of innovation in reshaping the Kingdom’s regional and global influence. Moving beyond purely economic interpretations, the study argues that Vision 2030 presents a geopolitical blueprint with the aim of enhancing Saudi Arabia’s strategic position in a rapidly changing Middle Eastern order. The chapter explores the potential geopolitical dimensions of the plan’s three pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. Through case studies of key projects like NEOM, renewable energy development, and investments in defence technol- ogy and cybersecurity, the research examines the extent to which innovation could serve as a tool for projecting power, attracting foreign investment and expertise, and influencing regional dynamics. The analysis further assesses the possible impact of Vision 2030 on regional power balances, particularly the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, evolving relationships with regional actors, and interactions with external powers. Finally, the chapter addresses the challenges and constraints that may hinder Saudi Arabia’s geopolitical ambitions. The conclusion summarises the key findings, discusses broader implications for other states, and offers final thoughts on the evolving nature of geopolitics in the 21st century.