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Lecture series on the crisis in the Middle East begins in Frankfurt!
From April 29, 2025, Goethe University will be hosting a series of lectures about the changes in the Middle East. Experts analyze conflicts, social developments and the role of external actors.
Lecture series on the crisis in the Middle East begins in Frankfurt!
On April 29, 2025, Goethe University will start a lecture series entitled “The Middle East in Transition”. This series serves to shed light on the political, social and religious changes in this conflict-ridden region since the 1990s. The reports about this Goethe University.
Experts from various disciplines will provide insights into the situation in countries such as Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Iraq. The lectures have a particular focus on the role of internal actors, especially Islamist groups, and their political objectives. External actors such as the US, Russia and Europe and their impact on the region are also covered in detail.
Geopolitical challenges
The lecture series takes place in the Language and Cultural Studies building (SKW) in lecture hall B on the Westend campus and aims to make the complex and multi-layered topics of the Middle East accessible to the general public. Loud Diercke The Near and Middle East is one of the most conflict-ridden regions in the world, characterized by ethnic heterogeneities and conflicting interests, which are reinforced by the geostrategic location between Europe and Asia.
Water scarcity and access to energy resources such as oil and natural gas play a crucial role in geopolitical tensions. These conflicts run through the history of the region, including military conflicts such as the First Gulf War (1980-1988) between Iraq and Iran, which led to heavy losses.
Detailed program information
The lectures in the series are varied and in-depth, starting with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz on the Middle East since 1990. The other dates include topics such as Egypt's domestic and foreign policy situation, Islamist influence and Saudi Arabia's influence on global politics. The full program looks like this:
| Date | Lecturer | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| April 29th | Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz | Middle East since 1990 |
| May 6th | Prof. Dr. Katajun Amirpur | Woman, life, freedom |
| May 13th | Prof. Dr. Albrecht Fuess | Egypt's domestic and foreign policy situation |
| May 20th | Dr. Tareq Sydiq | State conflicts in Afghanistan |
| May 27th | Dr. David Jordan | Nationalism and religion in Iraq after 2003 |
| June 3rd | Dr. Sebastian Sons | Saudi Arabia's Global Influence |
| June 10th | Kristin Helberg | Syria between coming to terms with and a new beginning |
| June 17th | Dr. Marie-Christine Heinze | The Yemen conflict |
| June 24th | Dr. Hanna Pfeifer | Islamist and Salafist-Jihadist actors |
| July 1st | Prof. Dr. Thomas Demmelhuber | The Middle East in global society |
| July 8th | Dr. Muriel Asseburg | October 7th and the war in the Gaza Strip |
| July 15th | Prof. Dr. Simon Wolfgang Fuch | Israeli and Palestinian narratives of the conflict |
| July 22nd | Panel discussion | Developments in the Middle East: What do they have to do with us? |
The series also draws attention to the national and international community about the challenges in Iraq, the Syrian Civil War and the role of Islamist terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. These conflicts are further exacerbated by authoritarian regimes and human rights abuses in many countries in the region, making peaceful resolution difficult, Diercke's data shows.
For those interested, further information and contact details are available to promote dialogue and understanding of the situation in the Middle East.