Peace in the Middle East: An Impossible Mission?

4th Peace and War Summit
John and Mary Frances Patton Peace and War Center
Norwich University
March 20-21, 2023
(In-Person with Remote Options)

Register to Attend

The world community is confronted with a series of significant challenges. These challenges include escalating great power rivalries between the U.S. and China/Russia, concerns over nuclear war, economic instability, climate change, and pandemics. In this global context, the Middle East is engulfed in turbulent geopolitical dynamics, such as the power vacuum caused by U.S. disengagements in the region as well as the intensification of sectarian competition between Iran, its proxies and Israel and Sunni Arab countries. Thus, the Middle Eastern regional order remains complex and unstable while facing the lingering Israeli-Palestinian conflict, unstable economic conditions, and tumultuous civil war-like conditions in Syria, Libya, and Yemen. Norwich University’s 4th Peace and War Summit thoroughly addresses these challenges in the Middle East to advance our understanding of the region and outline effective solutions to construct a more peaceful regional order.

Invited Authors/Speakers

Learn about our distinguished invited keynote speakers, panelists and presenters.

SCHEDULE
(U.S. Eastern Time)

Monday, March 20, 2023

9 – 9:50 a.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium

WELCOME REMARKS

Norwich University Provost Karen Gaines

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

TBD

10 – 10:50 a.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL SESSION I

Moderator: Kaitlin Thomas
Presenters:
Saeid Golkar: Iranian domestic upheaval/politics
Valentine Moghadam: Gender politics (women’s roles) in the Middle East    
Discussant: TBD

11 – 11:50 a.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL SESSION II

Moderator: Travis Morris
Presenters:
Guy Ziv: Israeli-Palestinian conflict  
Jeremy Pressman: US strategy toward the Middle East
Discussant: TBD

1 – 1:50 p.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL SESSION III

Moderator: TBD
Presenters:
Ali Dizboni: Religious extremism and political violence in the Middle East
Diane Zorri: Iran-Saudi Arabia sectarian competition
Discussant: TBD

2 – 3:15 p.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL SESSION IV

Moderator:TBD
Presenters: 
Dan Ciuriak: US-China economic competition in the Middle East
Richard Moss: Russia’s Syria intervention
Nicholas Roberts: Shadows of colonial rule in the Middle East
Discussant: TBD

4 – 5:15 p.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
PANEL SESSION V

Moderator: Steven Sodergren
Presenters: TBD
Discussants: Norwich Students

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

9:25 – 10:40 a.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION I: “Complexities in the Middle Eastern Politics”

Chair: TBD
Panelists: Ali Dizboni, Saeid Golkar, Richard Moss, Guy Ziv, and Diane Zorri

10:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. | Mack Hall Auditorium
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION II: “Western Strategy toward the Middle East”

Chair: TBD
Panelists: Dan Ciuriak, Valentine Moghadam, Jeremy Pressman, and Nicholas Roberts

SUMMIT CONTACT
Yangmo Ku, Executive Director
Associate Professor, Political Science, Norwich University
Associate Director, John and Mary Frances Patton Peace & War Center

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