Events
Upcoming Events
October 9, 2013
The Other Peace Process: An Evening with Rabbi Ron Kronish '68 and Kadi Iyad Zahalk
Rabbi Dr. Ron Kronish is the founder and director of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel; Kadi Iyad Zahalka is the presiding judge at the Sharia Court of the State of Israel in Jerusalem.
7:30 pm | Shapiro Campus Center Atrium
Organized by bVIEW (Brandeis Visions of Israel in an Evolving World)
November 4, 2013 - Brown Bag Seminar
Tolerating Iran's Religious Other: The Jewish Community in The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Dr. Mehrdad Amanat, Author of "Jewish Identities in Iran: Resistance and Conversion to Islam and the Baha'i Faith" and is a regular contributor to Encyclopedia Iranica
Co-Sponsored with NEJS
November 22, 2013
Book Release Celebration
Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East
12-2pm | Rapaporte Treasure Hall
Past Events
2013
September 25, 2013
Crown Center Opening Event
The Syrian Catastrophe: Regional Implications
September 18, 2013
Egypt After Morsi: A Briefing by Dr. Abdel Monem Said Aly
April 24, 2013
Panel Discussion
The Coming Presidential Elections in Iran: Do they Matter?
February 25, 2013
Brown Bag Seminar
Secularism, Islamism, and the Politics of Defining Religious Freedom in Modern Egypt
Aria Nakissa, Junior Research Fellow at the Crown Center
January 16, 2013
Panel Discussion
The Upcoming Israeli Elections: Domestic and Regional Ramifications
2012
December 12, 2012
Brown Bag Seminar
The Arab Uprisings at the Intersection of the Transnational and National
James L. Gelvin, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of California, Los Angeles
This talk is co-sponsored with the Mediterranean Studies Group and the Department of Anthropology.
October 31, 2012
Brown Bag Seminar
Gaza Statehood, PA Decline, and the One State Reality
Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah and a Senior Fellow at the Crown Center
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Crown Center Annual Opening Event: Celebrating the Crown and Goodman Families
Friday, September 7, 2012
Playback Theater & Desert Roots: Journey of an Iranian Immigrant Family
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Two-State Solution: Is it Still Relevant? Debating Israel and Palestine
Thursday, March 15,
Being on the 'Right Side of History': Revolution in Early Islam
Dr. Lassner, Philip M. & Ethel Klutznick Professor of Jewish Civilzation at Northwestern University
March 1, 2012
A High Price: The Triumphs and Failures of Israeli Counterterrorism
Daniel L. Byman, Professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown and Senior Fellow with the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution
2011
December 7, 2011
Brown Bag Lunch
When we were partners': Aspects of Israel-Iran relations during the 1948-68 period
Prof. Uri Bialer, Maurice B. Hexter Chair in International Relations-Middle Eastern Studies at the Department of International Relations, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Visiting Professor at Brandeis University
November 17, 2011
Film Screening and Discussion
5:00-7:30pm, Schneider Building G1
How to Make a Revolution: A documentary on the revolutionary academic Gene Sharp
Discussion with Jamila Raqib, Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution
November 16, 2011
Brown Bag Lunch
12:15-1:45 pm, Heller Building 163
Is Iran's Economy Growing or Shrinking? Controversy over the IMF's latest Economic Performance assessment
Nader Habibi, Henry J. Leir Professor of the Economics of the Middle East at Brandeis University
October 27, 2011
Brown Bag Lunch
Reconsidering the Durability of Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Lessons from the Arab Spring
Eva Bellin, Myra and Robert Kraft Professor of Arab Politics at Brandeis University
September 7, 2011
Panel Discussion
Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: A New Dawn or Another Debacle?
September 1, 2011
Panel Discussion
Beyond the Arab Spring: A Discussion of Recent Developments
February 15, 2011
Panel Discussion
Furor in the Arab Street: Tunisia, Egypt, and Beyond
February 8, 2011
Book Talk: The Shah: A Book Talk with Prof. Abbas Milani
2010
November 17, 2010
Brown Bag Seminar: The Return of the Avant-garde: Art and Architecture in Iran's Street Politics
Prof. Talinn Grigor, Assistant Professor of modern and contemporary architecture in the Department of Fine Arts at Brandeis University
Brown Bag Seminar
Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Crown Center Senior Fellow and director the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah
October 6, 2010
Brown Bag Seminar:
Dr. Joshua W. Walker, Crown Center Junior Research Fellow and a fellow at the German Marshall Fund based in Washington, DC.
October 5, 2010
Crown-Belfer Middle East Program:
Tzipi Livini, Israeli Opposition Leader and former Israeli Foreign Minister
September 29, 2010
Crown-Belfer Middle East Program:
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
September 1, 2010
Round Table: Hot Topics in the Middle East
Join the Crown Center for some savory flavors and a discussion on a medley of Middle East issues. Hear analysis on the latest topics in: Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Palestine/Israel, Middle East economies.
April 28, 2010
Iraq After the Elections
Prof. Kanan Makiya, The Sylvia K. Hassenfeld Professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at Brandeis
April 23-26, 2010
Under the Skin: The Films of Rakhshan Bani-Etemad
A Film Series
March 23, 2010
Leadership in Saudi Arabia: Missing an Opportunity?
Dr. Philip Robins, Oxford University Lecturer in politics, with special reference to the Middle East, and a Fellow of St. Anthony's College.
February 9, 2010
Israel, the Palestinians, and the One-State Agenda
Dr. Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) and Executive Director of the Hala Salaam Maksoud Foundation for Arab-American Leadership
2009
November 13, 2009
Fateh and Hamas: a Decade of Love-Hate Relations
Khalil Shikaki, Senior Fellow at the Crown Center and Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah
November 13, 2009
Iran: Women and the 2009 Election
Boston premiere of new documentaries by internationally-acclaimed filmmaker Rakhshan Bani Etemad
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Social Justice Leadership Series Presents:
"Talk to an Iraqi": From Iraq to America and Surviving to Talk About It
Haider Hamza, Journalist
October 15, 2009
Israel in the Changing Middle East
Dan Meridor, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel and Minister of Intelligence & Atomic Energy
Co-Sponsored with the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies
October 14, 2009
Middle East Politics: Present and Future
A symposium in conjunction with Primary Source
October 8, 2009
Obama’s Mideast Policy: Reflections on the Basis of the Recently Published “Myths, Illusions, and Peace” by Dennis Ross and David Makovsky
David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow and Director, Project on the Middle East Peace Process, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
September 23, 2009
The Military and the State in the Middle East: Revisiting political, economic, and social roles and impacts
Prof. Yezid Sayigh, Crown Center Senior Fellow and Professor of Middle East Studies in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London
12:15 - 1:45pm
Heller Building, Room 163
August 27, 2009
What's Up in the Middle East
The Crown Center kicks off the new academic year with a panel discussion on some of the current issues in the Middle East
April 22, 2009
Brown Bag Seminar: Change We Can Believe In? The June Presidential Elections in Iran
Dr. Naghmeh Sohrabi, Assistant Director for Research, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
February 25, 2009
Brown Bag Seminar: Why the 15 Hijackers? Understanding Islamist militancy in Saudi Arabia
Dr. Thomas Hegghammer, Research Fellow Initiative on Religion in International Affairs/International Security Program, Harvard University
January 14, 2009
Panel Discussion: The Tragedy in Gaza: Competing Narratives
Prof. Amaney Jamal, Assistant Professor of politics at Princeton University
Prof. Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director of the Crown Center
Moderator: Prof. Robert Art, Christian A. Herter Professor of International Relations at Brandeis University
2008
November 13, 2008
Panel Discussion: The Utility of Targeted Financial Measures to Deal with Iran
Dr. Matthew Levitt, Senior Fellow and Director of the Stein Program on Terrorism, Intelligence and Policy at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
November 12, 2008
Brown Bag Seminar: What Next in Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations?
Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Senior Fellow at the Crown Center and Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah
October 22, 2008
Brown Bag Seminar: Central at the Periphery: Non-Muslims in the Turkish Republic
Dr. Howard Eissenstat, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Crown Center and Assistant Professor at Seton Hall University
September 10, 2008
Brown Bag Seminar: Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Iran
Prof. Afsaneh Najmabadi, Professor of History and of Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality at Harvard University
August 28, 2008
What's going on in the Middle East?
Panel discussion and student reception with:
Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies
Naghmeh Sohrabi, Assistant Director for Research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies
Nader Habibi,Henry J. Leir Professor of the Economics of the Middle East
Lawrence Rubin, Lecturer on the Myra and Robert Kraft Chair in Arab Politics
March 25, 2008
Crown Forum at The Brandeis House, NYC
"How are Arab Oil-Exporting Countries Investing their Petrodollars?"
Nader Habibi - Henry J. Leir Professor of the Economics of the Middle East, Brandeis University
April 9, 2008
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
Nader Habibi - Henry J. Leir Professor of the Economics of the Middle East, Brandeis University
March 5, 2008
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
Prof. Asher Susser - Senior Fellow on the Myra and Robert Kraft Chair in Arab Politics, Crown Center
February 12, 2008
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
Prof. Kanan Makiya - Sylvia K. Hassenfeld Professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, Brandeis University
February 7, 2008
Crown Forum at The Brandeis House, NYC
"Israel's Place in the 'New' Middle East"
Prof. Asher Susser - Senior Fellow on the Myra and Robert Kraft Chair in Arab Politics, Crown Center
2007
December 5, 2007
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
All in the Family? Voices of Dissent in Post-1991 Saudi Arabia
Dr. Ondrej Beranek - Postdoctoral Fellow, Crown Center; and specialist on Saudi Arabia
December 1-2, 2007
Symposium
One Land, Two Peoples: 60 Years Since the 1947 U.N. Partition Plan for Palestine
Streaming Video and Audio Available
November 14, 2007
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
Dr. Khalil Shikaki - Senior Research Fellow, Crown Center; and Director, Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research
November 2-3, 2007
Iranian Underground Music: Conference and Concert
Featuring the Iranian Underground Band - Kiosk
Streaming Audio Available
October 20-21, 2007
The Middle East Today: New Perspectives on a Changing Landscape
Streaming Audio Available
October 3, 2007
Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Question of Democracy
Dr. Abdel Monem Said Aly - Senior Research Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies; and Director, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies
September 6, 2007
Challenges Facing the Next U.S. President
Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies.
Abdel Monem Said Aly, Senior Research Fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies.
Naghmeh Sohrabi, Assistant Director for Research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies.
Streaming video available.
September 4, 2007
Crown Center Open House
Introducing our new office, faculty, and courses.
July 8-11, 2007
Brandeis in the Berkshires
Institute: International Law and Disorder in the Middle East
July 7-8, 2007
Brandeis in the Berkshires
Symposium: Middle East Briefing: An Insider’s View.
April 22, 2007
Fence, Wall, Border
Film Screening and panel discussion with guest speaker; Director Eli Cohen.
April 17, 2007
Bridging Across the Divide: Peacebuilding in the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.
Edy Kaufman, current Co-Director of the Partners in Conflict and Partners in Peacebuilding Projects at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland.
March 20, 2007
Iran: Domestic Developments and Strategic Impact.
Dr. Carol Saivetz, Research Associate, Davis Center for Russian Studies; and Visiting Scholar, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Prof. Shai Feldman, Judith and Sydney Swartz Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University
Dr. Naghmeh Sohrabi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University
March 14, 2007
From Lebanon to Tehran: A Middle East Update.
Prof. Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
March 9, 2007
Sounds of Silence: the Underground Iranian Music Scene.
Film screening followed by a discussion with the film's directors, Amir Hamz and Mark Lazarz.
2006
November 14, 2006
Israel and Palestine: Towards Another Explosion?
Prof. Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Senior Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies and Director, Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, Ramallah
Dr. Mohammed Samhouri, Senior Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
November 11-12, 2006
War in Iraq: Regional Ramifications
A Joint Conference with: Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston College.
November 7, 2006
Impact of Palestinian Domestic Dynamics on Israeli-Palestinian Relations
Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Senior Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies and Director, Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, Ramallah
November 7, 2006
Targets: Reporters in Iraq
Film Screening and Q & A with director Maziar Bahari
November 6, 2006
Iran Today: Combating Drug Addiction and HIV/AIDS
Film Screening: Mohammad and the Matchmaker (2004) and Methadone in Iran (2006)
October 10, 2006
The Middle East After the War in Lebanon: An Egyptian Perspective
Dr. Abdel Monem Said Aly, Senior Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies and Director, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Cairo, Egypt
September 13, 2006
The Hezbollah-Israel War & Its Regional Impact
Prof. Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
September 6, 2006
The Hezbollah-Israel War: What's Next
Prof. Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
Dr. Abdel Monem Said Aly, Senior Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, and Director, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Cairo, Egypt
Mr. Charles Radin, Specialist on Religion and Society, Boston Globe
July 8-9, 2006
Brandeis in the Berkshires
Symposium: Crises and Change in the Middle East
Leading experts and scholars discussed today's issues, from Iraq to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, to the latest developments in Lebanon and Syria. Presenters discussed strategies for understanding and addressing conflict and change in the Middle East. Led by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies.
July 9-12, 2006
Brandeis in the Berkshires
Institute: Is Democracy the 'Right Answer' for the Middle East?
Participants engaged in a dynamic roundtable discussion with scholars and experts on the democratization of the Middle East. The links among democratization, peace and war in the region were explored, as will the role of the United States. Session topics included elections and civil society, and the interplay of democracy, religion,and the law. Participants entered a series of discussions concerning the relationship between a constitution and the realities of politics, security, and society.
June 25-27, 2006
The Middle East 2006: Reform, Insurgency, and Proliferation
The 7th Annual GCSP, RAND, and Crown Center Conference in Gstaad, Switzerland.
June 20, 2006
Iran and Its Nuclear Efforts: A Briefing by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies
Professor Shai Feldman, Judith and Sidney Swartz Director, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
Dr. Naghmeh Sohrabi, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Crown Center for Middle East Studies
This briefing at the Brandeis House in New York City addressed the latest developments in the Iranian nuclear standoff and answered the questions: Can Iran be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons? Is a military confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program inevitable? What does Ahmadenijad's presidency tell us about the Iranian society?
April 6, 2006
Update from Beirut
Prof. Habib Malik, Lebanese American University
Dr. Malik analyzed the situation in Lebanon after a dramatic year that included: the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the withdrawal of Syria’s military forces from Lebanon, the parliamentary elections, and the inclusion of Hizbollah in the Lebanese government.
A Koret Guest Lecture Series Seminar
March 21, 2006
Demography and Politics in the Middle East: Looking to the Future of Israeli-Palestinian Relations
Introduction by: Professor Leonard Saxe, Director Steinhardt Social Research Institute and the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Presentations by: Professor Sergio DellaPergola, Visiting Scholar at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Professor Shai Feldman, Director Crown Center for Middle East Studies
February 28, 2006
Considerations in Determining Israel's Boundaries
Dan Rothem, Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, Washington, DC
This graphic presentation used sets of electronic maps and aerial photography to survey the relevant issues dealing with the territorial aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
February 16, 2006
Why Iran Moved from Khatami to Ahmadinejad and from Detente to Defiance
Dr. Siamak Namazi, Atieh Bahar Consulting, Tehran, Iran
Dr. Namazi provided a unique perspective from Tehran on questions that are at the top of our agenda.
A Koret Guest Lecture Series Seminar
February 13, 2006
Hamas' Electoral Victory and the Upcoming Israeli Elections
Professor Shai Feldman; Professor Menachem Klein, Senior Lecturer at Bar-Ilan University; and Mr. Ghaleb Darabya, Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government.
Faculty and experts led a discussion on the recent developments in the Israeli-Palestinian dynamic and their implications. Co-hosted by the Malkin/Slifka Scholars, the Crown Center for Middle East Studies, and the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life.
January 4, 2006
Israel and the Palestinians: Where Do we Go from Here
A conversation chaired by Jill Sinclair, Canadian Representative to the Middle East Peace Process.
A conversation held by a small group of Israelis and Palestinians on the path the two sides might take after the elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Israeli Knesset. Co-sponsored by Crown Center for Middle East Studies and the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.
2005
November 10, 2005
Conversing with Suicide Bombers: Insights from Interviews
Yoram Schweitzer, Research Associate at Tel Aviv University's Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies
Mr. Schweitzer shared his unique research on the motivations propelling individuals to take such extreme action.
A Koret Guest Lecture Series Seminar
November 9, 2005
Avoiding a Bloodbath: Negotiating Israel's Disengagement
Moty Cristal, IDF General Staff's Crisis Negotiations Unit and Ph.D. candidate at the London School of Economics
Mr. Cristal shared his insight from his experience negotiating with Israeli settlers during the disengagement from Gaza.
A Koret Guest Lecture Series Seminar
October 26, 2005
Israeli-Palestinian Relations: The Next Steps
Professor Shai Feldman, Director of the Crown Center
Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Senior Fellow at the Crown Center
Mr. Shlomo Brom, a Guest Scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace
Mr. Ghaleb Darabya, Former Counselor for Political and Congressional Affairs with the Palestinian National Authority.
The symposium addressed the possible impact of recent changes in the Israeli and Palestinian domestic scenes. Co-hosted by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.
Webcast Available
October 19-20, 2005
Israel and the Palestinians: The Road Ahead
Keynote Speaker: Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, Egyptian Ambassador to the United States
The two-day conference explored different possibilities for future Israeli-Palestinian relations in the aftermath of Israel's disengagement from Gaza.
May 10, 2005
A Discussion with Ambassador Peter Ford
Peter Ford, British Ambassador to Syria
An 'off the record' talk on the contemporary situation in the Middle East.
Co-hosted by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies and the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life.
April 4-5, 2005
Inaugural Conference
The conference provided an assessment of the state of Middle East studies programs in the United States as well as a tour d’horizon of the Middle East environment.