In our latest Middle East Brief, Ibrahim Elhoudaiby examines the political significance of football in the Arab world by showing how it has become an instrument of statecraft rather than merely a vehicle for reputation management.
Daniel Neep, in conversation with Omar Dahi, discussed his new book 'Syria: A Modern History' on April 30, and the intricacies of conflict, dictatorship, and self-determination throughout contemporary Syria.
How should we understand Sudan’s war? Nada Ali and Anna Reumert discuss counterrevolution, the unfinished 2018–19 uprising, and how a stalled democratic transition became an extractive war economy.
Crown Center research and analysis to help contextualize the escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The Crown Center for Middle East Studies is committed to conducting balanced and dispassionate research of the modern Middle East that meets the highest academic standards. The Center seeks to help make decision- and opinion-makers better informed about the region. The scope of the center's research includes the 22 members of the Arab League as well as Turkey, Iran and Israel. The Crown Center's approach is multidisciplinary in its study of the politics, economics, history, security, sociology and anthropology of the region's states and societies.
Check back here soon to see upcoming Crown Center events for the 2026-27 academic year.
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When Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in 2023, many dismissed the move as a superstar's lucrative final act. But as more international stars left Europe’s elite leagues for Saudi Arabia, his transfer came to signal a larger shift: the Arab world's move toward the center of global football. In our latest Middle East Brief, Ibrahim Elhoudaiby argues that this transformation cannot be understood simply as a form of sportswashing—an attempt by oil-rich monarchies to launder their international reputations by hosting mega sports events. Drawing on cases from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Morocco, and Egypt, he shows how football has become an instrument of statecraft—an arena through which Arab states consolidate power, advance security and development agendas, and shape new political imaginaries.
The Crown Center is dedicated to sharing balanced and dispassionate research on the Middle East. Please see the Crown Center analyses which delve into the roots and evolution of the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
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Counter/Argument: A Middle East Podcast is produced by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University. Through conversations with scholars and practitioners encompassing a variety of disciplines and perspectives, each episode will debunk key misconceptions about the contemporary Middle East. "Counter/Argument" is committed to a balanced and dispassionate approach to the region and to making scholarship more widely accessible. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
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Image credit: Chae Lee