LSE Middle East Centre

The PKK announced disarmament last year, raising hopes for the peace process. However, Turkey's 'Peace Commission' shows the limits of parliamentary involvement in peace negotiations by a government uninterested in democratisation. Nisan Alici & Guley Bor for the blog

How Turkey’s Parliamentary Peace Commission Failed its Democratic Promises - Middle East Centre by Nisan Alıcı & Güley Bor Parliaments can aid peacebuilding and transitional justice processes not only through their legislative functions but also as democratic mechanisms where different views over conflicted periods are represented, contributing to dialogue and social consensus on peaceful c...

From Islamist movements to secular parties, al-dawla al-madaniyya (the civic or civil state) has been claimed by a wide range of political actors across the .

A new MEC blog by Reem Turkmani & Tamara El Khoury unpacks this contested concept.

So, What Is a ‘Civic State’? Unpacking a Contested Concept in the Arab World - Middle East Centre by Reem Turkmani and Tamara El Khoury Few concepts in contemporary Arab political life have been defined as differently, as al-dawla al-madaniyya – the civic or civil state. The concept has been claimed by Islamist movements, secular parties, transitional governments, constitution-drafting bodies,...

For the people of Sudan, an immediate priority has been to protect lives and minimise suffering. Beyond this, a fundamental question is peace: how can the war be lastingly ended and an enduring peace be established?

A recent paper by Visiting Senior Fellow Richard Barltrop, 'Sudan's Current War: A Longer View on Peacemaking and Prospects', explores what lessons should be drawn from the longer history of peacemaking in and from the experience and outcomes of efforts in other wars in recent times.

Read here: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/137926/

ورقة بحثية جديدة بعنوان"خارطة طريق للطاقة الحيوية في الكويت" تُركز على الدروس المستفادة من الأبحاث الإقليمية واستخلاص القيمة من النفايات والجدوى ومسارات السياسات. بقلم Jean El Achkar للقراءة باللغة العربية

https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/138821/

What do recent developments in digital communication in the Middle East reveal about the changing relationship between digital platform logics, cultural production and political authority?

State-linked actors are no longer solely relying on formal diplomatic statements to shape geopolitical narratives. Instead, they’re leaning into cyber political communication, often described as social media wars. For the LSE Middle East Centre blog, Nesrin Al examines this transformation through a striking case: Iran‑linked networks producing AI‑generated, Lego‑style meme propaganda designed for maximum virality.

Read here:

When Lego Goes to War: How Iran’s Meme Propaganda is Reshaping Digital Diplomacy - Middle East Centre by Nesrin Alrefaai Recent developments in digital communication in the Middle East point to a broader transformation in the relationship between digital platform logics, cultural production, and political authority. Rather than relying solely on formal diplomatic statements, state-linked actors incr...

It's time for to diversify its energy mix, reduce dependence on landfills, and meet its climate targets.

A new paper by Jean El Achkar makes the case for anaerobic digestion (AD) as a strategic enabler of Kuwait’s low-carbon transition.

https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/129838/

Last month, we hosted our event, ‘Sudan’s Current War: A Longer View on Peacemaking and Prospects’, marking the launch of a new paper by Visiting Senior Fellow Richard Barltrop on the ongoing war in Sudan.

Richard was joined by discussant Abdel Salam Sidahmed, Chairperson of the Sudanese HR Monitor (SHRM), in person, and Raga Makawi, a researcher on Sudan’s civic politics and social movements at LSE, online. The event was chaired by Laura Mann (LSE International Development).

🎧 Listen to the event recording: https://ow.ly/3RgE50ZciFE
📄 Read the paper: https://ow.ly/ioIY50ZciFC

We’re looking forward to the 2026 exhibition, opening on 15 June!

This year’s exhibition explores how LSE research is shaping a more sustainable future. We’re excited to share that the Future Proof video ‘Rethinking cities with people in mind: the case of Kuwait’ will be featured. In the video, Alexandra Gomes (LSE Cities) discusses the key challenges and opportunities facing cities in , the , and beyond.

The film draws on research supported by the LSE Middle East Centre, in collaboration with Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and the Emirates Foundation.

The exhibition runs from 15 June to 2 July in the Marshall Building, and is free and open to all.

🎬 Watch the video: https://ow.ly/XN1U50Z9Wqc
ℹ️ Learn more about the exhibition: https://ow.ly/TTV150Z9Wqf

Interested in finding out more about the research behind the video? Explore the projects below 👇

• Public Space in Kuwait > https://ow.ly/L3XQ50Z9Wqe
• Resource Urbanism > https://ow.ly/GuxL50Z9Wqa
• Shaping an Eco‑Kuwait > https://ow.ly/8Ezt50Z9Wq9
• Roads as Tools for (Dis)connecting Cities and Neighbourhoods > https://ow.ly/Yr4U50Z9Wqb

Rethinking cities with people in mind: the case of Kuwait | LSE Future Proof What happens to a city when there are only roads and no pavements? ...