On 31 January 2017, CARC was delighted to welcome two external guest speakers to Kent for the launch of
The Battle for Syria: International Rivalry In the New Middle East, (Yale University Press, 2016).
A fascinating talk on the dynamics of the Syrian conflict and how it has been affected by the changing external context, was given by the book’s author, Dr Christopher Phillips, Senior Lecturer at the School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary, University of London. This was followed by a response on the key themes from Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, a London-based think tank dedicated to promoting conflict resolution, human rights and mutual understanding. The event concluded with an open discussion with a capacity audience of students and staff.
The event was chaired by Dr Yaniv Voller, Lecturer in the Politics of the Middle East at the University of Kent. Yaniv is the latest addition to the CARC team and to the School of Politics and International Relations, and reflects a strengthening of our research and teaching interests in Middle East politics.