Rice’s Baker Institute, Carnegie Corporation to present findings on state of pluralism, inclusion in Middle East

MEDIA ADVISORY

David Ruth
david@rice.edu
713-348-6327

Jeff Falk
jfalk@rice.edu
713-348-6775

Rice’s Baker Institute, Carnegie Corporation to present findings on state of pluralism, inclusion in Middle East

HOUSTON – (Aug. 24, 2018) – The findings from a two-year study led by the Center for the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Carnegie Corporation of New York on the state of pluralism and inclusion in the Middle East will be presented at a conference Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C.

Credit: 123RF.com/Rice University

The conference, co-hosted by the Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS) at George Washington University, will provide a forum to identify effective and sustainable policy options that foster more inclusive and pluralistic systems in the region, organizers said. It is free and open to the public; visit www.bakerinstitute.org/events/1957 to register.

Who: Speakers include the Baker Institute’s A.Kadir Yildirim and Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellows for the Middle East, who are the Baker Institute/Carnegie Corporation project’s principal investigators; Susan Ziadeh, former U.S. ambassador to Qatar; and Marc Lynch, professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington and director of POMEPS. For the complete agenda and list of speakers, see www.bakerinstitute.org/events/1957.

What: A conference titled “Building Inclusive and Pluralistic States Post-Arab Spring.”

When: Thursday, Sept. 13, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Breakfast and registration will begin at 8.

Where: George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs, Lindner Family Commons, 1957 E St., NW, Washington, D.C.       

The political and social upheaval in the Middle East ignited by the Arab uprisings shows little sign of abating, according to event organizers. They said U.S. and international policymakers continue to struggle with their response to the turmoil, including state collapse and the rise of radical jihadism in Syria, Iraq and Yemen; the fragmentation of political authority in Libya; faltering transitions in Egypt and Tunisia; and the longer-term economic and political challenges facing oil-rich Arab Gulf states.

Political, socio-religious and economic exclusion and lack of pluralism are among the most significant catalysts of instability throughout the region, according to event organizers. They said grievances that initially triggered the uprisings remain unaddressed, youth are further disenchanted and marginalized and minority voices remain unheard as Arab states face a rising tide of extremism and economic challenges.

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

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Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks among the top three university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes — including a public policy course — and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog.