Professor Christopher Phillips Battleground: 10 Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East

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The Middle East is in crisis. The shocking events of the war in Gaza have rocked the entire region. More than a decade ago, the Arab Spring had raised hopes of a new beginning but instead ushered in a series of civil wars, coups, and even harsher autocracies. Tensions were exacerbated by the meddling of outsiders, as regional and global powers sought to further their interests. The United States, for so long the dominant actor, had stepped back, leaving a vacuum behind it to be fought over.

In this talk and based on the book which was highly recommended by the FT and Sunday Times, Christopher Phillips explores geopolitical rivalries in the region, and the major external powers vying for influence: Russia, China, the EU, and the US. Moving through ten key flashpoints, from Syria to Palestine, Phillips argues that the United States’ overextension after the Cold War, and retreat in the 2010s, has imbalanced the region. Today, the Middle East remains blighted by conflicts of unprecedented violence and a post-American scramble for power – leaving its fate in the balance.

Christopher Phillips is professor of international relations at Queen Mary University of London. He is the author of four books and the historical consultant for ‘Syria: the World’s War’, a documentary that aired on BBC2 in 2018. He regularly consults governments, private companies and NGOS and has appeared on BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, BBC News, Al-Jazeera, Sky News and Channel 4 News.

A Q&A Session will follow.