The Political Role of the Military in the Middle East – March 14, 2012

Conference Information

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

About the Conference

Three aspects of “The Political Role of the Military in the Middle East” will be addressed:

First, a thorough examination of the wide and vast institutional arrangements, principles, norms and procedures that exist between the military and governments or, in a wider perspective, civil-military relations in the Middle East, from direct military governments through indirect military rule, up to the (almost) liberal democratic model.

Second, examine of the state of affairs today, taking into account the latest developments and the Arab awakening.

Third, to review comparative perspectives and forecast, inasmuch as possible, the trajectory of the military’s role in each one of the states discussed in the conference.

9:00 – 9:15 am: Registration Continental Breakfast

9:15 – 9:30 am: Introduction – Yoram Peri, Abraham S. and Jack Kay Chair in Israel Studies, Director of The Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies
Welcoming Remarks – Dean Donnie Thornton-Dill, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland

9:30 – 11:00 am: Panel One
Turkey
Henri Barkey
Bernard L. and Bertha F. Cohen Professor Department of International Relations
Lehigh University

Syria
David Schenker
Aufzien Fellow and Director
Program on Arab Politics
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Jordan
Jillian Schwedler
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
University of Massachusetts

Chair
Shibley Telhami
Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development, University of Maryland, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
Brookings Institution

11:00 am – 11:15 am: Break

11:15 am – 12:45 pm: Panel Two
Egypt
Steven Cook
Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies
Council on Foreign Relations

Israel
Yoram Peri
Abraham S. and Jack Kay Chair in Israel Studies
Director, Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies
University of Maryland

Discussant
Kenneth Pollack
Director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Saban Center for Middle East Policy
Brookings Institution

Chair
Madeline Zilfi
Professor
Department of History
University of Maryland