Middle East research
We conduct research that enhances our understanding of the major issues in the Middle East. The goal is to promote democracy, peace and sustainable development in this dynamic yet unstable region.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is a geopolitical region that has experienced significant economic and political change in recent decades. According to the UN, the region’s population is expected to nearly double between 2015 and 2050. As a result, the region is likely to continue to experience rapid and sometimes unforeseeable developments in the future.
Cutting-edge research with a long history
Research about the Middle East and Semitic languages has been conducted in Lund since the university was founded in 1666. Over the past three decades, there have been significant research advances in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and technology related to the region.
Today, researchers at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) focus on four overlapping themes related to the Middle East:
- democratisation, migration and sustainable socio-economic development
- environment and sustainable development
- religion, identity and culture
- security and sustainable peace.
At the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, which acts as a hub for Middle East research, researchers are involved in capacity-building projects in countries from Morocco in the west to Iran in the east.
By collaborating across several disciplines, researchers at CMES are contributing with entirely new perspectives on democratisation and cultural processes, migration flows, social movements, climate change and security debates related to the Middle East.
Application areas
In close collaboration with partners within and outside academia, researchers at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies are creating new knowledge about the Middle East that can be used by politicians, civil society and the wider public. Researchers are working on various topics, such as:
In the 'Climate Stress Syria' project, researchers are studying the severe drought that struck the Middle East from 2007 to 2009, which has been identified as one of the many factors that contributed to the Syrian civil war in 2011.
Researchers are using interviews and remote sensing to understand how agriculture and rural populations were affected by the drought. They are also studying the mechanisms that link climate issues to refugee movements and armed conflict. The aim is to find solutions to reduce vulnerability to extreme climate events that could lead to more armed conflicts and more people seeking refuge.
This project studies how politics of memory is intertwined with religion and nationalism in four Middle Eastern cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Istanbul and İzmir.
The researchers explore ‘the city’ as a stage for the construction and contestation of nationalist imaginations, with both religious and secular elements. They analyse museums and public memorial sites to see how religion and historical memory are used to generate nationalist values.
As a result, the project contributes to an increased understanding of contemporary political and social processes in the Middle East. This knowledge provides a better basis for bilateral and international cooperation with the region.
This project studies how politics of memory is intertwined with religion and nationalism in four Middle Eastern cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Istanbul and İzmir.
The researchers explore ‘the city’ as a stage for the construction and contestation of nationalist imaginations, with both religious and secular elements. They analyse museums and public memorial sites to see how religion and historical memory are used to generate nationalist values.
As a result, the project contributes to an increased understanding of contemporary political and social processes in the Middle East. This knowledge provides a better basis for bilateral and international cooperation with the region.
Researchers are leading a project to identify the causes of dust storms in the Middle East using AI and remote sensing. The project is looking at factors such as climate change, changes in land use, socio-political driving forces and water management in a region that is extremely vulnerable to climate and environmental change.
By using different models, the researchers are able to simulate possible solutions to various problems related to dust storms in the region.
Research environments
Strategic research area
MECW – The Middle East in the Contemporary World is a strategic research area (SRA) in Sweden.
MECW conducts multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research focusing on societies in the Middle East.
Scientific coordinator
Karin Aggestam
Professor of Political Science
Phone: +46 (0)46 222 9267
karin [dot] aggestam [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (karin[dot]aggestam[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Co-coordinator
Ronny Berndtsson
Professor of Water Resources Engineering
Phone: +46 (0)46 222 8986
ronny [dot] berndtsson [at] tvrl [dot] lth [dot] se (ronny[dot]berndtsson[at]tvrl[dot]lth[dot]se)
Website
Research database
Researchers, projects and publications related to CMES.
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