We would like to congratulate students who completed the undergraduate Capstone course GLOA 400: Global Middle East in Summer 2024 with Dr. Yasemin Ipek. As part of the Capstone, students develop and carry out an original research project on a topic of their choice. In the “Global Middle East,” students brought together the skills and knowledge they gained in their core and concentration coursework to analyze a pertinent issue in the Middle East. Below are the titles and abstracts of their comprehensive and thoughtful projects.
1) Jay King
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/Kaltura+Capture+recording+-+June+21st+2024%2C+4A28A04+pm/1_gx5wpmmd
Bio: Jay King is a senior Global Affairs student with a concentration in Global Economy and Management. As a committed father and husband, Jay returned to academia to enhance his understanding and continue his pursuit of his desired position in and around international economic policies. His capstone project, “Energizing Change: The Feasibility and Frictions of Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Aspirations,” examines the multifaceted impact of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan on renewable energy initiatives. Through comprehensive analysis of various sources, including government documents and media reports, Jay seeks to shed light on the broader implications of renewable energy policies and practices in the context of global environmental challenges. His research hopes to contribute valuable insights to the discourse on sustainable development and climate action.
Project Title and Abstract:
Energizing Change: The Feasibility and Frictions of Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Aspirations
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 represents a transformative shift from an oil-dependent economy to a diversified and sustainable model centered on renewable energy. Initiated in response to the drastic decline in oil prices that significantly depleted the Kingdom's reserves, this plan embodies the country's aspirations to align with global sustainability trends while addressing internal challenges of economic dependency and governance. This project examines the multifaceted political, economic, and cultural implications of Vision 2030 through a critical analysis of the initiative's feasibility and sincerity. It explores how entrenched governance issues, economic dependencies on oil revenues, and societal norms may hinder the transformative potential of the plan. Furthermore, the project integrates insights from modules on Political Economy, Geopolitics, and Energy, as well as Activism and Political Movements, to contextualize the initiative within broader geopolitical and socio-economic dynamics. By scrutinizing media narratives and empirical data, the research underscores the gap between the ambitious goals of Vision 2030 and tangible outcomes, highlighting the need for ongoing scrutiny to ensure that the projected benefits materialize equitably across Saudi society. Ultimately, the project aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how Vision 2030 could reshape Saudi Arabia’s role on the global stage, emphasizing the necessity for transparent and inclusive governance to achieve genuine and sustainable transformation.
2) Kiah Percy
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/Video+Recording+-+Sat+Jun+22+2024+11A01A49+GMT%2B0200+%28South+Africa+Standard+Time%29/1_5c3juano
Bio: Kiah Percy is a rising senior Global Affairs student with a concentration in Global Inequality and Responses, minoring in Immigration Studies. For her GLOA 400 class, Global Middle East, she worked on a project titled "Gender Inequality and Feminist Activism in Contemporary Lebanon." Kiah enjoys traveling and hopes to combine her passion with a job and someday work abroad.
Project Title and Abstract:
Gender Inequality and Feminist Activism in Contemporary Lebanon
During her Capstone project, Kiah focused on how feminist activism has challenged gender inequalities in contemporary Lebanon. She reviewed scholarly articles focusing on gender development and feminist media studies, which presented her with a nuanced perspective of feminist protest and activism work. In addition, she analyzed media sources such as the Independent and short YouTube videos and their portrayal of past and present activism movements in Lebanon. Her findings show that despite facing significant opposition, feminist movements in Lebanon have sustained their momentum and continue fighting for women's and marginalized individuals' rights. In the future, Kiah would like to continue researching issues such as the refugee crisis and global health issues like HIV and TB.
3) Ben Beausergent
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/GLOA+400+-+Final+Presentation/1_c3fmunch
Bio: Ben Beausergent is a senior double majoring in Foreign Languages with a concentration in Chinese and Korean, and Global Affairs with a concentration in Human Security. His research project is titled “The Justification of Human Rights Abuses in Palestine by Mainstream Western Media. Ben conducted a comprehensive review of academic literature and analyzed media content from major Western news outlets, focusing on key conflict periods like the 2014 Gaza War and the 2023-24 Gaza conflict. This research revealed significant biases in media coverage, which justify human rights abuses against Palestinians and shape public perception to favor Israeli narratives.
The significance of this research lies in its ability to uncover and challenge these biases, highlighting the need for more balanced and ethical journalism. I learned the profound impact that media can have on public opinion and policy, and I want the audience to recognize the importance of critically analyzing media narratives. In the future, Ben aims to expand this research to include a comparative analysis of media coverage from different regions to further understand global perspectives on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. By doing so, he hopes to contribute to a more equitable and informed discourse on human rights.
Project Title and Abstract:
The Justification of Human Rights Violations in Palestine by Mainstream Western Media
This research project explores how mainstream Western media justifies human rights abuses in Palestine through mechanisms such as media framing and bias, historical and cultural stereotyping, selective reporting, and ideological and political manipulation. By examining content from major media outlets including CNN, BBC, Fox News, and The New York Times during key conflict periods like the 2014 Gaza War and the 2023-24 Gaza conflict, this study reveals a consistent pattern of biased reporting. The media often emphasizes Israeli narratives of self-defense while marginalizing Palestinian suffering and resistance, thereby shaping public perception to view Israeli actions as justified counterterrorism measures. Drawing on theories of Orientalism and cultural stereotyping, the research highlights how these biases are rooted in longstanding Western perspectives that depict Palestinians and Arabs as inherently violent and irrational. This portrayal is reinforced by cultural products such as TV shows and movies, which contribute to widespread Islamophobia and justify aggressive policies against Middle Eastern communities. The study also underscores the impact of selective reporting and omission of context, where significant events and humanitarian crises affecting Palestinians are underreported or ignored.
4) Javier Jimenez
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/LGBTQ%2B+Activism+in+Egypt+/1_kvfoe4a0
Bio: Javier is a graduating Senior in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Development. Javier is a Mexican American first-generation, college student and loves to travel and experience new cultures. He hopes to take his experiences from travelling and apply them to his future career, potentially working aboard. For his GLOA 400 class, Global Middle East, he worked a project titled “LGBTQ+ Activism in Egypt.”
Project Title and Abstract:
LGBTQ+ Activism in Egypt
For Javier’s Senior Capstone project, he focused the on the experiences and struggles LGBTQ+ activists face in Egypt. He reviewed and analyzed various scholarly sources and media articles surrounding the both the individualized experiences of varying activists as well as challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community in repressive contexts. His findings show that while LGBTQ+ activists experience varying forms of repression from past and current governmental regimes and challenges from social disdain, Egypt’s LGBTQ activist have stood resilient, gaining agency through specialized tactics and social media. Javier aims at expanding his research by further investigating the ways in which LGBTQ+ activists in Egypt can take specialized, alternative tactics for advocacy to challenge existing political and social structures in place. In doing so, they can create individualized pathways for plausible change.
5) Zunera Mahmood
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/GLOA+400+PresentationA+Iran%27s+Environmental+Problems/1_r6md6e8s
Bio: Zunera Mahmood is a junior in the Global Affairs department with a concentration in the environment, and minoring in Anthropology. For her GLOA 400 capstone course, the Global Middle East, she worked on a project titled “Iran's Environmental Problems.” She reviewed sources that discussed external and internal factors that have led to environmental degradation including the long history of environmental activism in Iran, and provided solutions that could be useful in mitigating environmental problems if done with detail and applied efficiently. In the future, Zunera would like to research more on environmental policy implementation in the global south and how policies can be amended in order to fit unique situations to encourage adaptability in the face of the changing global climate.
Project Title and Abstract:
Iran's Environmental Problems
Zunera’s research on the major environmental problems that Iran is currently facing involved research compiled from academic journals, media sources, and articles on climate change and socio-economic development. She found that the agricultural and industrial sectors in Iran contribute to environmental degradation and have lasting impacts on the well-being of communities and biodiversity. Her research highlights the dominant perspective of Western media that uses the Orientalist perspective of viewing the country and MENA region as environmentally homogenous. She also found that the various internal, external, and international factors are not presented in Western media and does not allow international actors to take responsibility for any of the environmental degradation in the country. Zunera’s future research plans include environmental policy and application through adaptation.
6) Israa Elhiraika
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/The+Bedouin+Tribes+of+JordanA+Balancing+Tradition+and+Modrenity/1_mvu2g4o0
Bio: Israa Elhiraika is a senior going into her last semester as a double major in Global Affairs and Korean Studies. With a concentration in Global Inequalities and Responses, Israa has always had an interest in understanding the complex dynamics that shape human societies. Growing up in a multicultural home and deeply invested in human issues, she has been driven by a passion for addressing the systems that perpetuate the inequalities we encounter on a daily basis. For her GLOA 400 class, Global Middle East, she worked on a project titled “The Bedouin Tribes of Jordan: Balancing Tradition and Modernity.” By addressing the harmful stereotypes associated with the Middle East, Israa hopes to address her own biases as a person of Afro-Arab descent so that she can work with NGOs focused on humanitarian rights and cultural preservation, like the UN and UNESCO.
Project Title and Abstract:
The Bedouin Tribes of Jordan: Balancing Tradition and Modernity
During her Capstone project in the GLOA4 00 class, Global Middle East, Israa investigated how the Bedouin tribes of Jordan balance tradition and modernity. She explored the intersection of centuries-old tribal traditions with modern-day political procedures, providing a nuanced understanding of their evolving role in Jordanian society. Israa reviewed scholarly articles on Bedouin social structures, cultural practices, and political influence, and analyzed media portrayals and case studies from both local and international perspectives. Her research highlighted the complexities and tensions that arise as the Bedouin tribes navigate contemporary societal demands while striving to preserve their heritage. Israa's research emphasizes the significant influence of these tribes in Jordan's socio-political landscape. Looking ahead, she aspires to continue researching issues related to tradition, culture, politics, and humanitarian rights, as these intersecting areas are crucial to her goal of becoming a prominent scientist in Global Affairs.
7) Aetedal Odeh
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/odeh_final_presentation/1_p6al6ka0
Bio: Aetedal Odeh is Senior at George Mason University Majoring in Global Affairs with a Concentration on the Middle East and North Africa. For her GLOA 400 class, Global Middle East, she embarked on a project titled "Shifting Sands: The Generational Evolution of Palestinian-Jordanian Identity in Contemporary Jordan." Having grown up in Jordan and experienced the intersection of multiple cultural identities, she brings a unique personal perspective to her academic pursuits. Through her passion for writing, teaching, and digital advocacy, she strives to deconstruct orientalist perspectives and foster new social and political platforms for displaced individuals and future generations.
Project Title and Abstract:
Shifting Sands: The Generational Evolution of Palestinian-Jordanian Identity in Contemporary Jordan
This research delves into the transformative shifts in identity and belonging among Palestinian-Jordanians, with a specific focus on Generation Z. Through a comprehensive analysis of historical events, media portrayals, theoretical frameworks and personal experience, Aetedal examined how pivotal moments, such as the 1948 Nakba and the recent October 7th events in Gaza, have catalyzed significant changes in identity politics. A key aspect of her research is the synthesis of generational waves of identity transformation. The study identifies five distinct waves, each marked by unique challenges and responses, culminating in the current fifth wave driven by Generation Z. Unlike their predecessors, this generation leverages digital connectivity and global engagement to assert a new identity narrative - one that challenges fluctuating governmental policies, demands accountability and reshapes traditional narratives.
Aetedal aims to one day use her research to drive transformative change in the Middle East, focusing on conflict resolution, community building, and political awareness. Her work aspires to inspire a deeper appreciation of the evolving nature of identity and the critical role of youth in driving socio-political change.
8) Chloe Miracle Maiquez
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/Kaltura+Capture+recording+-+June+21st+2024%2C+11A36A23+pm/1_9ejdcs7n
Bio: Chloe Miracle Maiquez is a rising junior Global Affairs student with a concentration in Human Security, minoring in Asia-Pacific and Northeast Asian Studies. Chloe is eager to combine her love of learning about various cultures and topics with traveling. For her GLOA 400 class, Global Middle East, she worked on a project titled " Iranian Women’s Rights Struggle”. She learned about the different ways that Iranian women of various backgrounds struggle and the amount of agency that allows them to persistently fight for their rights.
Project Title and Abstract:
Iranian Women's Rights Struggle
Chloe's capstone project examined the challenges faced by diverse Iranian women in their country. She learned that they face a number of restrictive legal and political obstacles. She examined academic articles that addressed the problems that women have been experiencing in their daily lives as a result of the limitations, as well as the historical background of the various leaders who ruled the nation. These articles highlighted the various attempts women have made to change the country and increase their opportunities. She also examined several kinds of media sources that presented the women and issue in differing ways. The sources ranged from authors in the Middle East and the West, each offering their own perspectives on injustice and violence committed against activists in the nation. Her research demonstrates how Iranian women are persistent in their advocacy despite the obstacles and discomfort, which has provided and inspired a lot of international support.
9) Taylan Aikens
Bio: Taylan Aikens was born in Como Italy, lived in Germany 10 years, resided four years in the Republic of South Korea and three years in Italy. The rest of Taylan’s time was spent in America. Taylan is a senior, and a global affairs major at George Mason University, with a concentration in\global inequalities and responses. Through her travels she has gained an in interest in diverse cultures and strives to gain a deep educational knowledge in human society and behaviours, especially after firsthand experiences with inequalities. Through Taylan’s myriads of travels and education she hopes to continue her studies as a graduate student.
Project Title and Abstract:
Syrian Migrants in Italy
After spending three years in Italy, Taylan has decided to do her project on Syrian migrants in Italy and their experiences. Taylan researched facts about the war in Syria and how it started. Taylan chose this for her project after experiencing numerous interactions with migrants while in Italy, and hearing about their struggles. Taylan had the urge to explore the topic and learn more about the ongoing hardships and triumphs of the Syrian people. She wanted to understand what she could do in the future with her education to better understand her country's government, including what rights do migrants have and what can be done as a citizen to bring a growing issue of fascism to center of attention. There is a beauty in the fact that Syrian migrants feel brave enough to leave everything they once knew in their homeland, to achieve a better life in another country. During this paper we will explore the journey from the homeland of Syria all the way to the arrival at the port in Italy where migrants face constant challenges. A lot of things are very positive, but we must look at the whole picture to see how everything ties in together.
10) Seungpyo Lee
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/Video%20Recording%20-%20Sat%20Jun%2022%202024%2001%3A13%3A00%20GMT%2B0900%20(%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%20%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80%EC%8B%9C)/1_qshxwl69
Bio: Seungpyo Lee is a senior Global Affairs student with a concentration in Economy and Management. In his GLOA 400 class, Global Middle East, he worked on a project titled, “Evolution and Political Influence of ISIS in Iraq.” Seungpyo is from South Korea and loves to travel and experience various cultures and foods.
Project Title and Abstract:
Evolution and Political Influence of ISIS
During his research project, Seungpyo explored the emergence and impact of ISIS after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. He reviewed academic articles and multimedia resources to understand how the invasion led to regional destabilization and heightened sectarian conflicts. Additionally, he analyzed media representations, including sources like the New York Times and BBC News, to explore ISIS's history, social impact, and political influence. His findings illustrate that ISIS has successfully leveraged modern technology and traditional methods to sustain its influence and recruit members worldwide. For further exploration, Seungpyo plans to study other terrorist groups, such as Hamas and the Taliban.
11) Adam Sherinian
Presentation Link: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/Video+Recording+-+Fri+Jun+21+2024+15A46A46+GMT%2B0400+%28Armenia+Standard+Time%29/1_pob2r3t9
Bio: Adam Sherinian is a Senior at George Mason University, majoring in Global Affairs and concentrating in Global Governance. Currently an intern at the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of American Countries, and formerly an intern handling national security policy in the United States Senate, Sherinian will graduate in Fall 2024.
Project Title and Abstract:
Israel-Azerbaijan Relations Since 1991
For their GLOA400 capstone research project, Sherinian examined media articles and scholarly articles from various countries and sources to examine the relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan, and the large extent to which this relationship enabled ethnic cleansing in the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh War. Through the course of their research, Sherinian found that the relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan was in part fuelled by a vast network of diaspora lobbying groups in the United States, and in the future, Sherinian would like to focus on this aspect of diaspora politics affecting US foreign policy and the ripple effects of these decisions as they continue in their academic career. This research clearly demonstrates visible patterns in the global Middle East’s political economy and diaspora-homeland relations, and is indicative of a globalising world in which influence increasingly holds little regard for national boundaries.
11) Alexander Lund
Bio: Alexander Lund is a senior at George Mason University. His major is Global Affairs with a minor in Religious Studies. Africa is his area of concentration.
Project Title and Abstract:
On Israeli Nuclear Policy
Israeli nuclear policy is a matter seldom addressed in wider analysis of the Middle East. The country adheres to a doctrine known as strategic ambiguity, which means that it neither confirms nor denies the existence of nuclear weapons on its soil. In a region where disquietude over the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is common, ignoring Israel’s role in this inherently renders any analysis incomplete. When properly accounted for, what emerges is a policy that undermines the ability for Western states and Israel to negotiate with states looking to acquire WMDs. Iran is a prime example by proclaiming that it will develop a nuclear weapon if its existence is threatened. In order to rectify this, Israel must reform its nuclear program. In addition, Western countries should also abandon their acquiescent approach to its nuclear program.
August 21, 2024