Founded in 2007, the Institute for Middle East Studies aims to foster research, dialogue and the creation of an intellectual community focused on the modern Middle East, geographically defined as the Arab world, Turkey, Israel, and Iran. To this end, IMES encourages intellectual collaboration among members of the GW community interested in the Middle East, between GW research institutes, and with other organizations in the Washington area. In promoting and publicizing new work on the Middle East, IMES aims to deepen understanding of this critical region among scholars, students, and the broader public. We hope you will join our efforts to examine the forces that have shaped this critical region, how they operate today, and how they may unfold in the future..

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IMES in the News

IMES Director Marc Lynch was interviewed on January 8, 2010 by Public Radio International's The World about the attempted Christmas Day airliner bombing. Read the transcript here.

IMES graduate student Kivanc Ozcan wrote an article titled "Kürt Aç¡l¡m¡ ve elestiriyi kurmak" that was published in the Turkish newspaper Taraf in Decebmer, 2009. In the article he addresses the Turkish Justice and Development Party's newly launched Kurdish Initiative, as well as the critical and constructive criticisms it has received. Read the article, in Turkish, here.

IMES graduate student Ronan McGee published two articles for the Stimson Center's "Spotlight Analysis" Series titled "Oil Legislation in Iraq: A Step Towards Stability" (November 2009), and "Yemen and the GCC: Prospects for Membership" (October 2009). Read them here and here.

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