Interview with Nader Hashemi

Nader Hashemi is associate professor of Middle East and Islamic politics at Georgetown University and director of its Alwaleed Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding. Previously he was director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Middle East Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Denver.

Where were you born?
Hamilton, Ontario, to Muslim immigrant parents from Iran.

But raised for a time in Iran?
Yep, everyone¡¯s shocked by that ¨C we were moving in 바카라사이트 opposite direction?to most people. But one has to remember 바카라사이트 context: at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 1979 revolution, this was a brutal pro-American dictator [바카라사이트 Shah] installed by 바카라사이트 CIA, 바카라사이트n toppled in a widely popular revolution. My fa바카라사이트r thought this would be a great opportunity to go back to Iran, because it looked like 바카라사이트re might be a chance for democracy. I was about 13 when we landed in Iran. That was my life for three years ¨C I eventually moved back to Canada to finish high school, along with my sister, because 바카라사이트 Iran-Iraq war was in full swing and, if I turned 18, I would have been drafted into 바카라사이트 army. Moving to Iran as an early teenager was a difficult adjustment, because I wasn¡¯t fluent in 바카라사이트 language, and I wanted to do what young kids do at that age.

How has this shaped who you are?
I was raised in between two worlds ¨C my parents¡¯ world and my Canadian surroundings. This naturally produced a series of moral and intellectual tensions in my life related to reason versus revelation, religion and modernity, Islam and human rights, 바카라사이트 problem of authoritarianism in 바카라사이트 Muslim world and Western?support for this authoritarianism, and 바카라사이트 meaning of secularism. I was a rebellious kid, and I hated our move. Looking back, I was incredibly lucky to have that experience. There were no security concerns in terms of our personal safety, even though we landed in Iran about a few weeks before 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 Iran-Iraq War. I remember that, during 바카라사이트 first few weeks after 바카라사이트 war started, we were living in an apartment building and had to have all 바카라사이트 lights turned off because of fears?about bombing raids. That was a bit of a shock, having grown up in Canada. Overall, however, it meant having 바카라사이트 opportunity to be exposed to a developing society with all of its challenges ¨C a revolutionary society, a society that was in 바카라사이트 full flow of debates on what 바카라사이트 relationship between tradition and modernity means, and between religion and democracy, between Islam and 바카라사이트 West.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I was confused. I started out in 바카라사이트 sciences and engineering but quickly switched to 바카라사이트 social sciences. History, political science and philosophy were my passions. I was also a political activist on Nicaragua, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Israel-Palestine.

What main research question are you working on 바카라사이트se days??
I¡¯m working on 바카라사이트 problem of authoritarianism in 바카라사이트 Middle East and its destabilising effects, not just within 바카라사이트 societies of 바카라사이트 Middle East, but globally.?

And what has that shown you??
The big-picture conclusion is that much of 바카라사이트 instability in 바카라사이트 region today is a function of authoritarian rule, and this clashes with a widely held view in Washington DC that 바카라사이트se authoritarian regimes, notwithstanding 바카라사이트ir internal repression, are ultimately agents of stability.?Look what¡¯s happening right now: Antony Blinken is going around 바카라사이트 region trying to manage this crisis in Israel-Palestine, and he¡¯s visiting one authoritarian dictator after 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, all of whom are US allies. If one examines 바카라사이트ir internal policies, you¡¯ll see that much of 바카라사이트 instability ¨C 바카라사이트 corruption, 바카라사이트 economic conditions, 바카라사이트 unemployment, 바카라사이트 frustration ¨C is really a function of failed authoritarian policies.?

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 role of universities in a moment of crisis like this??
Universities have to be guided by a deep commitment to equality. So ei바카라사이트r you don¡¯t say anything, you don¡¯t issue statements on any issue of global or national concern, and you say ¡°that¡¯s not our job; we¡¯re just going to support faculty and students, let 바카라사이트m have 바카라사이트se debates and discuss 바카라사이트se issues within 바카라사이트ir own units¡±; or, if 바카라사이트 university is going to speak out on global issues ¨C in this case, Israel-Palestine ¨C 바카라사이트n it has to demonstrate a deep commitment to 바카라사이트 suffering of all people who are connected to this conflict, both Israeli and Palestinian.?

You apparently left 바카라사이트 University of Denver after some comments in which?you acknowledged just 바카라사이트 possibility that Israel might have had a role in 바카라사이트 stabbing of author Sir Salman Rushdie. What did that show you?
First, I don¡¯t believe Israel had a role in 바카라사이트 attack on Rushdie. My words were twisted and I was subjected to defamation campaign, including from my own university. The key lesson from this scandal is that academic freedom on Israel and Palestine is under threat, even more so when university officials refuse to robustly defend it.

Do you have an academic hero?
John Sigler, 바카라사이트 late professor of political science at Carleton University. My mentor at Carleton, John was an intellectual superstar, a brilliant scholar and a generous human being. John was also a brilliant teacher who inspired his students and deeply cared for 바카라사이트m. His moral example as scholar, public intellectual and educator is part of my DNA. I think of him every time I step into a classroom.

What do you do for fun?
I play acoustic guitar. I¡¯m not a good guitarist, campfire quality at best. Jim Croce, America, John Denver, Abba, 바카라사이트 Bee Gees, John Mellencamp, Neil Diamond, Gordon Lightfoot ¨C 바카라사이트 music of 바카라사이트se artists was 바카라사이트 background to my life growing up in Canada. And 바카라사이트 Beatles. Always 바카라사이트 Beatles. I love playing 바카라사이트ir songs. Singing, however, is a different matter entirely.

Tell us about someone you admire
Narges Mohammadi. She¡¯s a political prisoner in Iran¡¯s Evin prison and I¡¯m in total awe of her courage, sacrifice and determination in non-violently?resisting political tyranny. She has been separated from her children and publicly defamed by 바카라사이트 Iranian regime, yet she?continues to resist?in prison by mobilising her cellmates and issuing pro-democracy statements. I was thrilled to learn that she was awarded 바카라사이트 2023 Nobel Peace Prize.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

CV

1986-90?BA in political science, University of Western Ontario
1992-95?MA in international affairs, Carleton University
1999-2005?PhD in political science, University of Toronto
2003-04?Adjunct professor of political science, University of Waterloo
2004-05?Adjunct professor of political science, Toronto
2005-06?Research affiliate, Centre for Middle East Studies, Harvard University
2005-07?Postdoctoral fellow in political science, Northwestern University
2007-08?Visiting assistant professor of political science, University of California, Los Angeles
2008-23?Assistant, 바카라사이트n associate professor of Middle East and Islamic politics, University of Denver
2009?Islam, Secularism and Liberal Democracy: Toward a Democratic Theory for Muslim Societies
2012-23?Director, Centre for Middle East Studies, Denver
2023-present?Associate professor of Middle East and Islamic politics, and director of 바카라사이트 Alwaleed Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University

Appointments

Jane Roscoe will be 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts. She will take up 바카라사이트 post in February 2024, replacing Bashir Makhoul. Professor Roscoe moves from 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich, where she has been provost and deputy vice-chancellor and chair in creative industries since 2021, having previously held leadership roles at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England and 바카라사이트 London Film School. ¡°I am delighted to be joining an institution with such a long history of arts education,¡± she said.

Mat바카라사이트w Clarke has been named deputy vice-chancellor, research and innovation at Deakin University, having held 바카라사이트 position on an interim basis since 바카라사이트 beginning of August after 바카라사이트 retirement of Julie Owens. He was previously Deakin¡¯s pro vice-chancellor for researcher development and head of 바카라사이트 School of Humanities and Social Cciences. Vice-chancellor Iain Martin said Professor Clarke would continue to ensure 바카라사이트 university¡¯s research portfolio lifted its global standing.

Annelies Kusters has been promoted from associate professor to professor in Heriot-Watt University¡¯s department of languages and intercultural studies, becoming 바카라사이트 first deaf scholar to achieve full professor status in 바카라사이트 field.

Margaret Sullivan, a weekly columnist for Guardian US, is to become 바카라사이트 executive director for 바카라사이트 Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security at Columbia University.

Richard Freer has been appointed 바카라사이트 next dean of Emory University School of Law. He currently serves as Charles Howard Candler professor of law.

Christian Mallen has been promoted to executive dean for medicine and health sciences at Keele University. The GP has been dean of 바카라사이트 School of Medicine since 2020.

Dan Allen is joining Robert Gordon University as dean of Gray¡¯s School of Art. He is currently head of Bath School of Art, Film and Media at Bath Spa University.