MINDS Expert Briefing Series – Change and consistency of Middle Eastern States

MINDS Expert Briefing Series - Change and consistency of Middle Eastern States

June 18, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 1:00

Join Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) for a fascinating discussion with two leading Canadian academic experts on the contrasting patterns of political stability and instability in the Middle East. The event will seek to connect DND policy officers with academics and practitioners to discuss why certain states in the region maintain relatively consistent regimes despite ongoing regional crises, and to explore the underlying factors and conditions that contribute to these divergent trajectories.

Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
When: Thursday, June 25, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Who: Defence Team members with an interest in the Middle East are encouraged to join!

The experts

Dr. Zheger Hassan, University of Western Ontario. His research focuses on Iraqi Kurdistan and the broader Kurdish regions of Iraq and Turkey, including on-the-ground observation of elections as an international observer, examining political systems, nationalism, democratization, secession, and federal governance dynamics within conflict-affected Middle Eastern contexts.

Dr. Jean Lachapelle, Université de Montréal. His research examines the causes and consequences of state violence in authoritarian regimes. More broadly, he is interested in issues of coercion, military coups, revolution, and the relationship between violence and political order, with a regional focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

To get more information, contact [email protected] no later than June 24.