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    Gulf Insights

    The "Gulf Insights" series is published by the Gulf Studies Center on a weekly base with the aim to promote informed debate with academic depth. The Gulf Insights are commentaries on pressing regional issues written by the GSC/GSP faculty, staff and PhD and MA students, and they can be between 1,200 to 1,500 words.


    All articles published under “Gulf Insights” series have been discussed internally but they reflect the opinion and views of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Center, the College of Arts and Sciences, or Qatar University.


    Coordinators of the series from October 2022

    Cluster Politics and Security: Dr. Luciano Zaccara, Research Associate Professor, GSC, QU.

    Cluster Economy and Energy: Dr. Nikolay Kozhanov, Research Associate Professor, GSC, QU.

    Cluster Society and Culture: Dr. Md Mizanur Rahman, Research Associate Professor, GSC, QU.

    Editor and designer: Thouria Bilal Deeb Mahmoud, Senior Editor, GSC, QU.

    Coordinator of the series from 2016 until October 2022: Dr. Luciano Zaccara, Research Associate Professor in Gulf Politics, GSC, QU.

    Editor: Thouria Bilal Deeb Mahmoud, Senior Editor, GSC, QU

    Designer: Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu, Research Assistant, GSC, QU.

    Published Gulf Insights







    Nº96 November 2024

    Collaborative Insight 


    Reflections on the United States- GCC Relations:


    from Visa Waiver to Elections 



    Nº95 October 2024

    Collaborative Insight 

    Reflections on Qatar's Global Commitment towards Ensuring Education 

    Nº94 October 2024


    Saudi Foreign Policy in Yemen: The Central Bank and the (New) Political Status Quo

    Simon Coppieters


    Nº93 October 2024


    Collaborative Gulf Insight 

    Reflections on the Conflict in the Middle East and the Positions of the Gulf:Escalation, Diffusion and Mediation



    Nº92 April 2024

    Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Consequences on Oil and Gas Exports of the Gulf Countries 

    Iryna Rishniak

    Nº91 March 2024

    Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Renaissance: Societal Codes and Embrace 

    Sinem Cengiz

    Nº90 March 2024

    Arab Opinion on Iran: The Gaza War Perspective 

    Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu & Luciano Zaccara

    Nº89 February 2024

    The Art of Gulf Diplomacy: Kuwait’s New Emir Embarks on a GCC Tour 

    Sinem Cengiz & Amna Sadiq

    Nº88 February 2024

     Educational Diplomacy at Stake: Closure of a US University Branch in Qatar 

    Sharique Umar

    Nº87 February 2024

    IRAQ Provincial Elections 2023: A Decade in the Making 

    Abdulla Al-Khazraji

    Nº86 December 2023

    Navigating Change: A Closer Look at Kuwait’s New Leadership and Policy Priorities 

    Sinem Cengiz

    Nº85 December 2023

    Saudi Arabia’s Sport Investment Strategy: A Driver for Diversification, Empowerment, and Identity Construction

    Sebastian Sons

    Nº84 December 2023

    Gulf Food Security in the Times of Conflict: How Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Impacts Grain Imports by The GCC Member States 

    Iryna Rishniak

    Nº83 December 2023

    The 44th GCC Summit in Qatar: A Brief Review 

    Amna Sadiq

    Nº82 October 2023

    The Gulf Regional Implication of the Gaza War 

    Luciano Zaccara

    Nº81 September 2023

    New Saudi generation reestablishes Al-Balad to keep the past alive 

    Sinem Cengiz

    Nº80 June 2023

    Qatar Central Municipal Council elections 22 June 2023 

    Luciano Zaccara

    Nº79 June 2023

    Kuwait Legislative Elections 2023 

    Luciano Zaccara & Ismail Zahirovic

    Nº78 May 2023

    Qatar’s Humanitarianism: Between Altruism and Realpolitik 

    Sharique Umar 

    Nº77 April 2023

    Political Dynamics Surrounding Iraq’s Electoral Law 

    Abdulla Al-Khazraji

    Nº76 April 2023

    What Iran gains from the recently signed deal with Saudi Arabia 

    Luciano Zaccara 

    Nº75 March 2023

    Her Excellency, Not His: Gulf Women Breaking Diplomatic Tradition 

    Sinem Cengiz

    Nº74 March 2023

    Al-Zubara – Preserving History and Making History 

    Lakshmi Venugopal Menon & Farah Al Qawasmi

    Nº73 February 2023

    Lifestyle Barriers to Physical Fitness in Kuwait and the Need for a Revision in Public Policies 

    E. Esra Erturan-Ogut

    Nº72 February 2023

    Quest for the Best: Foreign Athletes as High-Skilled Migrants in the Gulf Region 

    Sharique Umar

    Nº71 January 2023

    Reconciliation in the Gulf: the Case of Iran-Saudi Arabia Talks 

    Mahjoob Zweiri & Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu

    Nº70 January 2023

    Challenges Facing the Iraqi Government for 2023 

    Abdulla Farooq Hassan

    Nº69 January 2023

    Post-World Cup 2022: What Potential Legacies Qatar Can Build On 

    Sinem Cengiz

    Nº68 December 2022

    Qatar’s World Cup 2022: Dropping Jaws and Turning Tables 

    Mahjoob Zweiri & Farah Al Qawasmi

    Nº67 November 2022

    The Fire in the Next Door: Popular Protests in Iran and the Responses from the GCC 

    Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu 

    Nº66 November 2022

    China and Europe in the Gulf: Competitor or Collaborator? 

    Tingyi Wang

    Nº65 October 2022

    The Crisis in Iraq: Should Gulf Be Worried? 

    Mahjoob Zweiri & Lakshmi Venugopal Menon

    Nº64 October 2022

    Kuwait 2022 Parliamentary Elections: Key Characteristics and Future Prospects 

    Kazuto Matsuda & Thomas Bonnie James

    Nº63 October 2022

    Assessing the Socio-political Aspect of Kuwait’s 2022 Parliamentary Elections: Kuwaitis Vote for Change 

    Sinem Cengiz

    Nº62 July 2022

    Environmental Cooperation in the Red Sea: a lost opportunity? 

    Victoria Silva Sánchez

    Nº61 May 2022

    Lebanon’s Elections: What next? 

    Simon Mabon and Elias Ghazal

    Nº60 May 2022 

    Yemeni Presidential Council and the GCC: Renewed Vigor or More of the Same 

    Mahjoob Zweiri and Lakshmi Menon Venugopal

    Nº59 April 2022

    Look East and Move Beyond Oil and Blue Diamond: Saudi Arabia-Thailand Diplomatic Revival and Normalisation 

    Vorachai Israsena-Pichitkanjanakul

    Nº58 April 2022

    Argentina-Qatar: Political and Economic Relations and the Bet on Building Long-lasting Ties. 

    Mariela Cuadro and Ornela Fabani

    Nº57 March 2022

    Israel and the Persian Gulf: Impact of US Offshore Balancing Strategy 

    JavadHeiran-Nia

    Nº56 March 2022

    Regional actor transformed into an international key-player: The Qatar entrance in the Ukraine crisis. 

    Leticia Rodríguez

    Nº55 February 2022

    Houthi posturing, not mere retaliation 

    Fernando Carvajal

    Nº54 February 2022

    The Latin American Region and the UAE Nexus 

    Thomas Bonnie James and Shaikha Majed Al-Moslemani

    Nº53 December 2021

    What lessons we can take from The 2021 FIFA Arab Cup 

    Mahfoud Amara

    Nº52 December 2021

    Saudi Arabia’s Quiet Diplomacy with Iran 

    Hazal Muslu El Berni

    Nº51 December 2021

    GCC’s Evolving Cities and the Dearth in Urban Planning 

    Lakshmi Venugopal Menon

    Nº50 November 2021

    Al-UlaDeclaration: A Window of Opportunity for Wider Regional Reconciliation? 

    Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu

    Nº49 November 2021

    Varying Perspectives: The Al-Ula Agreement and the Future of the GCC 

    Thomas Bonnie James 

    Nº48 September 2021

    QATAR The First Shura Council Elections 

    Luciano Zaccara

    Nº47 June 2021

    Iran Presidential elections 2021: What the numbers say 

    Luciano Zaccara

    Nº46 June 2021

    The Qatar Shura Council Elections: A Preliminary assessment 

    Luciano Zaccara and Salem Ghurab

    Nº45 June 2021

    Qatar: The End of a Blockade, The start of a New Era 

    Mahjoob Zweiri and Farah Al Qawasmi

    Nº44 May 2021

    India’s Vaccine-diplomacy with the GCC 

    Lakshmi Venugopal Menon and Thomas Bonnie James

    Nº43 May 2021

    Women’s Rights and Intersectionality in the Gulf-Identity Politics, the Question of Inclusion and Representation. 

    Zarqa Parvez

    Nº42 February 2021

    King-making amid the Gulf Crisis 

    Bulent Aras and Emirhan Yorulmazlar

    Nº41 December 2020

    The Challenges of 2020 and the Future of Political Reforms in the GCC 

    Cihat Battaloglu

    Nº40 December 2020

    Trump Gone: What does it mean for the GCC 

    Hamdullah Baycar and Huzeyfe Altiok

    Nº39 December 2020

    Can 2021 be the year Iran and the GCC States engage in dialogue? 

    Mehran Haghirian

    Nº38 November 2020

    Cooperation between the UAE and Israel in the Oil Market: Can it go beyond Political Considerations? 

    Nikolay Kozhanov

    Nº37 November 2020

    The Gulf and the smart city movement in the Middle East 

    Javier Guirado

    Nº36 September 2020

    Consequences of Kuwaiti Succession for the GCC 

    Courtney Freer

    Nº35 August 2020

    The UAE-Israel Normalisation “If you can’t convince them, confuse them” 

    Mahjoob Zweiri

    Nº34 July 2020

    Is the Strait of Hormuz still a vital energy route? Alternatives between Ambition and Reality

    هل لا يزال مضيق هرمز معبراً عالمياً حيوياً للطاقة؟ البدائل بين الواقع والطموح

    Mahjoob Zweiri & Yara Nassar

    Nº33 July 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    How sanctions and the pandemic affect Iran’s economy

    Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

    Nº32 June 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Oman: Food Security in Times of Uncertainty 

    Gertjan Hoetjes

    Nº31 June 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Missed Opportunities:  The Trump Administration, Iran, and the Coronavirus Pandemic 

    Juan Cole

    Nº30 May 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Navigating Troubled Waters: Experts’ Views on GCC Challenges for Socio-Economic Recovery in the Post-Covid-19 PeriodNikolay Kozhanov and Luciano Zaccara (eds.)

    Nº29 May 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Covid-19 Crisis and Iran-Turkey-Qatar Relations: Economic Downgrade and Corona Diplomacy 

    Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu

    Nº28 May 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Covid-19 in War-Ravaged Yemen: Ends or doubles the war? 

    Betul Dogan-Akkas

    Nº27 May 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia: Beyond the health crisis 

    Antonino Occhiuto

    Nº26 April 2020

    Saudi Arabia in Struggle for the Chinese Oil Market: the Price War as Necessity

    Nikolay Kozhanov

    Nº25 April 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    The Covid-19 Pandemic: Vulnerability of Migrant workers in the GCC States 

    Md Mizanur Rahman

    Nº24 April 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Pandemic threatens to drive wedge into US-Gulf relations 

    James M. Dorsey

    Nº23 April 2020

    Saudi Arabia: More Room for Wahhabism Lite? 

    Paul Aarts

    Nº22 April 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Covid-19, a Common Threat towards Intrusive Regionalism 

    Mahdokht Zakeri

    Nº21 April 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Covid-19 in Qatar:  Well Versed in Crisis Management 

    Marc Owen Jones

    Nº20 April 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    Covid-19 in Kuwait: An Opportunity for the Government 

    Hamad H. Albloshi

    Nº19 April 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    COVID-19 and Plummeting Oil Prices; a Time of Reckoning for Oman 

    Ahmed Ali M. al Mukhaini

    Nº18 March 2020 [Covid-19 in the Gulf Special Coverage]

    The Sudden Cost of Unexpected Threats: The Novel Coronavirus and Dubai 

    Hamdullah Baycar

    Nº17 March 2020

    Iran: Legislative elections 21st February 2020

    Luciano Zaccara

    Nº16 February 2020

    Reconstructing the Event: The Repercussions of Soleimani’s Assassination in the GCC 

    Erick Viramontes

    Nº15 February 2020

    Natural Gas in the Gulf:  From a Failed Regional Gas Grid to an Emerging Intra-Gulf LNG Market? 

    Naji Abi-Aad

    Nº14 January 2020

    Arabian Gulf Cup offers hope of diplomatic breakthrough 

    John McManus

    Nº13 December 2019

    Moving Towards a Knowledge-Based Economy in Qatar: What Is Needed To Enable ICT, Education, Innovation and Entrepreneurship?

    Tarek Ben Hassen and Fatima Al-Dhaheri

    Nº12 December 2019

    Economic Drivers of the GCC Investments in the Horn of Africa Region 

    Héla Miniaoui

    Nº11 November 2019

    العنوان: مبادرة هرمز للسلام الإيرانية والبلدان المجاورة: نموذج هلسنكي

    Iran Hormuz Peace Initiative and the Neighboring Countries: The Helsinki Model 

    Mahjoob Zweiri and Muyassar Suleiman 

    Nº10 October 2019

    Can Pakistan mend relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran? 

    Ana Ballesteros Peiró

    Nº9 October 2019

    Drone Attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Oil Refining Facilities: Lessons to be Learnt 

    Nikolay Kozhanov

    Nº8 April 2019

    Iran’s Economic Challenges in the New Year: Problems with(out) Solutions?

     Nikolay Kozhanov

    Nº7 February 2019

    Food Security in Qatar: Threats and opportunities 

    Hussein A. Amery

    Nº6 February 2019

    Nº5 January 2019

    Qatar’s Exit from the OPEC: Economically Driven, Politically Determined

    Nikolay Kozhanov

    Nº4 November 2018

    Blood Diplomacy: Saudi Arabia between Yemen and Jamal Khashoggi

    Paulino R. Robles-Gil Cozzi

    Nº3 November 2018

    The causes and consequences of the dispute between Canada and Saudi Arabia

    Thomas Juneau

    Nº2 April 2016

    Internal Mechanisms and the Political Establishment in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Myth of Reality 

    Mahjoob Zweiri

    Nº1 March 2016

    Who won the Iranian elections? 

    Luciano Zaccara