This workshop takes stock of the practice of security assistance by exploring cross-cutting themes of relevance to the Middle East region. It is notable that security assistance is practiced across ideological divides and strategic cultures. This includes security assistance by Western states, regional players (Turkey, Iran and the Gulf states) and global contenders (Russia and China), in addition to international organisations (NATO, the EU). It is a key feature in conflict contexts, such as in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen, as well as in more stable contexts, such as Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia. The Workshop will bring together scholars, policy analysts and practitioners of security assistance in the Middle East and aims to open up new lines of dialogue by rearticulating the terms of the debate so to bridge hitherto fragmented communities of research and practice.
The drivers, processes and effects of security assistance is currently being scrutinised from a variety of perspectives, and this workshop seeks to bring together three key communities of research for the purpose of cross-fertilisation and enhanced understanding of the phenomenon: Security Studies, Middle East Studies, and Strategic Studies/Policy community.