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Battleground: Understanding the New Middle East
The Middle East Security Society invites you to a special discussion with Christopher Phillips, Professor of International Relations at Queen Mary University of London, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, and author of the newly released Battleground, recently named The Spectator’s Book of the Year. A leading expert on regional geopolitics, Phillips’ work examines how external intervention, shifting power dynamics, and the rise of violent non-state actors have reshaped the Middle East over the past 15 years.
In this session, Phillips will explore the core arguments of Battleground, in which he analyses ten key arenas of conflict — from Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Iraq to the Gulf and the Horn of Africa. Drawing on extensive research, he will discuss how emboldened regional powers, intensifying rivalries, and increasingly complex local dynamics have created what he calls the “new Middle East.”
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the forces driving today’s regional instability and the geopolitical trends likely to shape the future.
Date:
17 November 2025, 18:00
Venue:
Manor Road Building, Manor Road OX1 3UQ
Venue Details:
Department of Politics and International Relations, Skills Lab
Speaker:
Professor Christopher Phillips (Chatham House)
Organiser:
Oxford Middle East Security Society (MESS)
Organiser contact email address:
severin.dauer@politics.ox.ac.uk
Part of:
Oxford Middle East Security Society (MESS)
Booking required?:
Not required
Cost:
Free
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Adam Sharon
