Archive for the middle east dialogue Category

SHEEHAN | 6 Op-Eds in First Weeks of 2018

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In the first three weeks of 2018, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan – Associate Professor of Public and International Affairs – published six op-eds in prominent news outlets, including Fox News and The National Interest. In summer and fall 2017, Dr. Sheehan also authored seven additional op-eds that circulated in Washington’s policy community and raised themes subsequently picked up by prominent U.S. officials in public remarks and prior to important votes. In November 2017, Sheehan also spoke at the National Press Club at an event with Senator Joseph Lieberman.

SHEEHAN | Iran Protests: How Trump Can Strike a Fatal Blow Against a Dangerous, Tyrannical Regime | Fox News | 30 Dec 2017

*The article was trending at FoxNews.com in the early days of the 2018 Iran uprising.

SHEEHAN & TANTER | Trump Faces an Unfolding Iranian Revolution–Time to Act | The Hill | 3 JAN 2018

TANTER & SHEEHAN | Iran Protests Should Prompt Update of Trump Policy, Nuclear Deal | Newsmax | 4 JAN 2018

SHEEHAN | Trump Should Go Further on Iran | Washington Examiner | 5 JAN 2018

TANTER & SHEEHAN | US Renews Iran Nuclear Deal, Needs to Focus More on Human Rights | Newsmax | 14 JAN 2018

TANTER & SHEEHAN | Will 2018 Bring Revolution to Iran? | The National Interest | 17 JAN 2018

*The National Interest is the leading journal associated with the realist school of foreign policy and is published by the Center for the National Interest, chaired by Henry Kissinger. The article, which was a leading article at the magazine during the 2018 Iran uprising, was coauthored with University of Michigan Professor Emeritus Raymond Tanter, who served on the National Security Council senior staff in the Regan White House. The article was subsequently translated into Farsi by Voice of America – Iran (VOA Farsi).

In winter 2017, Dr. Sheehan was also profiled in a magazine article titled Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan Zeroes in on Conflict Both at Home and Abroad.

Dr. Sheehan is the Vice Chair of the Board at the American Committee on Human Rights (formerly known as the Iran Policy Committee). The organization, which educates policymakers on U.S. Iran policy, is made up of senior former White House, State Department, Pentagon, and CIA officials, as well as scholars from think tanks and academia. Sheehan’s scholarship, policy-oriented writing, and media appearances have been influential in shaping Washington’s thinking on the prospect of a democratic transition in Iran.

Dr. Sheehan is scheduled to appear at the Policy Studies Organization’s 2018 Middle East Dialogue this spring and anticipates presenting at the 2018 annual conference of the American Political Science Association in the fall.

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is the Director of the graduate programs in Negotiations & Conflict Management and Global Affairs & Human Security in the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore. For research or media related updates or to learn more about Dr. Sheehan, follow him at @ProfSheehan or link to his research profiles.

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Sheehan to Chair Panel at 2016 Middle East Dialogue at Policy Studies Organization

Posted in @TheIranDeal, american political science association, analysis, APSA, assad, baghdad, ballistic missiles, CIA, civil unrest, congress, counterterrorism, crimes against humanity, democracy, deterrence, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, education, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, freedom, fundamentalism, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism and Non-Proliferation, human rights, human security, IAEA, inspections, intelligence, international order, international relations, international security studies, international studies association, iran, iraq, irgc, ISA, ISIS, Ivan Sascha Sheehan, leadership, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, NCRI, negotiation, nonproliferation, nuclear, obama, P5+1, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, political science, politics, preemptive, Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan, regime change, regime change from within, research, sanctions, scholarly, sectarian conflict, security studies, senate foreign relations committee, sheehan, SPSA, state department, syria, teaching, tehran, terror tagging, terrorism, unrest, war, weapons, westphalia press, white house with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 15, 2016 by Professor Sheehan

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On February 26, 2016, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan – Associate Professor of Public and International Affairs – will chair a panel on Iran policy at the 2016 Middle East Dialogue (MED) annual conference in Washington, DC. Dr. Sheehan presented at MED conferences in 2013, 2014, and 2015. He also twice published in the peer-reviewed journal Digest of Middle East Studies (2013, 2014) as well as in a Policy Studies Organization edited volume (2014).

The Middle East Dialogue is hosted annually by the Policy Studies Organization at the historic Whittemore House in Washington, DC where it attracts academics, analysts, and government officials with an interest in policy issues impacting the Middle East.

Sheehan also recently presented at the 2016 Southern Political Science Association (SPSA) Annual Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico; the 2015 International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the 2015 American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Conference in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Sheehan is the Director of the graduate programs in Negotiations & Conflict Management and Global Affairs & Human Security in the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore.

For additional research or media related updates or to learn more about Dr. Sheehan, follow him on Twitter @ProfSheehan or link to his research profiles.

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Sheehan Presenting at 87th Annual Southern Political Science Association Conference

Posted in @TheIranDeal, american political science association, analysis, APSA, assad, baghdad, ballistic missiles, CIA, civil unrest, college of public affairs, congress, counterterrorism, delisting, democracy, deterrence, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, education, european union, evidence-based, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, freedom, fundamentalism, global, human rights, human security, IAEA, inspections, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, international studies association, iran, iraq, irgc, ISA, ISIS, Ivan Sascha Sheehan, media, MEK, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, NCRI, nonproliferation, nuclear, obama, P5+1, paris, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, political science, politics, preemptive, Professor Ivan Sascha Sheehan, protest, regime change, regime change from within, research, rouhani, sanctions, scholarly, sectarian conflict, security studies, sheehan, social science, SPSA, state department, suicide, suicide attacks, suicide missions, suicide operations, suicide terrorism, syria, tehran, terror tagging, terrorism, threat, war, weapons, white house with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 23, 2015 by Professor Sheehan

#Media / #News / #Scholarship / #Inquiries / #UB87th Annual Southern Political Science Association Conference | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 7-9 Jan 2016

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Associate Professor of Public and International Affairs, will present at the 87th Annual Southern Political Science Association Conference at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 7-9, 2016.

Dr. Sheehan is scheduled to appear on the following panels: #PDF

  • Panel: Global Issues from Local Perspectives
    Conceptions of “Regime Change” Amongst the Iranian Opposition and the Implications for Policy
    Section: International Politics – Global Issues and Human Rights
    Roles: Panelist / Chair / Discussant
  • Panel: Innovative Approaches to the Study of Terrorism
    Suicide Terrorism: An Assessment of the Political Science Literature
    Section: International Politics – Conflict and Security
    Roles: Panelist
  • Panel: Terrorism and Domestic Politics
    Section: International Relations and Domestic Politics
    Roles: Chair / Discussant

The theme for the 2016 Southern Political Science Association Annual Annual Conference is Rich and Poor Democracy. The theme reflects an overarching interest in the positive and normative aspects of the inequality in democratic representation. The Southern Political Science Association is one of the oldest and largest political science organizations in the United States. Founded in 1929, its principle goals are to improve teaching, to promote interest and research in theoretical and practical political problems, to encourage communication, and to develop standards of competence and respect between persons engaged in the professional study and practice of government and politics.

Sheehan also recently spoke at the 2015 International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Conference in New Orleans, the 2015 American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Conference in San Francisco, and is scheduled to appear at the 2016 Middle East Dialogue/Policy Studies Organization (MED/PSO) annual meeting in Washington, D.C. in February 2016.

Dr. Sheehan is the Director of the graduate programs in Negotiations & Conflict Management and Global Affairs & Human Security in the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore.

For additional research or media related updates or to learn more about Dr. Sheehan, follow him on Twitter @ProfSheehan or link to his research profiles.

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Sheehan to Speak at Syracuse University National Security Studies Conference

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Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan has been invited to speak at a conference – The Global Threat: Emerging Issues in National Security – hosted by the prestigious Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University on February 27-28, 2015.

Dr. Sheehan is also scheduled to speak next week at the 2015 Annual Conference of the International Studies Association (ISA) in New Orleans and the week after at the 2015 Middle East Dialogue (MED) conference hosted by the Policy Studies Organization in Washington, D.C.

For additional research or media related updates or to learn more, follow Dr. Sheehan on Twitter @ProfSheehan.

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Sheehan to Speak at 2015 Middle East Dialogue

Posted in 9-11, afghanistan, analysis, arak, ashraf, baghdad, bioterrorism, chemical weapons, CIA, congress, counterterrorism, data, databases, democracy, digest of middle east studies, dissident, DOMES, education, evidence-based, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, fundamentalism, global, homicidality scale, IAEA, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, international studies association, iran, iraq, irgc, ISA, ISIS, kerry, killing, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, murder, NCRI, New Orleans, nuclear, P5+1, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, protest, regime change, regime change from within, research, rouhani, sanctions, scholarly, sectarian conflict, security studies, senate, senate foreign relations committee, sheehan, shiite, social science, state department, strike, suicide terrorism, sunni, syria, teaching, tehran, terror tagging, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, unrest, war, weapons, westphalia press, white house with tags , , , , , , on November 17, 2014 by Professor Sheehan

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Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan has been invited to speak at the 2015 Middle East Dialogue, a conference hosted by the Policy Studies Organization on February 26, 2015. The annual meeting — held at the historic Whittemore House in Washington, D.C. — attracts academics, analysts, and government officials with an interest in policy issues impacting the Middle East.

Dr. Sheehan’s presentation – “Suicide Terrorism: Competing Explanations and Policy Implications for the Middle East” – will feature the results of his forthcoming study in a special issue of the journal Clinical Innovations in Neuroscience (“Suicide Terrorism: A Critical Assessment of the Evidence”). The presentation will challenge the conventional thinking on suicide terrorism in the Political Science and International Relations literatures by examining the theoretical and empirical evidence for and against the possibility that suicide terrorists may suffer from psychopathology.

This is Dr. Sheehan’s third time presenting at the Middle East Dialogue (2013, 2014, 2015). He has also twice published in the peer-reviewed journal Digest of Middle East Studies (2013, 2014) and also in a Policy Studies Organization edited volume (2014).

In February 2015, Dr. Sheehan is also scheduled to speak at the Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association in New Orleans where he will discuss his latest study on regime change in Iran, as well as serve as a chair and discussant for other panels related to his scholarship.

Stay tuned for updates and follow Dr. Sheehan on Twitter @ProfSheehan

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SHEEHAN: What Is “Regime Change From Within?” Unpacking the Concept in the Context of Iran | Digest of Middle East Studies | Oct 14

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SHEEHAN: What Is “Regime Change From Within?” Unpacking the Concept in the Context of Iran | Digest of Middle East Studies | Fall 2014 | Vol. 23, Issue 2

Digest of Middle East Studies (DOMES); Copyright © Wiley / Policy Studies Organization; Fall 2014; Vol. 23, Issue 2; Pgs. 385-403

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is published in the fall 2014 issue of the Digest of Middle East Studies, a peer-reviewed journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization. Dr. Sheehan’s latest study — What Is “Regime Change From Within?” Unpacking the Concept in the Context of Iran — clarifies the contested concept of regime change from within via Tehran’s organized opposition and makes contributions to the concept’s formation to increase its policy relevance and classificatory significance.

Abstract: The use of the phrase “regime change from within” has surged in recent years in media, policy, and opposition discourse, especially in relation to the Islamic Republic of Iran. But what does “regime change from within” actually mean? Is it just a script to encourage the aspirations of a people, or can it be defined with more specificity? This article argues that to be of value as a concept and the basis for articulate policy, “regime change from within” needs to be better defined. To bring greater clarity to the term, the article tries to unpack the concept by disaggregating it into three analytically separable problem components: the “regime,” “change,” and “from within.” Drawing on the case of Iran, I argue that although most of the current debate around the concept is on the “from within” component, the definitional choices that need more discussion are the “regime” and “change” aspects of the phrase.

Excerpt | What Is “Regime Change From Within?” Unpacking the Concept in the Context of Iran | Digest of Middle East Studies | F.14 | Vol. 23, Issue 2 –

[The concept of] ‘regime change from within’ has been employed for an array of very disparate processes — as a holder for democracy promotion efforts from outside a country as well as indigenous efforts that exclude outside intervention, to highlight the need for radical change and more vaguely to call for continuous reform. But to be of value as a concept and the basis for articulate policy, a term needs to have some degree of specificity of meaning, some shared consensus. Otherwise, it just becomes a proverbial “you know it when you see it” concept that is difficult to distinguish from other types of political phenomena.

To address this gap and bring greater clarity to the concept, this article looks at some of the definitional choices that need to be addressed to come to a consensus on the meaning of “regime change from within.” Using the case of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I show how different decisions about what constitutes “regime change from within” could lead to very different conceptualizations in empirical cases…

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Sheehan Presenting at 2014 World Congress of Middle Eastern Studies

Posted in analysis, ankara, arak, ashraf, assad, baghdad, ballistic missiles, brussels, chemical weapons, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, conflict resolution, congress, courses, covert, crimes against humanity, debate, delisting, democracy, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, education, european union, evidence-based, fordow, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, global, hostages, human rights, human security, IAEA, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, iran, iraq, kerry, maliki, media, MEK, metu, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, mossad, natanz, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, P5+1, paris, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, protest, qum, rajavi, regime change, research, rhetoric, sanctions, scholarly, security studies, sheehan, social science, state department, syria, tanter, tehran, terror tagging, terrorism, threat, turkey, united kingdom, university of baltimore, unrest, war, weapons, wocmes, zarif on June 19, 2014 by Professor Sheehan

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2014 World Congress of Middle East Studies / Strategies for Change in the Middle East: Clarifying the Contested Concept of Regime Change from Within / Panel on Democracy and Reform in Iran from a Historical Perspective / August 18-22, 2014 / Middle East Technical University (METU)

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan has been invited to Ankara, Turkey to present at the 2014 World Congress of Middle East Studies (WOCMES) between August 18-22, 2014. The symposium will be held at Middle East Technical University (METU), one of Turkey’s leading universities. Dr. Sheehan is scheduled to present a paper titled Strategies for Change in the Middle East: Clarifying the Contested Concept of Regime Change from Within.

Presentation Abstract: The term “regime change from within” has become increasingly popular in opposition and policy discourse, especially in relation to the Islamic Republic of Iran. It has also begun entering the academic literature. But what does it mean? Despite its increasing use “regime change from within” is rarely defined and scant scholarly attention to date has been paid to defining it. This is problematic since, as an “umbrella concept,” the term can be stretched to include a wide variety of discrepant processes. In fact, “regime change from within” has been used as a holder for democracy promotion efforts within a country that start both inside and outside a country, as well as indigenous efforts that exclude outside support, to highlight the need for radical change, and more vaguely to call for “continuous” change or reform. This paper argues that coherent strategic policy demands better articulation of the meaning of the term. As a first step, the paper traces the evolution of use of the term “regime change from within,” tries to unpack its components, and develops a preliminary framework that partitions the concept into ends (vision) and means (strategy) to assess its utility for policy.

Stay tuned for two forthcoming articles by Dr. Sheehan:

SHEEHAN: What is “Regime Change from Within?” Unpacking the Concept in the Context of Iran | Digest of Middle East Studies | Fall 2014

SHEEHAN: Balancing Ends, Ways, and Means: The Case for Reviving Support for “Regime Change from Within” in Iran | Under Review

More on Dr. Sheehan’s research can be found at the below links.

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Sheehan Published in New Book on Middle East

Posted in analysis, arak, ashraf, assad, baghdad, brussels, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, conflict resolution, congress, council on foreign relations, counterterrorism, covert, crimes against humanity, data, debate, delisting, democracy, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, european union, evidence-based, fordow, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, framing, freedom, global, human rights, human security, IAEA, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, iran, iraq, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, mossad, natanz, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, P5+1, paris, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, rhetoric, sanctions, scholarly, security studies, sheehan, social science, state department, teaching, tehran, terror tagging, terrorism, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore, unrest, war, weapons, westphalia press, zarif on June 19, 2014 by Professor Sheehan

New Directions in the Middle East Book Cover#Media / #News / #Scholarship / #Inquiries

New Directions in the Middle East / Edited by Mohammed M. Aman and Mary Jo Aman / Westphalia Press / ISBN/EAN13: 194147201X; 9781941472019 / 16 Jun 2014

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is published in a new book titled New Directions in the Middle East. The book presents articles based on papers delivered at the annual Middle East Dialogue held in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Digest of Middle East Studies (DOMES) and the Policy Studies Organization (PSO), and at the Conference of the Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA) held in Ifrane, Morocco. The authors suggest much needed and even radical reforms amidst a series of conflicts that include the standoff between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the role and impact of social media as empowered by technology, and citizens’ demands for political, economic, and social change. Those interested in crisis management and conflict resolution will find this a must read. The contributors represent an unusually wide variety of political and religious views and include a number who enjoy considerable standing in the Middle East.

“This exceptional work, composed of two volumes, ‘Middle East: Conflicts & Reforms’ and ‘New Directions in the Middle East’ is a magnum opus. In this book, edited by Mohammed M. Aman and Mary Jo Aman, the reader is introduced to a comprehensive and integrated erudite work addressed by a number of distinguished scholars from different disciplines dealing with the Middle East and North Africa, a most sensitive region of the world. The book identifies significant academic and public policy approaches as well as socio-economic, cultural, and political paradigms that bind together such timely topics as democracy, Islam, Islamism, sectarianism, secularism, globalism, modernity, Arab Spring, social justice, social media, leadership, women’s rights, and peace. The book offers a unique and compelling assessment of the future of the Middle East. Objectively written and eloquently presented, this book will enhance the scholarship of the Middle East and assist in the understanding the ability of political systems, government or state and non-government or civil society, in handling and managing current challenges facing the region.”

el-Sayed el-Aswad, Ph.D.
Prof. of Anthropology and Chair of Department of Sociology
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
United Arab Emirates University

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Sheehan Invited to Present at 2014 Political Studies Association Annual Conference

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The 64th Political Studies Association Annual Conference / Rebels & Radicals / April 14 – 16, 2014 / The Midland Hotel, Manchester, United Kingdom

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Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan has been invited to present at the 64th Political Studies Association Annual Conference in Manchester, England between April 14-16, 2014. Dr. Sheehan will be discussing his research on the efforts of an Iranian opposition movement to challenge their terror label and shift the public discourse on the Iranian regime in the U.S. and the E.U. The panel – Social Media and Politics of Protest – will feature scholars from around the world. Related research undertaken by Dr. Sheehan has been presented at recent international conferences including the International Studies Association (Toronto) and the Middle East Dialogue/ Policy Studies Organization (Washington, DC). #AY 13-14 Updates

The Political Studies Association exists to enhance the study of politics. Founded in 1950, PSA is the leading Association in the field in the United Kingdom, with an international membership including academics in political science & current affairs, theorists & practitioners, policymakers & researchers.

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Sheehan to Present at 2014 Middle East Dialogue

Posted in analysis, assad, baghdad, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, counterterrorism, covert, delisting, democracy, deterrence, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, education, european union, evidence-based, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, freedom, global, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, iran, iraq, kerry, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, NCRI, nuclear, obama, P5+1, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, sanctions, scholarly, security studies, senate, senate foreign relations committee, sheehan, state department, strike, tehran, terrorism, think-tank, threat, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore, unrest, war, weapons, white house on February 20, 2014 by Professor Sheehan

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Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan has been invited to deliver a talk at the 2014 Middle East Dialogue hosted by the Policy Studies Organization on February 27. Dr. Sheehan’s talk titled Clarifying a Contested Concept: Regime Change from Within will trace the evolution of the concept of regime change from within and argue that meaningful policy demands more precise articulation of the term. The conference, held at the Whittemore House in Washington, D.C. will feature scholars and policy analysts that address the event’s 2014 theme of Strategies for Change in the Middle East. Dr. Sheehan’s remarks at the 2013 Middle East Dialogue resulted in the publication of an article in the peer-reviewed journal, Digest of Middle East Studies.

Clarifying a Contested Concept: Regime Change from Within

The term “regime change from within” has become increasingly popular in opposition and policy discourse, especially in relation to the Islamic Republic of Iran. It has also begun entering the academic literature. But what does it mean? Despite its increasing use “regime change from within” is rarely defined and scant scholarly attention to date has been paid to defining it. This is problematic since, as an “umbrella concept,” the term can be stretched to include a wide variety of discrepant processes. In fact, “regime change from within” has been used as a holder for democracy promotion efforts within a country that start both inside and outside a country, as well as indigenous efforts that exclude outside support, to highlight the need for radical change, and more vaguely to call for “continuous” change or reform. This paper argues that coherent strategic policy demands better articulation of the meaning of the term. As a first step, the paper traces the evolution of use of the term “regime change from within,” tries to unpack its components, and develops a preliminary framework that partitions the concept into ends (vision) and means (strategy) to assess its utility for policy.

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Sheehan Study on Iranian Opposition Published in Digest of Middle East Studies

Posted in analysis, APSA, CIA, clinton, college of public affairs, congress, council on foreign relations, counterterrorism, courses, covert, crimes against humanity, data, databases, debate, delisting, democracy, deterrence, digest of middle east studies, diplomacy, dissident, DOMES, education, european union, evidence-based, faculty fellow, foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, framing, freedom, global, human rights, human security, intelligence, international relations, international security studies, international studies association, iran, iran policy committee, iraq, ISA, maliki, media, MEK, MI6, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, NCRI, negotiation, nuclear, obama, paris, peace, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, preemptive, protest, rajavi, regime change, research, rhetoric, scholarly, security studies, sheehan, state department, syria, teaching, terrorism, think-tank, threat, toronto, u.s. foundation for liberty, university of baltimore, unrest, war on October 11, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Digest of Middle East Studies (DOMES) / Wiley-Blackwell / Policy Studies Organization / Online ISSN: 1949-3606 / Fall 2013, Vol. 22, Issue 2

Challenging a Terrorist Tag in the Media: Framing the Politics of Resistance and an Iranian Opposition Group – Digest of Middle East Studies – Fall 2013 – Vol. 22, Issue 2

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is published in the latest edition of the Digest of Middle East Studies, a peer reviewed journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization. The journal is edited by Middle East scholar Professor Mohammed M. Aman of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Study Abstract:

Scholars have shown that media framing has a powerful effect on citizen perception and policy debates. Research has provided less insight into the ability of marginalized actors to promote their preferred frames in the media in a dynamic political context. The efforts of an exiled Iranian opposition group to get its name removed from official terror lists in the US, UK and EU provides a valuable platform to examine this problem. Using content analysis, I explore how the group promoted its frames in the opinion sections of major world news publications over nine years (2003–2012). I then examine the extent to which journalists aligned to its frames, as opposed to rival official frames, over time in the larger arena of news. The results support research showing that by nurturing small opportunities, marginalized political actors can expand media capacity and influence, but these effects are mediated at least in part by critical or focusing events that make rival frames less salient. The study sheds light on the complex relationship between activists, the government and the media. It has implications for the ability of marginalized political actors to get their frames into public discourse. It also has implications for terror tagging and media coverage of other controversial issues.

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Sheehan Presents at 2013 Middle East Dialogue

Posted in analysis, clinton, counterterrorism, delisting, democracy, diplomacy, dissident, foreign policy, framing, human rights, international relations, iran, media, MEK, middle east, middle east dialogue, military, NCRI, PMOI, policy, policy studies organization, politics, protest, rajavi, regime change, rhetoric, scholarly, sheehan, state department, strike, terrorism, threat, war, weapons on February 20, 2013 by Professor Sheehan

Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan is presenting a paper at the 2013 Middle East Dialogue, a conference put on by the Policy Studies Organization. The event will be held at the historic Whittemore House in Washington, D.C. on February 21, 2013. The theme for the 2013 conference is Beyond the Arab Spring: New Directions in the Middle East. Sheehan’s paper is titled Challenging a Terrorist Tag in the Media: Framing, the Politics of Resistance and an Iranian Opposition Group. The paper is under review at the Digest of Middle East Studies (DOMES) and conference proceedings may also be published as a monograph.

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