The Middle East is in crisis. The shocking events of the war in Gaza have rocked the entire region. More than a decade ago, the Arab Spring had raised hopes of a new beginning but instead ushered in a series of civil wars, coups, and even harsher autocracies. Tensions were exacerbated by the meddling of outsiders, as regional and global powers sought to further their interests. The United States, for so long the dominant actor, had stepped back, leaving a vacuum behind it to be fought over.

Christopher Phillips explores geopolitical rivalries in the region, and the major external powers vying for influence: Russia, China, the EU, and the US. Moving through ten key flashpoints, from Syria to Palestine, Phillips argues that the United States’ overextension after the Cold War, and retreat in the 2010s, has imbalanced the region. Today, the Middle East remains blighted by conflicts of unprecedented violence and a post-American scramble for power—leaving its fate in the balance.

The author will sign copies of his book Battleground: Ten Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East.

This event is organised by the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies and the Department of European and International Studies at King's College London.

SPEAKER

Christopher Phillips is Professor in International Relations at Queen Mary, University of London. His research focuses on the international relations of the Middle East. He is author of four books, including Battleground: Ten Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East (Yale University Press, 2024)