Separatists as Spoilers in Yemen, Libya, Syria and Iraq

Separatist actors gained control over massive territories in Yemen, Libya, Syria, and Iraq in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab uprising. Seizing the chance for self-rule, they solidified their autonomy at home and undertook ambitious diplomatic gambits abroad. Recent geopolitical shifts have dealt a significant blow to separatist goals and the hopes to alter the Middle East’s famously misshapen borders. But separatists remain politically entrenched and military potent, and they will likely play a crucial role in regional stability. Ariel I. Ahram is associate professor of government and international affairs at Virginia Tech and the author of Break All the Borders: Separatism and the Reshaping of the Middle East (Oxford University Press, 2019).

This colloquium, hosted by the Yale Council on Middle East Studies, will be held on January 23 from noon to 1 pm in Room 203 at Henry R. Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut.