Episode 20: This month, we are joined by professor Simon Mabon, Lancaster University. We discuss his research on identity, (de-)sectarianism, and mobilization in Bahrain and the Middle East. Simon's research comprises two main strands: The first is the contestation of sovereign power across the region, where he is interested in relations between rulers and ruled, biopolitics, resistance, and the Arab Uprisings. The second is the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, where he is particularly interested in the rivalry, its impact on states, identities, and communities across the Middle East (and beyond), and the re-ordering of space. His work falls at the intersection of Middle East Studies, International Relations, and (International) Political Theory. Simon is Director of SEPAD, the Sectarianism, Proxies, and De-Sectarianization Project, which looks at how the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran shapes sectarianism and politics across the Middle East. Simon's upcoming book is called \"The Struggle for Supremacy in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia and Sudan.\"
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