The fifth Middle East Congress on Politics and Society organized by the Middle East Institute, Sakarya University, will be held online on November 14-15, 2020. The congress aims to create a platform contributing to research on the Middle East and bring in new ideas and perspectives by drawing respective scientists together. Significant developments have occurred in the Middle East in the two year-period since the Fourth Congress held in 2018. It is our goal to look at historical, political, and social developments in the region. In doing so, different perspectives – as indicated below – will help widen our understanding of the region.
The Middle East has been a remarkable region throughout human history due to the geographical area it encompasses, the diversity of ethnic and religious structures it harbors, the civilizations it has built, and its long existence. Although there have been many studies and research tackling these aspects of the region from various perspectives, the need to further explore the Middle East is undeniable. Even after leaving behind one century, the region’s nation-states founded following World War I remain plagued by political, cultural, and social problems due to both foreign interventions and domestic rivalries. Inevitably, this prompts us to assess the historical legacy of the Middle East region and its unique structure in an extensive fashion...