Published 8 September 2023 Location of the Mahabad dam catchment. Figure taken from the article.. CMES Deputy Director Ronny Berndtsson has co-authored an article on predicting hydropower production through machine learning in Iran published in the journal Applied Water Science. CMES Deputy Director Ronny Berndtsson has co-authored the article "Application of soft computing and evolutionary algori

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/machine-learning-and-hydropower-production-iran - 2025-07-11

Published 11 September 2023 CMES Visiting Olof Palme Professor Raphael Cohen-Almagor has published an interview with Marwan Muasher in the journal Israel Affairs. Abstract This interview is part of a major research project that is based on interviews and discussions with influential decision-makers, facilitators, mediators and negotiators who were involved in Arab-Israeli peace negotiations over t

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/arab-world-palestinian-israeli-conflict - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 12 September 2023 CMES researcher Oliver Scharbrodt has been interviewed by Radio Sweden about the recent Qur'an burnings in Sweden. Oliver Scharbrodt was interviewed for a segment on the Qur'an burnings on 4 July 2023 by Maya Naylor (Radio Sweden). Below are some excerpts from the interview. Listen to t

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/swedish-government-muslim-minority-and-quran-burnings - 2025-07-11

Published 15 September 2023 CMES Deputy Director Ronny Berndtsson has co-authored an article on GIS-based groundwater vulnerability assessment in Iran published in the journal Water. CMES Deputy Director Ronny Berndtsson has co-authored the article "Groundwater Vulnerability to Nitrate Contamination from Fertilizers Using Modified DRASTIC Frameworks" together with Maryam Torkashvand (Islamic Azad

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/groundwater-vulnerability-assessment-iran - 2025-07-11

Published 18 September 2023 CMES Visiting Professor Dalia Dassa Kaye has authored an article on the Israeli-Saudi deal and the United States published in Foreign Affairs Magazine. The United States appears to be seriously probing a Middle East deal that would normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. According to the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and other reporting, U.S. Pre

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/case-against-israeli-saudi-deal - 2025-07-11

Published 20 September 2023 CMES researcher Maria Småberg has authored the article "Witness Reporting as Resistance and Recovery–The Swedish Missionary Alma Johansson and the 1915 Armenian Genocide", published in the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. Abstract Western missionaries became important eyewitnesses of the 1915 Armenian genocide, and many reported on the events. This article ana

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/witness-reporting-missionaries-and-armenian-genocide - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 22 September 2023 CMES researcher Svante Lundgren has been interviewed by Aftonbladet about the ongoing violent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The article "Azerbajdzjan uppnådde målet på ett dygn – etnisk rensning" (English translation: "Azerbaijan Achieved the Goal in a Day - Ethnic Cleansing") is writte

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/azerbaijan-and-ethnic-cleansing-nagorno-karabakh - 2025-07-11

Published 25 September 2023 Photo: Linda Eitrem Holmgren CMES researcher Lina Eklund is hiring a post doc in Earth Observation for her project on Pyrogeography. The work will partly include research on vegetation fires in the Middle East, focusing on time series analysis and image classifications. Apply to the position by 15 October! Project Description Wildfire frequency and severity is expected

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/job-opening-post-doc-earth-observation - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 28 September 2023 CMES Visiting Professor Dalia Dassa Kaye participated in a discussion about the normalization of relations between Saudia Arabia and Israel on PBS News Hour. The show aired on September 5, 2023 and addresses the changing diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The US is ac

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/normalization-israeli-saudi-relations - 2025-07-11

Published 29 September 2023 CMES director Karin Aggestam organised a policy-research dialogue in Prato, Italy, with Professor Jacqui True at Monash University. The participants included international peacemakers, scholars, and the former Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström who delivered a keynote address. The overarching aim of the policy-research dialogue was to rethink and generate new inn

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/policy-research-dialogue-inclusive-peacemaking - 2025-07-11

Published 29 September 2023 CMES supports writing retreats on Middle East research with the aim to finalise an article, book chapter, edited volume or a book for publication in peer-reviewed outlets. 2 writing retreats will be granted during the spring of 2024. CMES offers office space and modern research facilities in a stimulating work environment on historic premises. Administrative, practical

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/now-open-cmes-call-2024-writing-retreats - 2025-07-11

Published 3 October 2023 Photo: Linda Eitrem Holmgren Read the new CMES Newsletter about upcoming events and recent research activities and publications. The CMES Newsletter provides an up-to-date overview of Middle Eastern research, activities and events at Lund University and beyond. The Newsletter includes a message from the Director, latest research news, upcoming events and recent publication

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/read-latest-cmes-newsletter-38 - 2025-07-11

Published 5 October 2023 CMES researcher Svante Lundgren has written an article about the ongoing crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh published in the journal the Conversation. The article "Nagorno-Karabakh: the world should have seen this crisis coming – and it’s not over yet" was published on September 29, 2023 and updated on October 2, 2023 by Svante Lundgren.  For the first time in two millennia, the r

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/crisis-nagorno-karabakh-its-not-over-yet - 2025-07-11

Published 5 October 2023 Illustration: Clyde Lange Join us on Monday 9 October for a panel discussion about the recent Qur'an burnings and freedom of expression in Sweden. Debatt i Lund: Is Sweden an Outlier or a Brave Defender of Freedom of Expression? What Do Academics Say? How sacred is freedom of speech in Sweden? Quran burnings have thrust Sweden onto the global stage. The acts have been cond

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/debate-lund-quran-burnings-and-freedom-expression - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 6 October 2023 CMES researcher Svante Lundgren has written an op-ed article about the ongoing crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh published in Dagens Nyheter. The article "EU måste sluta köpa gas från Azerbajdzjan" (English translation: "The EU Must Stop Buying Gas from Azerbaijan") was published in Dagens Nyhete

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/eu-must-stop-buying-gas-azerbaijan - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 13 October 2023 CMES researcher Svante Lundgren has been interviewed on Assyria TV about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The interview aired on 27 September 2023 on Assyria TV, which is an independent news organisation registered in Sweden. Below are some excerpts from the interview translated into En

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/understanding-nagorno-karabakh - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 11 October 2023 CMES researcher Nina Gren has been interviewed in Sydsvenskan about the Palestinian ambivalence towards war with Israel. The article "De flesta palestinier känner en djup ambivalens inför kriget" (English translation: "Most Palestinians feel a deep ambivalence about the war") was written

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/most-palestinians-feel-deep-ambivalence-about-war - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 17 October 2023 CMES Visiting Professor Dalia Dassa Kaye has co-authored a report that explores the possible establishment of a new official multilateral forum for sustainable dialogue and engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. Last week a Chatham House report was launched to explore the possibl

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/cmes-visiting-professor-dalia-dassa-kaye-launches-report-mena-multilateral-forum - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 11 October 2023 CMES Director Karin Aggestam has been interviewed by Swedish news service Omni about the next steps in the war between Israel and Hamas. The article "Vad blir nästa steg – det håller experterna ögonen på i konflikten" (English translation: "What will be the next step - what the experts ar

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/what-happens-next-war-between-israel-and-hamas - 2025-07-11

By linda [dot] eitrem_holmgren [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Eitrem Holmgren) - published 13 October 2023 CMES Director Karin Aggestam has been interviewed on SVT (Swedish public service television) about the key concepts in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The segment "Kriget mellan Israel och Hamas: Detta betyder begreppen" (English translation: "The war between Israel and Hamas:

https://www.cmes.lu.se/article/israel-hamas-war-key-concepts - 2025-07-11