The Making of the Modern Middle East

Saeed Khan is a cultural historian and commentator based at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he teaches in the departments of History and Global Studies. His academic expertise includes Islamic and Middle Eastern history, Islamic political thought, and transnational identities. Alongside his academic work, he is a frequent analyst for international media outlets. Saeed is the founder of the Center for the Study of Trans-Atlantic Diasporas, a policy institute focused on ethnic and immigrant communities in North America and Europe.

Hassan A. Abdein, Ph.d is a senior advisor to Unitas Communications. He is also a consultant in mediation and conflict resolution and has extensive experience working with multilateral organisations in the fields of advocacy for refugees, minorities and religious freedom. Hassan held senior roles in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and worked on OIC-UN efforts to tackle intolerance, discrimination, incitement to violence against people on the basis of religion or belief.

Meshael is a PhD researcher at Hamad bin Khalifa University. Her work examines identity, nation-making, and modernity in the contemporary Gulf. Drawing on backgrounds in communication, Middle East studies, and Islam and global affairs, my research explores how politics, culture, and global power shape collective identities and public narratives.
Alongside her academic work, Meshael works in Qatar’s Government Communications Office focusing on strategic communications and public engagement. Her interests include post colonial thought, media representation, nationalism, and the evolving relationship between tradition and modernity in The Middle East.