Press Release
The Middle East Initiative (MEI) at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs today announced the selection of the spring 2014 Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar, Dr. Mohamad Al-Ississ. Al-Ississ will be in residence at Harvard for the Spring 2014 semester, where he will conduct a research project that seeks to formulate a better understanding of the Arab World post-Arab Spring. Al-Ississ will examine the causes that led to the Arab Spring, the political and social landscape underlying it, the anatomy of contagion in the spread of revolutions, and the breakdown of trust in Arab societies. He will also participate in other Middle East Initiative activities and work closely with Harvard students, faculty and fellows.
Dr. Al-Ississ is an Assistant Professor at the American University in Cairo in the School of Business and the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He is also an economics lecturer in the Mid-Career Summer Program at Harvard Kennedy School. Dr. Al-Ississ received his doctorate in Public Policy—Economic Development from Harvard Kennedy School. Al-Ississ has a BA with honors in Economics from Harvard College, an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, and a Masters in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard University. His professional experiences include working as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, serving as a senior advisor to Jordanian ministers of Industry and Trade and managing a portfolio of USAID projects in Jordan.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Mohamad Al-Ississ as our Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar for spring 2014” said Nicholas Burns, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics, and Faculty Chair of the Middle East Initiative. “Dr. Al-Ississ brings an intimate knowledge of the economics and politics of the Arab region and an exceptional understanding of the intricacies of the Arab uprisings to this position. He will be a valuable addition to intellectual life at the Harvard Kennedy School.”
The Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar Program is one of the five components of the Kuwait Program at Harvard Kennedy School and is supported by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. The Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar program attracts regional experts who may teach, conduct research projects, lead workshops and interact with other research fellows at Harvard Kennedy School. Their presence helps enrich program offerings on the Middle East on campus and support the broader mission of the Middle East Initiative.
The Middle East Initiative is dedicated to deepening and strengthening Harvard Kennedy School’s relationship with the governments, universities and peoples of the Middle East. MEI has launched a series of programs designed for political, civil service and business leaders from the region with the aim of strengthening good governance and seeking solutions to public policy problems in the Middle East. MEI also actively engages in community outreach to create a space for dynamic interaction around issues relating to the Middle East.