On Tuesday March 27th, 2012 the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies hosted Mr. Rafique Gangat, former first colored diplomat for South Africa for a roundtable discussion on his latest book Ye Shall Bowl on Grass.  During his discussion, Mr. Rafique shed light on the book which is a series of 30 stories each of which has something to say about what happened in South Africa. He also spoke of his experience as a diplomat.

 
The Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies announces the issuing of its second E-Newsletter, which includes the different IALIIS activities over the last nine months

 
Dr. Asem Khalil, the IALIIS director, participated to a workshop organized by Issam Faris Institute at theAmericanUniversity in Beirut, where the research agenda on Palestinian refugees was discussed. Dr. Khalil presented the work of the Forced Migration and Refugee Unit, and its main achievements and plans for the year 2012.

 
On Monday April 30th, the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies held a workshop entitled:"Palestinian Refugees and the State: A Human and Political Capital or an Economic Burden?” The workshop is part of a series of workshops on Political Economy of Dependence and Independence in Palestine.

 
The Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies held a roundtable meeting on April 21, 2012 for Professor Philippe Schmitter, Professor of Political Science at the European University Institute, on “The Arab Spring: A Fourth Democratic Transition?”. In this roundtable meeting, Professor Schmitter addressed the different modes of transition from an autocratic government  into a democratic one, with emphasis on the Arab Spring.  

 
Dr. Majid Shihade has recently published an article entitled “Understanding the Arab Revolution”, in which he discusses concepts as Orientalism, Euro/Western-centrism, and modernity; in order to understand arguments/questions concerning the nature and truth of the Arab revolutions.

 
On Thursday 4/5/2012 the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies hosted Mr. Hani Masri, Director of Palestine Media, research and Studies Centre- Badael, for a lecture within the series of diplomacy meetings which is given within the “Negotiations: Strategy, and Tactics” course. The title of this lecture was “Lessons learned from the Negotiations, from the Madrid Conference until today”.

 
The Interface: a journal for and about social movements has released its latest issue for (May 2012). The title of this issue is “The season of revolution: the Arab Spring and European mobilizations” and the editorial board of which includes Dr. Magid Shihade, faculty member at the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies.