Professor Kota Suechika gave a presentation on Middle East affairs and politics in Taipei and Taichung

On November 7 and 8, 2024, Professor Kota Suechika (RARA Fellow) presented his research on Middle East affairs and politics at an international symposium held at the Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs in Taipei and the 2024 annual conference of the International Studies Association at National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, respectively.

At the Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs, he presented his research on Middle East politics at an international symposium entitled “The International Symposium on Contemporary International Conflicts and Their Impacts on International Security,” showcasing his analysis of the background to the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon since this summer – the escalation of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel – and the recent development toward a cease-fire. The matter was discussed with researchers and practitioners from various nations around the world.

At the 2024 annual conference of the International Studies Association, under the theme entitled “Reconstruction of the New International Political and Economic Order: The Multifaceted Challenges of Military, Democracy, Economy, and Technology,” Prof. Suechika and Associate Professor Dai Yamao of Kyushu University presented the results of their research on Lebanese politics using the latest conjoint experiments in the panel discussion on Middle East politics. In Lebanon, it has long been believed that sectarian affiliation is a major political motivating factor, but this study revealed that the general public places more importance on relations with other countries than sectarianism when choosing a political party to support. A lively discussion took place with local researchers and experts on the results of this latest Middle East political research.

(Photo: At the conference of the International Studies Association at Chung Hsing University, Taichung)