Author: Ibrahim Al-Marashi, IE School of Humanities, IE University; California State University San Marcos

Since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, the world has witnessed unimaginable, almost constant violence in Gaza and the West Bank. But people’s understanding of these events is not universal – each person is exposed to a particular set of narratives surrounding history, victimhood and trauma. The vast majority of news reports, social media […]

Over recent months, the straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb have become synonymous with geopolitical jostling. Whoever controls these narrow waterways governs the flow of maritime traffic from the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean – and with it, a vitally significant chunk of global trade. However, conflict over these straits […]

The Red Sea often makes headlines as the launch site for attacks on oil tankers and infrastructure by the Houthi rebels, a political and religious group that controls much of the northern and western areas of Yemen. But the history of this vital shipping route was once defined by the passage of another dark, liquid […]