Ilyas Saliba
  • Vita
  • Research
    • Publications
    • Projects
  • Consulting
  • Communication
  • Writing
  • Photos
  • Teaching
  • Impressum

Breakfast with the Swiss ambassador

9/30/2013

0 Comments

 
A few days ago I participated in a discussion of young academics and professionals with the swiss ambassador in Berlin Tim Guldimann.
The theme of the talk was EU-Swiss relations.
As a former resident in switzerland I was very interested in the topic especially as I had visited some workshops and events during my time in Zürich on the same topic.
The debate was interesting and filled with insides from Mr Guldimanns careerin the diplomatic service.

Although the german-swiss "Steuerabkommen" was blocked by the Bundesrat Mr Guldimann was optimistic about finding a negotiated compromise on the issue of tax evation with the new german goverment after it has constituted.

We also discussed the topic of a swiss EU membership perpsective. Although admitting that a membership would have manifold advantages Mr Guldimann persisted that the Swiss-EU bilateral treaties that build the framework for economic and political cooperation have so far worked very well, especially for switzerland. He further argued that the swiss identity and the current mindset in teh country ist not giving any signs towards a membership perspective.

Besides the debate it was an interesting opportunity to gain insides into the world of diplomacy and get a glimpse of one of Berlins most beautifull embassies. Although having moved away from Zürich to Berlin I personally still feel attached to switzerland through the inspiring and amazing time I experienced living, studying and workikng there. Such occasions as this forum in the swiss embassy provide possibilities to build bridges and create real dialougue amongst interested young professionals and academics.
Picture
©Hertie Fellows & Friends
Picture
©Hertie Fellows & Friends
Picture
Ambassador Guldimann ©Hertie Fellows & Friends
0 Comments

Position at WZB: Senior Researcher (Post-Doc)

9/26/2013

0 Comments

 
The WZB Berlin Social Research Center and its Research Unit Democracy and Democratization (Research Area V “Dynamics of Political Systems”) headed by Professor Dr. Wolfgang Merkel is looking for a Senior Researcher

The position is to be filled full-time (currently 39 weekly hours of work) from 1 January 2014 for the expected period of three years. There is a possibility of extension. The salary will be in accordance with German Public Service Salary Scale (TVöD E14 or TVöD E15), depending on qualifications, experience and specific allocation of tasks.

Duties: According to background and qualification of the applicants, the position will be either in area A or area B:

A)
Modern and innovative Theory of Democracy approaches
Advancement/development of empirically usable theories of  democracy and democratization
Co-operation within the Research Unit
Assistance in the supervision of PhD candidates
B) 
Comparative research on democracy in the areas of participation, parties and democratic regimes
Co-operation within the Research Unit
Assistance in the supervision of PhD candidates

Requirements:
Very good PhD degree in Political Sciences
Proof of excellent papers in internationally and nationally visible publications on the aforementioned research topics

Applications with the normal documents (cover letter, CV, list of publications, and relevant references) and an one- to three-page outline of your research proposals about the aforementioned research topics should be emailed by 30 September 2013 to:

Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung
Gudrun Mouna, Reichpietschufer 50, 10785 Berlin, gudrun.mouna@wzb.eu
0 Comments

Discussion with Claus Leggewie & Remi Brague on the mediterranean Space at the Berlin Academy of Science

9/24/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
©Susanne Hauer

Picture
©Susanne Hauer
On tuesday evening I was moderating an event at the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Science (BBAW). It was the first event of a series called "Zukunftsorte Europas" (future places in Europe) and was dedicated to the "Mittelmeerraum" ergo the mediterranean space. The first speaker was the french philosopher Remi Brague a Prof at Universite Paris 1 and the Ludwigs Maximilian Universität München. He talked about the history of the medierranean region and its mystification as an aerea of multicultural exchange. He criticised precisely this backward looking and in his view incorrect view on the mediterranean. Arguing that looking into history there has barely been a true exchange through dialogue between the three main monotheistic religious cultures around tghe mediterranean sea. The Only thing that did have positiv impacts in terms of civilisatory improvements were products of imperialism or chance such as the translation of the great greek philosophers from arabic into latin. Furthermore he argued that a truly mutual multicultural dialogue can only be reached through beginning it focussing on common interests not on cultural or religious matters.
The second talk was given by Prof Claus Leggewie who is the director of the Institute for advanced study in the humanities in Essen. He had less of an historical perspective on the mediterranean but more of an utopic vision for the future arguing from an assesment of todays situation around the central sea. Criticizing the negative images of the southern sea (from german perspective) especially during the ongoing economic crisis. He developed a future vision for the region that entails sustainable investment in green energy, eco-tourism, infrastructure, environmental protection and scientific and educational exchange throughout the mediterranean region. His main arguments can be found in the book "Zukunft im Süden".
The following discussion was focussing especially on the remarks of Prof Leggewie and the audience engaged in a lively debate about the crisis management, multiculturalism and the future of the mediterranean region. Moderating the event was an inspiring and exciting experience overall.
The Deutsche Welle Radio had a short report about the event that can be found here.
0 Comments

news from the WZB department Democracy & Democratization

9/16/2013

0 Comments

 
New WZB Departmend Blog started

The departmend for Democracy and Democratization at the Berlin Socual Science Center (WZB) launched its own blog a few days ago. 
It will cover insights into the ongoing, cutting edge research conducted within the departmend and is a great opportunity to get a glimpse of what researchers in the departmend are working on.
There will be posts from all projects and people affiliated to the departmend which menas it will cover a wide range of topics from party manifestos to authoritarian stability and democratic innovations.
I have promised to contribute a post on the results of my MA-thesis during this winter which will be dealin with the resilience of the Moroccon regime during the Arab Spring.
Newspaper Article on WZB Research Project on Authoritarian Regimes

On the german news portal of Deutsche Welle a few days ago an article on first results of the DFG-funded research project "Critical Junctures and the Survival of Dictatorships. Explaining the Stability of Autocratic Regimes" to which I am affiliated as a research fellow was published. It describes the main finding of the research project on the trias of factors necessary to sustain stability of authoritarian rule.

The article can be found here

The link to the project website here
0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Ilyas Saliba

    is a researcher and PhD student in political science, freelance journalist and photographer interested in Democracy, Transition, Authoritarianism and Security especially in the MIddle East and North Africa.

    From time to time I will publish links, comments and thoughts relating to my research, events, current political issues and the life as a PhD student on this Blog.

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013

    Categories

    All
    Academia
    Arab Uprising
    Authoritarianism
    Authoritarian Learning
    Basic Rights
    Bbaw
    Berlin
    Boarders
    Brazil
    Call For Applications
    Case Studies
    Conference
    Constitution
    Cooperation
    Css
    Daad
    Democracy
    Democratization
    Diffusion
    Direct Democracy
    DVPW
    Ecpr
    Elections
    Eth
    EUI
    Europe From A Different View
    Europe In The World
    Events
    Fes
    Fieldwork
    Florence
    Free University Berlin
    GIGA
    Graduation
    Hamburg
    Hertie Foundation
    IDCAR
    IPSA
    Italy
    Ivorytower
    Jebali
    Joint Sessions
    Lecture
    Legitimacy
    Mediterranean
    Merkel
    MESA
    Methods
    Middle East
    Morocco
    Motivation
    Network
    Norway
    Nzz
    Oslo
    Phdlife
    Positions
    Publication
    Public Sphere
    Qualitative
    Reform
    Revolution
    Robert Schumann Center
    Salamanca
    Sao Paolo
    Security
    Summer School
    Switzerland
    Syria
    Transition
    Tunisia
    Visiting
    Wiko
    Workshop
    WZB


    BLOGOSPHERE

    WZB Democracy & Democratization Blog
    IR Blog
    Demokratie Blog Göttingen
    Hertie Blog
    Monkey Cage
    Adopt a Revolution


contact