Biography

I have a MA in Politics and IR from the University of Haifa (with distinction), and a PhD from the University of Bristol funded by the University of Bristol Centenary Scholarship (2014). My PhD at Bristol conducted a genealogy of nationalism in political thought and IR theory and a revised and extended version is due to be published with Palgrave Macmillan (2019/2020).  

I joined Keele in January 2014 and I am currently the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion.

I was previously Director of PGT Studies in Politics and IR (2017-2019).

Research and scholarship

My research lies at the intersection of nations and nationalism, political theory, and critical approaches to IR and security, with a focus on Israel/Palestine. My work is influenced by discourse analytical and psychoanalytical approaches to (global) politics, particularly Lacanian psychoanalysis and the works of Slavoj Žižek. Key concepts I have been developing and applying to political and IR theory as well as Israel/Palestine include ‘fantasy’, ‘enjoyment’ (jouissance) and interpellation.

I have published research papers on homonationalism in Israeli society (Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society), on the relationship between nationalism and insecurity (Critical Studies on Security) and on the nation/state in modernity and IR theory (Philosophy & Social Criticism, and the Journal of IR & Development). My forthcoming book offers a psychoanalytical genealogy of nationalism in political and IR theory (forthcoming with Palgrave).

I am currently finalising a journal paper that analyses the Brexit vote and discourse and the rise of national-populism through a psychoanalytical lens, focusing on the bodily enjoyment (jouissance) the narrative of ‘Making Britain Great Again’ entails. Other projects include an analysis of the Israeli documentary-style reality TV show ‘Jerusalem District’ and a broader project on Lacanian psychoanalysis and IR theory.

Teaching

I am currently the module leader of:

Intro to IR (level 4)

Israel/Palestine: Key Issues and Debates (level 6)

Global Fault-lines, with Bulent Gokay (level 7)

Human Rights and Global Politics (level 7)

I also contribute to the Philosophy of the Social Sciences (PGT, PhD)

I used to lead and teach Securing Global Order (level 4), Dissertation Module (level 6), Gendering Global Politics (level 6), and the Other Middle-East (level 6).

PhD Supervision

I am the lead supervisor to the following students:

Nacera Haouche, ‘The Resurgence of the Muslim Immigrant as a Barbarian in Samuel Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations and The Remaking of the World Order’ (since 2017).

Keith Lewis, ‘Mystical Post-Anarchism’, (since 2016).

Moaz El-Sayed, ‘Intra-Sunni contestations in contemporary Lebanon: A framing-theory approach to the analysis of political divides within Lebanon’s Sunni demographic (2005-2016), (completed 2019).

I am happy to supervise research students on the following topics:

International Relations and political theory

Critical security studies

Nations and nationalism

Emotions and affect

Gender and sexuality

Israel/Palestine