On February 8, 2013, the Boston University International Law Journal will host a symposium on "The Next Season: Realigning International Law and Western Policy After the Arab Spring." The program is here. Here's the idea:The wave of revolutions in the Middle East, beginning in Tunisia and culminating in the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, has been dubbed the “Arab Spring.” This dynamic series of events is currently witnessing its bloodiest period in Syria, while circumstances in Egypt, among other states, remain tenuous and dynamic. Particularly with the civil war intensifying in and potentially beyond Syrian territory, and with no resolution to Iranian nuclear standoff in sight, the global community remains on tenterhooks about the prospect of regional chaos or a catastrophe of global proportions.
Given the oil wealth of the region and the troublesome history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Middle East has long held a significant position in global politics and accordingly occupied a special place on the political agendas of Western governments and in the international community in general. Since the 9/11 attacks, the United States has also continued to grapple with the challenges of understanding and responding appropriately and effectively to the ideological opposition and deterring threats to its national security.
BU School of Law and the BU International Law Journal will host this conference to further understanding of the momentous legal and political challenges that continue to develop in the Middle East. Evelyn Mary Aswad, current Assistant Legal Adviser to the U.S. Department of State for Human Rights and Refugee Affairs, will deliver an address entitled, "A View from the U.S. State Department," at lunch, and panelists will consider the challenges faced by the United States, Europe and the international community in general in navigating the rapidly evolving political upheaval in the Middle East. Understanding these challenges is a necessary first step to designing effective policies to promote resolution within states and to achieve peace and stability globally.
