- 172
- Episodes
- 2
- Ratings
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2016
- First episode
About On the Issues with Alon Ben-Meir
Podcast by Alon Ben-Meir
- Publisher
- Alon Ben-Meir
- Category
- news
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 26 Oct 2016
- Latest episode
- 21 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
172 episodes in the feed.
21 Oct 2026
On the Issues Episode 172: Dania Arayssi
Today’s guest is Dr. Dania Arayssi, a Senior Research Fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy and a scholar of Middle East political economy and participation. She also serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, and teaches at George Washington University. Her research focuses on Middle East politics, with particular expertise in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Hezbollah. In this episode, Alon and Dania discuss the fragmentation of the order and power that used to exist in the Middle East, the efforts of Iran to spread their influence and power in an attempt to hold on to the old order, the possibility of a NATO-like alliance in the Middle East, and the potential for security arrangements like the Mecca Agreement eventually encompassing Israel alongside its neighbors. Full bio Dania Arayssi, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy and a scholar of Middle East political economy and participation. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, where her dissertation examined the political effects of remittances and civic engagement in the Middle East. She also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at CU Boulder and held fellowships with the Barney Ford Lab for Civic Thought and Engagement and the Institute of Behavioral Science. Arayssi also serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and teaches at George Washington University. Before joining New Lines, Arayssi held analytical and research roles with the World Bank, USAID, Oxfam America, and the U.S. Army War College. Her research focuses on Middle East politics, with particular expertise in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Hezbollah. Her doctoral work investigates how remittance income shapes political behavior and civic engagement in Lebanon, challenging conventional theories of political mobilization. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Beirut and leads survey research initiatives examining political participation patterns across the region. Dania’s broader research interests include democracy and peace studies, development economics, economic policy, elections and voting behavior, non-state actors and ideology, protest movements, race and representation, regime change, and trust development. She has particular expertise in the role of civil society organizations in political transitions and democratization processes. At the New Lines Institute, Dania’s work addresses critical policy questions related to Syrian political transitions, minority inclusion in post-conflict governance, and regional security dynamics. Her recent publications analyze Al-Sharaa’s governance model in Syria and the implications for U.S. strategic interests in the region. She regularly briefs congressional staff and policymakers on Middle East security issues. Her work has been published by Foreign Policy and the Digest of Middle East Studies as well as regional and international media outlets. Dania holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Public Policy from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, a master’s degree in History of International Relations from Saint Joseph University in Beirut, and a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the American University of Science and Technology. She has also completed a Diploma in International Criminal Law from the Asser Institute in The Hague.
16 Oct 2026
On the Issues Episode 171: G.G. Dwivedi
Today’s guest is Major General G. G. Dwivedi. He retired as an Assistant Chief Integrated Defense Staff in the Indian Army in 2009 after 38 years of distinguished service. He is a professor of International Relations and has taught at a number of universities, including Aligarh University, where he was instrumental in establishing the Faculty of International Studies. He has authored/edited five books; published over 50 articles including book chapters on Geo Strategy, National Security and Leadership, and over 70 short pieces in the leading professional journals and national dailies. In this episode, Alon and Major General Dwivedi discuss the changing winds in West Asia specifically since Trump came to power in the US, the impact of the war in Iran on Asian countries, especially India and China, and the diminishing of American influence in the region. Full bio Major General G G Dwivedi retired as an Assistant Chief Integrated Defence Staff (strategic) in 2009, after 38 years of distinguished service in the Indian Army (Infantry). A Veteran of the Bangladesh War in 1971, he later commanded unit/formations in intense operational environment; as well as held important staff, instructional and foreign assignments. A graduate of National Defence Academy Kharkvasla, he holds M Sc, MBA, M.Phil (double) in Defence & Strategic Studies from Madras University and a Ph.D. in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Besides Interpretership in Chinese from the School of Foreign Languages, he obtained ‘Art & Practice of Leadership Development’ and Senior Executives Programme in National/International Security from Harvard Kennedy School, USA. An alumnus of National Defence College, he has been faculty at Indian Military Academy Dehradun and Defence Services Staff College Wellington; served as Defence Attaché in China, Mongolia, and North Korea. He was instrumental in the formulation of numerous concept papers and doctrines as the Head of Doctrine/Strategic Branches. From 2013-17, he was a Professor of International Relations at Aligarh University, a central university, and was instrumental in establishing the new Faculty of International Studies. Currently he is a Visiting Faculty at Foreign Services Institute Delhi, Panjab University Chandigarh and North Cap University, Gurgaon, and is a resource person for UGC HRD Centers of Leading Central Universities. He has authored/edited five books; published over 50 articles including book chapters on Geo Strategy, National Security and Leadership, and over 70 short pieces in the leading professional journals and national dailies. A member of renowned think tanks, he regularly guest speaks at premier ‘Centers of Excellence’ both in India and abroad and appears frequently on national television as a panelist.
14 Oct 2026
On the Issues Episode 170: Serap Fišo
Today’s guest is Serap Fišo, an independent researcher, freelance project expert, social activist, and storyteller. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science and Sociology from the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 2023, where she examined forced migration, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and identity construction in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this episode, Alon and Serap discuss how the Bosnian war and the subsequent Dayton Peace Agreement affected women’s development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially academic challenges faced by women, how socioeconomic issues fueled displacement and migration, and memory and history and their impact on refugees, especially women. In addition, they discuss I Want to Live, a participatory theatre initiative involving migrants from a number of countries living in Sarajevo, exploring womanhood, migration, displacement, family, and belonging. Full bio Serap Fišo is an independent researcher, freelance project expert, social activist, and storyteller, born and raised in Lüleburgaz, Türkiye. She comes from a Macedonian-Turkish family whose roots trace back to Štip, North Macedonia. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science and Sociology from the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 2023. Her doctoral research examined forced migration, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and identity construction in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina. From 2014 to 2023, she was engaged in higher education and academic research as a Senior Assistant in the Department of Political Science at the International University of Sarajevo. She currently works as a freelance project expert and independent researcher. Her research interests include migration studies, women’s and gender studies, memory studies, qualitative research methodologies, participatory and community-based arts, and post-conflict peacebuilding.
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