Georgetown University Qatar: New Book Explores Interactions Between China and Middle East

Press release

Published February 18th, 2018 - 01:01 GMT

James Reardon-Anderson, the author of five books on China and a specialist in modern Chinese history.

The evolving relations between China and the Middle East are the center of focus of a new book by Georgetown University in Qatar’s Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS). The Red Star and the Crescent: China and the Middle East brings together multidisciplinary experts from around the world to explore engagements in areas including security, energy, economics, and investments, as well as social and cultural aspects.

The book is edited by GU-Q’s founding dean, Professor James Reardon-Anderson, who is the author of five books on China and a specialist in modern Chinese history. From foreign policy to security dynamics and religious, educational, and cultural connections, it offers insight into the contemporary relations between China and the countries of the Gulf, the Levant, and North Africa.

“Consistent with the mission of CIRS to engage in path-breaking research, we launched this research initiative in order to fill an important gap in the scholarly literature on the topic,” said CIRS Director Mehran Kamrava. “In doing so, we were fortunate to have no less an authority on the subject than Professor Reardon-Anderson provide intellectual leadership on the project.”

The Red Star and the Crescent brings together original research by scholars from China, the Middle East, the United States, and Europe, including a contribution by GU-Q alumnus Mohammed Turki A. Al-Sudairi (SFS ’11), who is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Hong Kong.

“The relationship between China and the Middle East is an increasingly important and neglected topic,” said Reardon-Anderson. “We hope that readers will appreciate this first class academic research on this significant and understudied area.”

The book is the result of CIRS initiatives that aims to foster research on original topics related to the Gulf region, the Middle East, and beyond. Established in 2005, the research institute is devoted to the academic study of regional and international issues through dialogue and exchange of ideas, research and scholarship, and engagement with national and international scholars, opinion-makers, practitioners, and activists.

Background Information

Georgetown University in Qatar

Established in 1789 in Washington, DC, Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions. Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), founded in 2005 in partnership with Qatar Foundation, seeks to build upon the world-class reputation of the university through education, research, and service. Inspired by the university’s mission of promoting intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding, GU-Q aims to advance knowledge and provide students and the community with a holistic educational experience that produces global citizens committed to the service of humankind.

Located in Doha’s Education City, GU-Q offers the same internationally recognized Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree as Georgetown’s Capitol Campus in Washington, DC. This unique, interdisciplinary program prepares students to tackle the most important and pressing global issues by helping them develop critical thinking, analytic, and communication skills within an international context. GU-Q alumni work in leading local and international organizations across industries ranging from finance to energy, education, and media. The Qatar campus also serves as a residency and delivery location for the Executive Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Management along with the Executive Master’s in Leadership.