Makale Çağrısı [GÜNCEL]: “The Middle East in Flux: New Fault Lines, Realigning Powers”

Uluslararası İlişkiler is pleased to announce a special issue on “The Middle East in Flux: New Fault Lines, Realigning Powers.”

The Middle East has witnessed a series of significant developments since October 7, 2023. The Gaza War, the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, the US/Israel-Iran confrontation, and the recent Mecca Deal signal new regional dynamics with new fault lines and alignments. Coupled with the debate on the declining liberal international order, these developments call for a re-thinking of the region’s dynamics. Existing frameworks for understanding the Middle East merit renewed scrutiny, particularly those concerning the causes of war and conflict, alliance formation, state and nation-building, and the roles of regional and external actors.

Which theories/ conceptualizations can be used to understand the change and continuity in the Middle East? How can sovereignty, borders, security, and interest be interpreted/studied in the Middle East amidst regional and global change? What shapes states’ foreign policies during regional change? Are middle powers destined to clash with each other amidst a regional vacuum? How has the tension between normalization with Israel and solidarity with Palestine affected regional developments

This special issue invites contributions that address these questions theoretically and empirically in the Middle East – a region in flux. Themes may include, but are not limited to, Structural Realignment and Power Dynamics; Re-evaluating Sovereignty, Wars, and Statehood; Theoretical and Normative Debates.

The special issue will only contain articles written in English. The manuscripts should be between 6000 and 8000 words and in full compliance with the author guidelines indicated at the journal website (https://www.ir-journal.com/for-authors/guidelines).

Please make sure to follow the Journal’s AI policy: https://www.ir-journal.com/for-authors/generative-artificial-intelligence-usage.

All submissions will go through a double-blind peer review.

Papers should be sent directly to the guest editor, Özlem Tür ([email protected]).

The deadline for abstract (300-500 words) submission is 15 November 2026; selected authors will be notified. The full paper submission deadline is 30 April 2027.