National  Centre  for  Peace  and  Conflict  Studies  2015  Seminar  Series

A seminar presented by Dr Claire Spencer

Former Deputy Director  Centre for Defence Studies, King’s College

Claire  will  give  an  overview  of  recent  developments  in  the  Middle  East,  focusing  on  the  causes  and
evolution  of  the  so-­?called  “Arab  Spring”.  She  will  evaluate  the  current  state  of  affairs,  and  offer  insights  on
the  motivations  and  objectives  of  the  main  participants.  She  will  then  give  her  assessment  of  how  events
could  unfold  and  the  implications  for  the  rest  of  the  world.

Claire  will  highlight  the  need  for  economic  development  as  a  precursor  to  the  establishment  of  sustainable
and  responsive  political  and  civic  institutions  in  the  region.  In  particular  she  will  discuss  the  role  that  energy  production  has  and  will  continue  to  play  across  the  region,  and  what  this  may  mean  in  terms  of  global  energy  supply  security.

After  a  relatively  brief  introductory  overview,  Claire  will  respond  in  more  detail  to  questions  and  issues
generated  by  the  audience.  Claire  is  responsible  for  the  overseeing  of  all  of  Chatham  House’s  research,  seminars  and  publications  relating  to  the  Middle  East.  She  has  written  and  commented  widely  on  US  and  EU  policy  towards  Iran,  Israel-­?Palestine  and  the  broader  Middle  East,  in  addition  to  her  core  research  interest  in  North  Africa.  She  is  a  previous  Deputy  Director  of  the  Centre  for  Defence  Studies  at  King’s  College  and  Head  of  Policy  for  the  Middle  East  and  Central  Asia  for  the  development  agency
Christian  Aid.