Gilbert Achcar

Gilbert Achcar is a Professor of Development Studies and International Relations at the Department of Development Studies, SOAS University of London. He holds a PhD in Social History/International Relations from Paris VIII University, alongside earlier degrees from institutions in France and Lebanon. His career includes teaching and research roles in Beirut, Berlin, and Paris before joining SOAS in 2007.

His research focuses on globalisation, global power relations, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the sociology of religion, and revolutionary movements. Notable works include The Clash of Barbarisms, Perilous Power (co-authored with Noam Chomsky), and The New Cold War. His books have been translated into 20 languages, addressing themes like the Arab uprisings, US foreign policy, and the geopolitics of conflict.

Dr. Achcar supervises PhD students such as Anne-Marie Misconi (on Iraqi Orientalism) and Bryony Wolff (on Egypt and Turkey’s political economy). He actively engages with contemporary issues like the Gaza crisis and the Syrian conflict, offering critical analyses of neoliberalism, global power structures, and revolutionary processes. His work bridges academic scholarship with public discourse on pressing geopolitical challenges.