May Darwich

May Darwich is Associate Professor in International Relations of the Middle East at the University of Birmingham's School of Government. Previously, she served as Assistant Professor at Durham University (2016-2019) and Research Fellow at GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies (2014-2015), establishing herself as a leading scholar bridging Middle Eastern cases with International Relations theory.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Edinburgh (2015)
• MA in International Politics from SciencePo Bordeaux (2010)
• BA in Political Science from Cairo University (2009)

Dr. Darwich's research pioneers the integration of Middle Eastern cases into core IR debates while addressing region-specific challenges in studying state behavior. Her work spans foreign policy analysis of Middle Eastern states, identity politics, sectarian dynamics, and the emerging field of infrastructure geopolitics. She particularly examines how port developments reshape transregional relationships between the Arabian Gulf and Horn of Africa, revealing how concrete infrastructure becomes a site of geopolitical contestation affecting governance and everyday life.

Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a cohesive trajectory connecting infrastructure studies with IR theory, with strong emphasis on non-Western perspectives. Articles explore port infrastructures as political actors, challenge Eurocentric IR frameworks through Middle Eastern cases, and analyze sectarianism in unexpected contexts like Jordan and Morocco. This body of work consistently bridges empirical fieldwork with theoretical innovation.

As Principal Investigator of a $500,000 Carnegie project and British Academy-funded initiatives, Dr. Darwich directs significant research programs while actively supervising PhD students in Middle Eastern IR. Her leadership extends to co-editing Manchester University Press's 'Identities and Geopolitics in the Middle East' series and serving on steering committees for POMEPS and APSA MENA Workshops, which provide critical fellowship opportunities for Arab scholars.

Her collaborative approach manifests in extensive fieldwork across four continents and institutional partnerships that prioritize equitable knowledge exchange. Through the Arab Political Science Network and Council for British Research in the Levant, she strengthens research capacities across the Middle East while challenging Western academic dominance through practical publishing initiatives for Arab-based scholars.