War, violence and resistance in the Mediterranean region

Active class participation and oral presentation; final paper for MA students only.

PhD and MA students of all years.

This course examines the intersection between ongoing wars and conflicts in Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) and the growing prevalence of violence across the Mediterranean, involving a wide range of state and non-state actors. Particular attention is devoted to tracing how conflicts originating in the region are projected into the Mediterranean through transnational and relational dynamics. Key examples include the activities undertaken by actors such as the Israeli Navy and the so-called Libyan coast guard, and how their practices shape mobility, (in)security and governance at sea.

Building on this framework, the course investigates how these dynamics are entangled with diverse forms of collective action across the region. It examines civil society initiatives operating in maritime spaces, including search and rescue missions as well as campaigns such as the Global Sumud Flotilla. By focusing on both coercive and internationalist solidaristic practices, the course highlights the Mediterranean as a contentious political arena where conflicts, border regimes and social movements interact.