The inaugural event of the series ‘Ancient Geopolitics’ will feature Professor Ali Ansari, the Centre’s Programme Director for Westphalia for the Middle East. Professor Ansari is Professor in Modern History with reference to Iran at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where he is also the Founding Director of the Institute for Iranian Studies. He will speak about events and ideas in ancient and late antique have been interpreted, used and abused in Iran today. Professor Ansari will be joined by the Centre’s deputy Director, Professor Bill Hurst, who is convener of the Ancient Geopolitics series.
More about the Ancient Geopolitics series:
The series’s premise is that ancient ideas and events can illuminate aspects of more contemporary concepts and dynamics (and vice versa). We will look at different periods and intellectual traditions in ancient (and medieval) history through a political lens, and draw out themes and potential links with today’s geopolitical issues and ideas. Hence bridging the gap between history and classics and contemporary politics and international relations.
