SOAS Professor Dr. Stephen Chan Meets with Faculty and Students

Stephen Chan, professor of politics and international relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London, met with students and faculty members for roundtable discussions and a tour of campus on February 14, 2019.

A thoughtful discussion with faculty members Phoebe Musandu, Reza Pirbhai, and Gerd Nonneman, reflected on an array of contemporary issues, including the impact of the recent Asian Cup victory on sports diplomacy and soft power, the demography and integration of diaspora communities across the gulf region, and unanticipated outcomes of the Gulf crisis, such as an insurgence of entrepreneurship and national identity. GU-Q alumnae Zarqa Parvez, who obtained a Master’s degree from SOAS, also took part in the discussion. She currently works as an academic advisor and  instructor in Middle Eastern Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at HBKU.

At the student roundtable that followed, Chan was introduced by International Politics senior student Zaubash Shakir, who spent a semester in her junior year at SOAS. Chan engaged student ambassadors Khansa Maria and Heba Mohamednor, as well as Saad Iqbal, in a discussion that included his insights and advice on how to achieve success in the field of foreign service, in order to make an impact in Qatar and the world.

Dr. Stephen Chan is a former international civil servant involved with several key diplomatic initiatives in Africa, helping to pioneer modern electoral observation, and continues to be seconded to diplomatic assignments today. He has twice been Dean at SOAS and has published 29 books and supervised 31 successful Ph.D. theses. He won the 2010 Eminent Scholar in Global Development prize from the International Studies Association, and broadcasts and lectures internationally.