Will there be any change in Syria over the next few years? Why is Turkey intent on creating these pseudo-republics in Cyprus and Syria? What are the barriers in the way of oil-dependent state economies diversifying away from fossil fuels? What is a political risk consultant, and what are the takeaways and tips from someone in that profession? How much does history play into what we see now in the Middle East? And how does climate change fit into the picture, and how will it impact the world energy market? 

The ANU International Relations Society’s Kaitie Wickham will be talking to Science Po’s Dr Federico Manfredi Firmian, an expert on geopolitics of world energy, and a specialist in the Middle Eastern region. 

Federico has two main, often overlapping, research interests: greater Middle Eastern regional dynamics and the geopolitics of energy. He has two Masters and a PhD, and has been teaching Middle Eastern and energy geopolitics for over a decade, at Hunter College, Universite Paris Diderot, and Sciences Po. I was also amazed at the breadth of the 12 countries that Federico has done field research in: from Afghanistan and Turkey, to Libya and Lebanon. Amongst this, Federico lived in Cairo for a year as a Politics Editor for The Daily News Egypt, and has been a freelance political risk consultant since 2006. And day-to-day, he continues his research, having recently finished a long-analysis on the conflicts in Syria and Iraq from the Ottoman Empire to the present. 

The book recommendations mentioned are 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari, as well as Harari’s other books Sapiens and Homo Deus, and the works of Jared Diamond. 

We hope you enjoy the discussion!