The war in Iran – University experts discuss

Academics held a roundtable event on how the war looks from different angles, and why it’s so unpredictable
David Brockington, Patrick Holden, Shabnam Holliday and John Dobson

The war in Iran – University experts discuss

Academics held a roundtable event on how the war looks from different angles, and why it’s so unpredictable

From US politics to Russian gains, experts from the University of Plymouth held a roundtable event sharing various perspectives on the war in Iran.
The team, all lecturers on the University’s masters in International Relations, shared their research-led expertise, followed by a Q&A with students.
  • Dr Shabnam Holliday spoke about Iran’s political history and foreign relations
  • John Dobson – a former British diplomat – outlined how Russia is benefiting from the war, including increased oil prices and distraction from Ukraine 
  • American Politics expert Dr David Brockington spoke about the differing approval ratings among the American public and how Congress can (or can’t) act 
  • Dr Patrick Holden talked about the war’s impact elsewhere in Europe.
The event was part of the International Relations Research seminar series, which is open to students, staff and alumni.
Iran roundtable event
Iran roundtable event
Iran roundtable event

The war in Iran is headline news, so it was really important to hold this event and share our experts’ perspectives.

None of us can predict what comes next as it’s unprecedented in many ways, but we were able to offer an outline of what has happened, its impact on various groups so far and how it’s playing out based on decades of research and experience. 
We received some fantastic questions in the Q&A too, which shows how engaged our students are.
International Relations is a subject for people to learn about perspectives of different people and groups worldwide. 
Having just launched an online masters, this learning and active discussion is now available to people all over the world, so we look forward to hearing from prospective students who want to find out more about learning with us.

Patrick HoldenDr Patrick Holden
Programme lead for MA International Relations: Security and Development (online)

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