Ora Szekely
Associate Professor, Political Science
Scholarly Interests
Politics of the Middle East; Civil War; Political Violence and Contentious Politics; Gender and Armed Conflict; Field Research Methods
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Ora Szekely’s research focuses on the foreign and domestic policies of nonstate armed groups in the Middle East, as well as the gendered dimensions of civil war. Her work is based on field research conducted across the region. Her most recent book, Syria Divided: Patterns of Violence in a Complex Civil War (Columbia University Press, 2023) explores the relationship between conflict narratives and performative violence in the Syrian civil war. She teaches courses on the comparative politics of the Middle East along with courses on identity politics and political violence. She is also affiliated with the programs in Peace and Conflict Studies and Women and Gender Studies.
Degrees
- Ph.D. in Political Science, McGill University, 2011
- M.A. in Social Sciences, University of Chicago, 2004
- B.A. in History and Religious Studies, Cornell University, 1999
Affiliated Department(s)
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Scholarly and Creative Works
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Syria Divided: Patterns of Violence in a Complex Civil War
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2023
Columbia University Press
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The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Chapter: Female Combatants in the MCUPublished by University Press of Kansas
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2022
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The Stories from the Field Podcast, Co-Host
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2021
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COVID-19 and fieldwork: Challenges and solutions
Published in PS: Political Science and Politics
January
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2021
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Vol. 54
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Issue #2
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Stories from the Field: A Guide to Navigating Fieldwork in Political Science
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2020
Columbia University Press
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Doing Good While Killing: Why some insurgent groups provide community services
Published in Terrorism and Political Violence
May
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2020
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Exceptional Inclusion: Understanding the PKK’s Gender Policy
Published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
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2020
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Insurget Women: Female Combatants in Civil Wars
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2019
Georgetown University Press
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The Politics of Militant Group Survival in the Middle East: Resources, Relationships, and Resistance
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2017
Palgrave Macmillan
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Proto-state Realignment and the Arab Spring
Published in Middle East Policy
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2016
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Vol. 23
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Issue #1
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A Friend In Need: The Impact of the Syrian Civil War on Syria's Clients (A Principal-Agent Approach)
Published in Foreign Policy Analysis
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2016
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Vol. 12
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Issue #3
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Doing Well By Doing Good: Understanding Hamas' Social Services as Political Advertising
Published in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
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2016
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Vol. 38
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Issue #4
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Gender Ideologies and Forms of Contentious Mobilization in the Middle East
Published in Journal of Peace Research
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2013
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Vol. 40
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Issue #3
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Hezbollah's Survival: Resources and Relationships
Published in Middle East Policy
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2012
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Vol. 19
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Issue #4
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Project on Middle East Political Science 10th Anniversary Volume
Chapter: Military Organizations in the Middle East●
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