Tentative Program

CSID–MPAC 24th Annual Conference

Democracy, Islam & the Future of the Middle East

Dear Friends,

Join Us | CSID–MPAC 24th Annual Conference

A World Order Without Democracy? U.S. Strategy and Political Change in the Muslim World

Friday, May 15, 2026 | Georgetown University Capitol Campus, Washington, DC

At a moment when authoritarianism is rising and democratic norms are under strain worldwide, this timely conference will bring together leading policymakers, scholars, and practitioners to examine one urgent question: Can the United States advance its interests while abandoning its commitment to democracy and human rights?

The program features high-level discussions on democratic backsliding, political reform, and U.S. strategy across the Middle East and beyond. Panels will explore the role of Islam and pluralism in governance, the future of democracy in countries such as Libya, Syria, and Iran, and the evolving dynamics of Israel–Palestine.

The conference will include keynote addresses by leading voices such as Bahey eldin Hassan and Professor Akbar Ahmed, and a keynote luncheon with Robert Malley. Members of Congress are also invited to share their perspectives on U.S. policy and global leadership.

This is a unique opportunity to engage directly with experts and decision-makers shaping the future of democracy and US Foreign Policy.

https://csid-mpac-24th-annual-conference.eventbrite.com

Early Registration Ends on April 23rd.

8:30 – 9:00 AM Opening Registration & Breakfast

9:00 – 9:20 AM

Opening Remarks & Welcome

Prof. Asma Afsaruddin

Professor of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Indiana University Bloomington; Former CEO Board of Directors

Salam Al-Marayati

Previously Nuclear Affairs Council (MPAC)

9:20 – 10:00 AM

Keynote Address

“What Does It Mean to Defend Human Rights in an Age that Normalizes Closed Transactions and its Replacement?”

Bahey eldin Hassan

Co-founder of several organizations and international human rights initiatives; Co-Director, Columbia Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

Panel I

10:00 – 11:30 AM

Democratic Backsliding and Conservatism

The Crisis in Democracy and Power in Nations

Moderator

Radwan A. Masmoudi

Moderator

Speakers

Shadi Hamid

Do “Dictatorship-Proof” Policy Actually Work?

David Mednicoff

Professor of Public Policy and Middle Eastern Studies; University of Massachusetts

Ammar Mansuri

Political Science; Capitol Hill; Senate academic at Princeton

Murad Batal Shishani

Islam, Pluralism, and Democratic Governance — A National Perspective

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Lunch Break

Panel II

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Islam, Judaism, and Government

Is Sharia Law compatible with Democracy?

Moderator

Asma Afsaruddin

Moderator

Speakers

Mustafa Akyol

Senior Fellow, Center for Liberty and Prosperity; Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times

Ermin Sinanović

Executive Director, Center for Islam in the Contemporary World, Shenandoah University; Founding Member, Cornell Arab Studies Center

Ali Dabaje

Democratic Dialogues in Islamic Political Thought

Irma Makharadze

Independent Researcher, Tbilisi Institute of Asia and Africa

12:00 – 2:30 PM

Keynote Luncheon

Israel and Palestine

“From a Reply: Forgotten Crisis to an Unlawful – An Immovable War”

Robert Malley

Senior Fellow and Lecturer, Yale-Jackson School of Global Affairs; Former U.S. Special Envoy for Iran (2021–2023); Former President & CEO, International Crisis Group

2:30 – 3:00 PM Break

Panel III

2:30 – 3:30 PM

Colonialism and Statesmen

Moderator and Discussants