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Research Projects

CMES hosts and coordinates a large number of interdisciplinary research projects. Whereas a majority of them are part of the MECW-research program there are additional projects with external research funding from the Swedish Research Council, Fortes, Riksbankens Jubileumsfund, the European Commission, Australian Research Council and more.

Recognizing that the complexities of the Middle East region are best addressed through interdisciplinary research collaboration, the research staff consists of scholars from different disciplines and faculties, such as social sciences, humanities, theology, languages, engineering and natural sciences.

CMES aspires to produce cutting-edge research on the Middle East, which also informs our teaching and wider societal engagement. We are always actively seeking new research opportunities, synergies and collaboration also beyond academia. To learn more about current and previous research projects, please visit the CMES page in LU's research portal.

Photo of Ronny Berndtsson and Karin Aggestam

Scientific Coordination

Karin Aggestam, Professor of Political Science, CMES Director, MECW Scientific Coordinator

karin [dot] aggestam [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (karin[dot]aggestam[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)

Ronny Berndtsson, Professor of Water Resource Engineeering, CMES Deputy Director, MECW Deputy Scientific Coordinator 

ronny [dot] berndtsson [at] tvrl [dot] lth [dot] se (ronny[dot]berndtsson[at]tvrl[dot]lth[dot]se)

Current Research Projects at CMES

Satellite Water Investigation of Fragile Terrains - Monitoring and Managing Environmental Alterations Under Conflict and Governance Stress

AI in the Service of Socio-Politically Adapted Sustainable Dust-Storm Control in the Middle East (2021-2024)

Being Young in Conflict (2024-)

Beyond Sacred/Secular Cities - Exploring Politics of Memory, Space, and Religion in Middle Eastern Nationalisms (2022-2025)

Climate Stress Syria (2020-2023)

Comparative Feminist Activism in the Middle East (2021-)

Comparative Water Resources Availability in the Middle East (2021-)

Economic Cosmology: Ethics, Sustainability, and the Nonhuman in the Muslim World (EcoCos)

ECO-Syria: Exploring Conflict-Environment Interactions for Sustainable Development and Conservation (2023-2026)

FIRE: Fighting Insurgency Ruining the Environment (2018-)

Frictional Homebuilding: Swedish Civil Society Actors in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (2024-2027)

Gendering Peacemaking in the Middle East (2021-2023)

Geopolitics and Regional Cooperation in MENA (2024-)

Investigating Swedish Democracy Promotion in the Middle East (ongoing)

Learning to Succeed: The Integration of the Children of Immigrants in Three Cities (ongoing)

Nuclear Middle East (NUCLEAR-ME) (2025-)

Pyrogeography in Conflict Contexts: Satellite Remote Sensing of Vegetation Fires in the Middle East (2023-2027)

Research Data Infrastructure on MENA (2024-)

Syrians at Work: Essays on Labor Markets in Syria and Host Countries (2021-)

Turkey Beyond Borders (2020-)

Water Security and Sustainable Development in the Middle East (2024-)

Last updated: 30 Sep 2025 | webeditor [at] cme [dot] lu [dot] se