# Beyond Minorities: Power, Identity, and Conflict in the Middle East

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-political-science-408770/beyond-minorities-power-identity-and-conflict-in-the-middle-east
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-political-science-408770/beyond-minorities-power-identity-and-conflict-in-the-middle-east.md
Podcast: [New Books in Political Science](https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-political-science-408770)
Published: 2026-05-15T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NBNK6977075697.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NBNK6977075697.mp3
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## Resource

Helen Haas speaks with political scientist Sean Lee about the changing relationship between majorities and minorities in the Middle East, the collapse of the post-October 2023 regional order, and why questions of citizenship, identity, and political power remain at the centre of conflicts from Syria and Lebanon to Israel–Palestine. In this episode of the Nordic Asia Podcast, Dr. Sean Lee, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the American University in Cairo, discusses the evolving relationship between majority and minority groups in the Middle East. He argues that the minority question is not simply about ethnic or religious groups themselves, but about how political power, history, and institutions shape the categories of majority and minority. These identities are not fixed; they change depending on political and historical circumstances. Using examples from Syria, Lebanon, Israel–Palestine, and other regional conflicts, Lee explains how civil wars and political violence reshape social boundaries and reinforce divisions between communities. In Syria, for example, the post-war political transition has intensified tensions between Sunni Arab majorities and minority groups such as the Druze, Kurds, and Alawites. Lee also highlights how outside powers increasingly use minority groups as instruments in regional politics. A major theme of the discussion is the breakdown of the liberal international order after October 2023. According to Lee, this has weakened international law and increased instability in the region. He suggests that unresolved questions about citizenship and equal rights, especially in Israel and Palestine, continue to fuel conflict and resistance. Drawing comparisons beyond the Middle East, Lee argues that similar dynamics can be observed globally…

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