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.

⏰ Early Registration Ends April 23rd

Tentative Program — Friday, May 15, 2026

8:30 – 8:45 AM

Registration & Breakfast

8:45 – 9:00 AM

Opening Remarks

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Prof. Asma Afsaruddin

Professor of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Indiana University Bloomington
Chair, CSID Board of Directors

Salam al-Marayati

President, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)

9:00 AM

Keynote Address

"What Does It Mean to Defend Human Rights in an Age that Normalizes Colonial Tendencies and Authoritarianism?"

Bahey eldin Hassan

Co-founder of several Egyptian and international human rights institutions
Former Director, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

9:30 – 10:30 AM

Panel 1

Democratic Backsliding and Stalled Reform

The Case for Democracy and Peaceful Reforms

Moderator: Radwan A. Masmoudi

"Does a 'Dictatorships-First' Policy Actually Work?"

Shadi Hamid

Columnist, The Washington Post
Senior Fellow, Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding

"Authoritarianism, the 'Great Fall' of the International Legal Order, and Transnational Policy Alternatives in the Middle East"

David Mednicoff

Professor of Public Policy and Middle Eastern Studies
University of Massachusetts

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"U.S. Strategy, India, and the Limits of Order Without Democracy"

Ammar Mansuri

Student in Finance and Political Science
Worked on Capitol Hill and as Judicial Intern, Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida

"Can Democracy Prevent Extremism?"

Murad Batal Shishani

Resident Senior Fellow, Middle East Policy Council (MEPC)
Member of the Editorial Committee, Alpheratz

10:30 AM – 12:00 Noon

Panel 2

Islam, Pluralism, and Governance

Is Shariah Law Compatible with Democracy?

Moderator: Prof. Asma Afsaruddin

"Islam, Pluralism, and Democratic Governance: A Reformist Perspective"

Mustafa Akyol

Senior Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute
Columnist, The New York Times

"Embedded Islamism: Evidence from Southeast Asia"

Ermin Sinanović

Executive Director, Center for Islam in the Contemporary World, Shenandoah University
Faculty Associate, Southeast Asia Studies Center, Cornell University

"Democratic Safeguards in Islamic Political Thought: Shaykh Muḥammad Mahdī Shams al-Dīn"

Ali Dabaje

Program Coordinator, Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

"Defending Democracy in the Muslim World: A Path to Justice, Stability, and Prosperity"

Irma Makharadze

Independent Researcher, Tbilisi Institute of Asia and Africa

12:00 – 2:00 PM

Keynote Luncheon

"From a Tragic, Forgotten Crisis to an Unlawful, Unnecessary War: US Mideast Policy in the Age of Iran and Israel/Palestine"

Robert Malley

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