People / Journalists / Academics James M. Dorsey

About James M. Dorsey; Senior fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies [Singapore]

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

About James M. Dorsey Senior fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies [Singapore] James M. Dorsey is a scholar and award-winning journalist. James M. Dorsey is a scholar and award-winning journalist. A senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute of Fan Culture, James is one of the pioneers of the exploration of the political, social and economic aspects of Middle Eastern and North African soccer. James has published widely in scholarly journals, writes a syndicated column, is the author of the acclaimed blog, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer and a recently published book with the same title. His book, Comparative Political Transitions between Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa( co-authored with Teresita Cruz-Del Rosario), was published in July 2016. He is currently working on three forthcoming books: China and the Middle East: Venturing into the Maelstrom, Creating Frankenstein: Saudi Arabia’s Export of Ultra-conservative Islam, and Shifting Sands: Volatile Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa, Essays on Sports and Politics A two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and a 2013 finalist for the European Press Award, James started covering ethnic and religious conflict as a foreign correspondent in the 1970s. He served as a foreign correspondent for Dutch newspaper Trouw, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Times, The Christian Science Monitor and Dutch and Belgian radio and television. James was based in Beirut, Jerusalem, Cairo, Teheran, Kuwait, Riyadh, Dubai, Larnaca, Athens, Istanbul, Washington, Lima, London, Paris and Amsterdam. Beyond the Middle East and North Africa, James has also reported over the past four decades from most major conflicts zones in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, including Afghanistan, former Yugoslavia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Ethiopia, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo, Eritrea, Yemen, the Western Sahara, Columbia, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Kashmir, Thailand and Bangladesh.
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Turkey and Saudi Arabia: Engaged in a Journalist-Snatching Alliance? By James M. Dorsey, October 6, 2018 in Global HotSpots A Saudi journalist’s disappearance challenges fragile Middle Eastern pragmatism. Read more » The US and Iran Battle It out at the UN By James M. Dorsey, September 25, 2018 in Global HotSpots Presidents Donald Trump and Hassan Rouhani risk fueling a conflict that could escalate out of hand. Read more » Party Vs. Faith: China Drafts Restrictions for All Religions By James M. Dorsey, September 12, 2018 in Future of Asia UN and U.S. criticism put pressure on the Islamic world to speak out against China’s actions to rein in Islam at home. Read more » UK: Aimlessly Aiding and Abetting Saudi Arabia? By James M. Dorsey, September 7, 2018 in EconoMatters, Global HotSpots New report questions Saudi Arabia’s utility for Britain. Read more » Pakistan: Playing Politics with Religion By James M. Dorsey, August 30, 2018 in Global HotSpots By seizing on the blasphemy issue, Imran Khan puts himself between a rock and a hard place. Read more » The Turkey-China Debt Nexus By James M. Dorsey, August 21, 2018 in EconoMatters Turkey’s financial crisis raises questions about China’s debt-driven development model. Read more » Dissing Canada: How the Saudis Beat Themselves By James M. Dorsey, August 9, 2018 in Global HotSpots Multiple diplomatic spats raise questions about Saudi concept of sovereignty and its human rights obligations internationally. Read more » Driving Turkey into the Arms of Russia? By James M. Dorsey, August 7, 2018 in Rethinking Europe, Global HotSpots The convergence of Russian-Turkish interests is likely only of a temporary nature. Read more » Can the US Make the Iran Sanctions Stick? By James M. Dorsey, August 6, 2018 in EconoMatters, Global HotSpots China’s refusal to cut back on Iranian oil purchases opens up another frontline with the U.S. Read more » Talking to Rouhani: Trump Shooting from the Hip? Or Following a Script? By James M. Dorsey, August 1, 2018 in Global HotSpots Message to Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Tel Aviv: Don’t worry, U.S. President Donald J. Trump has no intention of meeting his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, unconditionally. Read more »
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US Spurring Instability in the Middle East By James M. Dorsey, July 31, 2018 in Global HotSpots Multiple Middle Eastern disputes are threatening to spill out of control. This is largely due to the changed role of the United States. Read more » As Goes Fenerbahce, So Does Erdogan? By James M. Dorsey, June 22, 2018 in Global HotSpots Uncanny parallels between one of Turkey’s top football clubs and the outcome of Turkey’s upcoming general elections. Read more » Iran Nuclear Deal: China Approaches a Watershed By James M. Dorsey, May 27, 2018 in Global HotSpots Salvaging the Iranian nuclear deal could come at a cost China may not want to pay. Read more » Playing US Sanctions: China Walks a Fine Line in Iran By James M. Dorsey, May 11, 2018 in EconoMatters, Global HotSpots The Chinese experience in circumventing earlier sanctions will come in handy with Beijing rejecting Trump’s renewed effort to isolate Iran. Read more » Iraq on the Mend? By James M. Dorsey, May 10, 2018 in Global HotSpots In the upcoming Iraqi election, Sunni Muslims may emerge with a sense of being part of Iraq’s political process and future. Read more » How China Gets Sucked Into the Middle East By James M. Dorsey, May 3, 2018 in Global HotSpots While shifting energy import patterns enhance China’s clout in the Middle East, it is still struggling to be perceived as a big regional player. Read more » Shooting an Own Goal: China’s Belt and Road Funding Terms Spark Criticism By James M. Dorsey, March 27, 2018 in EconoMatters, Global HotSpots The recipients of Beijing’s supposed largess regularly find themselves trapped in debt leading to rising anti-Chinese sentiment. Read more » Saudi Moderation: How Far Will Crown Prince Mohammed Go? By James M. Dorsey, March 22, 2018 in Global HotSpots Despite the boldness of his moves, Crown Prince Mohammed has sent mixed messages about how far he is prepared to go to reform Saudi Arabia. Read more » A Saudi Break With Ultra-Conservatism? By James M. Dorsey, February 20, 2018 in Global Pairings The surrender of a Brussels mosque offers hope that Saudi Arabia is serious about shaving off the sharp edges of its brand of Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism. Or does it? Read more » Asia’s Dark Underbelly and Long-Term Development By James M. Dorsey, February 9, 2018 in Future of Asia, Global Pairings Across Asia, governments not only refuse to recognize a quest for cultural, ethnic, national or political rights, but are often willing to suppress them with brutal force. Read more » « Newer Entries Older Entries »
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Iran: Threat of Renewed Sanctions Reshapes Economic Thinking By James M. Dorsey, February 7, 2018 in Global HotSpots Will the EU adopt legislation that would shield European companies from U.S. secondary sanctions targeting non-American entities invested in Iran? Read more » Gulf Crisis: Is Qatar Really the “Region’s Israel?” By James M. Dorsey, February 3, 2018 in Global HotSpots Unlike Qatar, Israel is not really in the business of fostering opposition or regime change in the region. Israel largely feels that autocratic rulers are more reliable partners. Read more » Is Peace in Yemen Possible? By James M. Dorsey, December 23, 2017 in Global HotSpots Even though the wars in Syria and Iraq are dying down, Saudi Arabia will have to learn to share the Middle East with Iran. Read more » Transition in the Middle East: Transition to What? By James M. Dorsey, December 4, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings In the Middle East and North Africa, the transition toward equitable economic development and transparent and accountable rule of law will take a very long time. Read more » Why Saudi Arabia’s Lebanon Gamble May Pay Off By James M. Dorsey, December 1, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Hezbollah may choose to focus on its all-important goal of securing Lebanese-Syrian relations, at the expense of the Houthis in Yemen. Read more » Pakistan: Where China Hits a Wall By James M. Dorsey, November 30, 2017 in Future of Globalization, Global Pairings Pakistan, an important node in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is concerned about a neocolonial Chinese effort to extract the country’s resources. Read more » FIFA On Trial: More Evidence of Corruption By James M. Dorsey, November 22, 2017 in Global Pairings Qatar’s World Cup back in the firing line. Read more » Prince Mohammed’s Latest Gamble By James M. Dorsey, November 5, 2017 in Global HotSpots Can the latest Saudi crackdown disarm ever more widespread opposition within the royal family and the military to the reform path and the Yemen war? Read more » The Kurdish, Iran, Iraq and US Quadrangle By James M. Dorsey, November 3, 2017 in Global HotSpots Kurdish battle positions Kurds as US ally against Iran. Read more » Reforming Saudi Arabia: Easier Said Than Done By James M. Dorsey, October 30, 2017 in Global HotSpots What to make of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent disavowal of the kingdom’s founding religious ideology? Read more » « Newer Entries Older Entries »
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Gulf Crisis: Advantage Qatar By James M. Dorsey, October 26, 2017 in Global Pairings How the Gulf crisis and global pressure related to the 2022 World Cup may have induced Qatar’s leaders to launch important reform to advance social change. Read more » The Saudi Paper Tiger By James M. Dorsey, October 8, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Far from dominant, Saudi Arabia’s future in the Middle East is that of a second fiddle state. Read more » Battling for Independence: Small States Stake Their Claim By James M. Dorsey, October 6, 2017 in Future of Globalization Beyond the present efforts in Catalonia and Iraqi Kurdistan: How do the strategies of existing small states Singapore, the UAE and Qatar compare? Read more » Letting Saudi Women Drive By James M. Dorsey, October 1, 2017 in Global Pairings Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman imposes his reformist will, while Saudi Arabia’s religious ultra-conservatives lick their wounds. Read more » How Trump’s Iran Move Plays Into China’s Hands By James M. Dorsey, September 25, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings The U.S. abandoning the Iran nuclear deal is the height of folly. It aligns Iran with China, and away from Europe. Read more » Toward Kurdish Independence? By James M. Dorsey, September 19, 2017 in Global HotSpots The Kurds’ quest for self-rule is potentially explosive. It puts them in the crosshairs of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Russia and the United States. Read more » Cleaning Up the Olympics? By James M. Dorsey, September 17, 2017 in Global Pairings On efforts to disentangle the incestuous and seemingly inseparable relationship between sports and politics. Read more » The BRICS Turn Against Pakistan By James M. Dorsey, September 9, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Pakistan’s hopes to resist mounting U.S. anti-terrorism pressure by aligning itself closer with China and Russia may be disappearing fast. Read more » The Two Faces of the Gulf Crisis: Inching Toward Social Change By James M. Dorsey, August 18, 2017 in Global HotSpots The two-month old crisis pitting Qatar against an alliance led by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is proving to be a double-edged sword. Read more » The Two Faces of the Gulf Crisis: Arms Race By James M. Dorsey, August 17, 2017 in Global HotSpots The arms race in the Middle East sparked by the Gulf crisis and North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs are closely connected. Read more » « Newer Entries Older Entries »
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Gulf Media Wars: No Winners, Only Losers By James M. Dorsey, August 14, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Feuding Gulf States have poured millions of dollars into media campaigns which twist the truth to serve rival narratives. Read more » Saudi Arabia Vs. the World By James M. Dorsey, June 30, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Calls for Qatar boycott fuel fears in Muslim Asia. Read more » Saudi’s Crown Prince: A Youthful Gambler By James M. Dorsey, June 26, 2017 in Global HotSpots Crisis puts future of Saudi reforms and GCC in doubt. Read more » The Rise of Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman By James M. Dorsey, June 22, 2017 in Global HotSpots Prince Mohammed could well prove to be the figure that provides Saudi Arabia with a path to the future. But it is a very big gamble. Read more » The Gulf Crisis: Southeast Asia Has Seen It All Before By James M. Dorsey, June 21, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Two competing visions of ensuring regime survival are battling it out in the Gulf. Read more » Qatar: Did they Back The “Wrong” Insurgents? By James M. Dorsey, June 14, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Saudi Arabia and Qatar both support insurgencies, but the Saudis want to enforce a regional order they direct. Read more » Qatar: Why Turkey Steps Into the Fray By James M. Dorsey, June 8, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Turkey steps into the Qatar fray to protect its turf against the Saudis in the fight over Sunni supremacy. Read more » The Global Dimensions of the Qatar Crisis By James M. Dorsey, June 6, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings The policy of side-stepping the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran is becoming increasingly untenable for non-Arab Muslim nations and China. Read more » Hitting Qatar, Targeting Iran By James M. Dorsey, June 5, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings Saudi-UAE campaign to isolate Qatar and Iran puts Muslim nations in a bind. Read more » The Muslim World’s Struggle to Counter Militancy By James M. Dorsey, May 25, 2017 in Global HotSpots, Global Pairings The real downsides of Donald Trump’s choice in Saudi Arabia to prioritize commerce at the expense of principle. Read more » « Newer Entries Older Entries »
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