FINAL 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

final Program — Friday, May 15, 2026

8:30 – 8:45 AM

Registration & Breakfast

8:45 – 9:00 AM

Opening Remarks

Photo

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 9:00 AM

Why Americans Must Defend Democracy at home and abroad?

Rep. Pramila Jayapal

U.S. Representative, Washington’s 7th Congressional District. Senior Whip, House Democratic Caucus. Member of the House Judiciary Committee. Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, and Member, Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government (confirmed)

Keynote Address 9:30 AM

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, and Former Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

10: 00 – 11:15 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

What happened to the Arab Spring, and where are all the Arab democrats?

Sultan Alamer

Resident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) and Associate at the Center of Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University

"Can Democracy Prevent Extremism?"

Murad Batal Shishani

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

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
in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida.

11:15 AM – 12:15 Noon

Panel 2

Islam, Pluralism, and Governance

Is Shariah Law Compatible with Democracy?

Moderator: Prof. Asma Afsaruddin

Stability at What Cost? U.S. Security Policy and the Future of the Middle East

Josh Paul

Former Director, Congressional and Public Affairs, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Human Rights as the Pillar for Equality and Justice in the Middle East

Omar Shakir

Executive Director of Democracy in the Arab World Now (DAWN)

U.S. Support for “Governance-by-Exception” in Israel/Palestine, and Why It Keeps Producing Insecurity

Shannan Rawcliffe

Anthropologist, MA. From Rutgers University

Beyond Ceasefires: The Humanitarian Reality and the Future of Palestine Refugees

Lein Soltan

Senior Advocacy Manager, UNRWA USA

12:15 – 12:35 PM

Keynote Remarks:

Democracy and U.S. Foreign Policy: Aligning Strategy with Values in a Changing World

Congressman Jim McGovern

U.S. Representative for Massachusetts 2nd District Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee

Co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Longtime advocate for peace, social justice, and international development (Confirmed)

Keynote Luncheon 12:35 - 2:00 PM

"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

Nader Hashemi Moderator & Discussant

Director, Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU)
Georgetown University

🕌 Friday Prayers

2:00 – 3:00 PM

Panel 3

Country Case Studies

Future of Democracy in Libya, Syria, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Iran

"U.S. Strategy and the Collapse of Political Order in Libya"

Ammar Elahi

Executive Director, Muslim Action Coalition (MAC)
Focused on civic engagement and public policy advocacy

"Delegated Stabilization in Syria: Order with Conditional Accountability"

Mir Sulaiman Ali

Senior Foreign & Government Policy Advisor, AK Party USA
Former Community Manager, Muslim Advocates & Community Liaison, New York City Mayor's Office

Bangladesh at a Crossroads: Governance and Democratic Resilience in times of change

Shamarukh Mohiuddin

Director at Cadmus Group, a global consulting firm and Founder and President at The Bangladesh Project, a nonprofit initiative supporting US-Bangladesh relations.

Is There a Path Forward? Human Rights and Governance in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan

Belquis Ahmadi

Human Rights Lawyer, Freelance Consultant, Former Senior Program Officer at USIP

3:00 – 4:00 PM

Panel 4

Islam, pluralism, and governance:

Is Shariah Law compatible with Democracy?

The Future of Peace in the Middle East

Islam, Pluralism, and Democratic Governance: A Reformist Perspective

Mustafa Akyol

Senior Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity,Cato Institute, and Senior Lecturer at the Islamic Civilization and Societies Program at Boston College

Embedded Islamism: Evidence from Southeast Asia

Ermin Sinanović

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

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

Ali Dabaje

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

From Islamism to Muslim Democracy: The Evolution of Ghannouchi’s Political Thought

Omair Anas

Assistant Professor of International Relations at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University in Türkiye, specializing in political Islam, comparative politics, and global political thought.

4:00 PM

Closing Keynote Address

"Humanity at a Crossroads: Islam, Democracy, and the Future of World Order"

Prof. Akbar Ahmed

Ambassador (Ret) and Distinguished Professor

Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies

School of International Service, American University

Former Pakistani High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

4:30 PM

Closing Remarks

Presenting the CSID-MPAC

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Prof. John L. Esposito

A pioneering scholar of Islam and global affairs, Professor John L. Esposito has shaped how policymakers, scholars, and the public understand Islam, democracy, and U.S.–Muslim relations for over four decades.

His work has helped replace fear with knowledge and division with dialogue, making him one of the most influential voices in advancing understanding, pluralism, and informed policy.

Join us as we celebrate a lifetime dedicated to scholarship, bridge-building, and public impact.

5:00 – 6:00 PM