The International Middle East Congress will be organized by the Hatay Governorate, Mustafa Kemal University, TASAM, ORSAM and Marmara University Institute of Middle East Studies on 7-9 December 2011 in Hatay, under the main theme “Change in the Middle East”.

Uncertainties caused by the social and political change and transformation process in the Middle Eastern countries by the end of 2010 leaves the actors related to the region in a difficult situation in terms of policy-making and future projections. Insufficient education and human development programs, inadequate employment in the rapidly growing young population, deepening poverty, improved communication facilities, increase in food prices over the last two years in the Middle Eastern countries have been the main reasons for the people’s movements. At a time when transparency, accountability and democratic legitimacy have become generally accepted principles, the Middle Eastern governments have faced a problem of political legitimacy, which is hard to resolve. In terms of global politics, because of huge energy resources in the Middle East and its geo-strategic importance, the region has remained as a direct intervention area for the global powers. New market and investment opportunities in the region have let the region to become an expansion area. Because of the central symbolic importance of the region for the Islamic world, geo-cultural and global strategic considerations have become more complex.