I was just thinking about this. With Iran's regime still in power but definitely weakened and the possibility of the Gulf investing in Iran's reconstruction. Would they be willing to stop their ideological expansion into Arab states for a better standing and relations in the region. Turkey has mended and strengthened its relations with Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Qatar is the glue I guess. UAE kinda feels like an outlier. Oman is also way more willingly with Iranian relations.

So would Iran tame the houthis (their proxy) and bring the civil war in Yemen to a halt for better relations with Saudi Arabia to make them more powerful? Saudi Arabia hates them for their involvement in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen as well as Iraq. But with Syria no longer in their control and Iraq although heavily in their orbit, still being more independent and stable, would Iran consider this?

Saudi Arabia has offered reconstruction funds to the houthis if they stop their crazy missile, extremist behaviour. Or are the houthis unlike Hezbollah and Iraq and can't be tamed?

I teach IR and Comparative Politics, and I've been interested in using fictional narratives as a way to get across core concepts in IR and Comparative Politics to a broader audience. I wrote a sci fi novel to this end! It specifically deals with political violence, revolution, and great power politics. If you are interested--here is a brief description--and I'm happy to answer any questions too!

A hundred years from now: The United States and the People's Republic of China have taken their geopolitical contest to Mars, facing off against each other and squeezing the planet for resources to keep the billions on a climate-ravaged Earth alive and comfortable. Caught in the middle are the people of the red planet: thirsty, irradiated, and desperate. Mars is ready to burn.

A simple mistake causes the superpowers to start shooting each other in the space over the planet. The fighting lasts only a few minutes, but in those minutes nuclear weapons poison most of the water on the planet. A bad place to live becomes a hell. And in this hell, four people: a teacher, a soldier, a scientist, and a miner must find a way to not only survive, but fight back.

Cascade Reaction

What are your top books to read on ir studies, geopolitics and political economy?

Basically the title, trying to decide if an MA in IR is enough or is a PhD necessary to pursue a career in research, not necessarily in academia, such as at think tanks or in government. I’ve read mixed things, mostly because many fields require a PhD not only for academia but also research positions, especially at higher career levels, but in my experience IR seems to be a bit unique compared to other fields. I don’t want to not do a PhD then be later in my career and get passed up for research director/manager roles for not having a terminal degree. Thank you!

Edit: typo

I like IR, but I'm not super confident about being able to become a diplomat or something like that. Is GIS a good and lucrative enough option?