Monotonous Chaos Middle East Politics in Six Poems

Utilizing the intersections between literature, art, and scholarship, Hisham Bustani will perform six of his poems alongside musician and oud player Majdi Zouari. These poems explore themes of cross-Mediterranean migration, authoritarian rule, and the enduring effects of colonialism—forces that continue to shape the Middle East and its relationships with Europe and the Global North.

Between each reading, Riva Kastoryano will engage Bustani in discussion, bringing scholarly insight into dialogue with the contemplative and emotional dimensions of the performance.

• Hisham Bustani is an award-winning poet and writer, a visiting researcher at Sciences Po’s Center for International Studies (CERI), and an affiliate researcher at the Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo). His research interests span theories of state and state formation, enduring colonial effects, and the political economy of energy. 
  
  
• Riva Kastoryano is a CNRS Research Director and Professor at Sciences Po’s Center for International Studies (CERI). Her research focuses on transnationalism, migration, minorities, and identity, particularly in relation to the state.
  
  
• Majdi Zouari is a Paris-based composer and oud player residing in Paris.

To get to the Jean Moulin Auditorium, please cross the courtyard after passing through security. Then take Staircase B down to the basement to reach the auditorium.

Please note that this venue is fully accessible for persons with reduced mobility.