Ammar Shamaileh
@ammars.bsky.social
1.3K followers 480 following 140 posts
Associate Professor of Politics & IR at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies - MENA politics, political economy and repression/violence
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ammars.bsky.social
My article on preference falsification on surveys is now out in @PSRMJournal. Nonresponse rates are often used as a proxy for the sensitivity bias associated with PF. This article casts doubt on the utility of such measures.

dictatorsky, polisky

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
On the measurement of preference falsification using nonresponse rates | Political Science Research and Methods | Cambridge Core
On the measurement of preference falsification using nonresponse rates
www.cambridge.org
Reposted by Ammar Shamaileh
separkinson.bsky.social
Call for applications! APSA-MENA Workshop on Engaged Scholarship in the Middle East and North Africa, hosted at the Doha Institute Jan 5-8 2026 & convened by @ammars.bsky.social, @philbrickyadav.bsky.social, Lara Khattab, & myself. See below.

Link to application: apsa.wufoo.com/forms/z14bkm...
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: MENA METHODS WORKSHOP
Engaged Research in the Middle East and North Africa
January 5-8, 2026 – Doha, Qatar

The American Political Science Association (APSA) is pleased to announce a Call for Applications from early-career scholars who would like to participate in a four-day in-person workshop that examines the
theme of participatory and engaged research in the MENA region. Organized in partnership with the Doha Institute (DI), the program will be held from January 5-8, 2026 at DI in Doha, Qatar. The organizers will
cover participation costs, including travel, lodging, and materials for up to 20 qualified applicants. Following their full participation in the program, fellows will receive a one-year membership to APSA. The deadline for applications is Sunday, September 14, 2025. The workshop is part of a multi-year effort to support political science research among early-career scholars in the MENA region and to strengthen research networks linking Arab scholars with their colleagues overseas. More information on APSA’s MENA programming can be found online at http://web.apsanet.org/mena/.

Eligible Participants: Applications are open to advanced doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career scholars (those who received their PhDs within the past 5 years), as well as early-career PhD-
holding practitioners who are citizens of countries in the MENA region. The program is tailored for scholars in political science and other social science disciplines—including peace and conflict studies,
international studies, development studies, and adjacent fields undertaking research that seeks to consciously employ participatory and engaged research methods in the MENA region, particularly those
working on projects that use in-country fieldwork, rely on original data collection, and explore methodological, ethical, and practical challenges of social science research in applied settings. 

Professional fluency in English is required. This workshop has two central goals. First, we seek to de-center the academy as the only environment in which political scientists conduct scientific research and where knowledge is produced, drawing on the
organizers’ collective experiences with applied scholarship and connections to others who do participatory and engaged research. In doing so, the workshop seeks to make visible some of the many ways in which political scientists can approach engaged work. Second, the workshop aims to provide participants with the methodological tools and professional vocabulary necessary to make applied research legible and
relevant in academic spaces. The workshop organizers seek applications for projects that focus primarily on the following sub-themes:
• Approaches to participatory research, with discussion of different modes of participatory research,
the questions they can (and can’t) answer, and how to ground them in academic debates.
• Real-world examples of successful participatory and/or engaged research projects.
• The promises and pitfalls of survey research in the MENA.
• The challenges of integrating diverse data sources (key-informant interviews, focus groups, survey
data, participant observation).
• Reflections on research collaborations, with discussion of philosophical, ethical, and pragmatic
considerations beyond formal ethics review.
• Reflection on positionality on and off the page and how it relates to political science research.
Reposted by Ammar Shamaileh
Reposted by Ammar Shamaileh
bassel26.bsky.social
MELG’s new issue is out! It’s a SI on “Populism in the Arab World” coedited with MELG Editorial Board member @ammars.bsky.social
ammars.bsky.social
For those of you wondering how things are going over at X:
ammars.bsky.social
This is my first op-ed and I struggled to condense all my thoughts on this matter in a short piece, but I would welcome the opportunity to debate and discuss this further in the future.
ammars.bsky.social
My op-ed in support of considering a federalist system in Syria is now out in the @thenewarab.bsky.social. To be clear, this is not support for any plan that is currently being circulated. My main point is that a symmetric federalist approach should be explored.

www.newarab.com/opinion/defe...
In defence of federalism in Syria: Should it still be taboo?
Syria's new political roadmap must at least consider federalism as a viable option to accommodate all of Syria's diverse communities, says Ammar Shamaileh.
www.newarab.com
ammars.bsky.social
This is a pretty petty point, but I wonder if Hafez will be allowed to change his dissertation's dedication:

“To the martyrs of the Syrian Arab Army, without whose selfless sacrifices none of us would exist.”

This made me laugh out loud.
ammars.bsky.social
This is the most petty and self-centered letter I could ever imagine somebody writing in this situation. Even in this most, Assad can't think of anything other than himself; not Syria, not Palestine, and not even his supporters. It's all about him and his image.
ammars.bsky.social
Everything coming out of Syria right now indicates that it won't be, particularly given that it looks like HTS wants to allow for some bureaucratic continuity. Of course, the next few months will be challenging and there's still the possibility that Syria could head down a very dark path.
ammars.bsky.social
Deep suspicion is needed at this time and beneficial. I view them with suspicion as well, as I view pretty much all political actors and groups. That said, all signs so far point to an attempt to maintain stability through inclusion. But, it must remain in their interest to be inclusive.
ammars.bsky.social
HTS announcing the PM as in charge of public institutions until the transition is complete is a remarkable and shrewd move.
ammars.bsky.social
So far, I've been very wrong. I'm just hoping I stay wrong.
ammars.bsky.social
I believe that my anti-Assad credentials are solid enough that I can express my opinion without it being misunderstood: The recent developments in Syria are horrible for Syrians and I can't believe how many people are cheerleading for HTS.
ammars.bsky.social
I have spent decades envisioning different scenarios where Assad fell. I never pictured a scenario where it would happen like this. I am also completely shocked at how well HTS has managed the political and social side of things. They've been quite brilliant so far.
ammars.bsky.social
The fact SAA's morale was low was common knowledge. Morale among Syrians in Assad controlled areas has generally been low in recent years. I don't have insider knowledge wrt HTS, but those I've spoken to who do indicated they were optimistic, but that their success exceeded their expectations.
ammars.bsky.social
Ultimately, and unfortunately, it is foreign actors that will play the predominant role in negotiations. This, hopefully, can be leveraged to incidentally negotiate a settlement that is beneficial for Syrians; but, it is the protection of foreign interests that will be the focus.
ammars.bsky.social
Let's hope Russia and Iran enter discussions tomorrow planning on a post-Assad Syria. How much longer can they continue propping up the corpse of this regime? Do they really want to risk complete defeat? Of course, I doubt there will be any serious discussions of the interests of Syrians.
ammars.bsky.social
Shot in the Malki neighborhood of Damascus today.
ammars.bsky.social
I believe that my anti-Assad credentials are solid enough that I can express my opinion without it being misunderstood: The recent developments in Syria are horrible for Syrians and I can't believe how many people are cheerleading for HTS.
Reposted by Ammar Shamaileh
adhaque.bsky.social
France on Putin | France on Netanyahu
Reposted by Ammar Shamaileh
separkinson.bsky.social
These are Palestinian firefighters, likely from either Burj al-Barajna or Shatila refugee camps.

FWIW, Palestinian civil protection units do a lot of mutual aid outside the camps, made more significant by the fact that they are *stateless*. They've responded to wildfires in Lebanon, for example.
sallyhayd.bsky.social
First responders on the scene during the aftermath of one of the airstrikes on Chiyah, greater Beirut, today. #lebanon #beirut