Welcome to our ‘Spotlight On’ feature, where we celebrate the work of our world-leading academics. Professor Anoush Ehteshami is an expert in the field of international relations.
Watch our interview with Anoush and read about his career focussing on the geopolitics of change – studying how regions evolve and how power shifts across continents.
Anoush is an expert on the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. His research shapes how scholars and policymakers understand and respond to our interconnected world.
Anoush has advised foreign ministries and international organisations, using his expertise to bring issues of scholarship and foreign relations to life.
One of his proudest achievements was when he was part of a team of experts providing insight and advice to the UK Government’s Foreign Affairs Committee to help inform decisions around potential military action in Syria in 2013.
Professor Ehteshami also gave evidence to the UK’s Intelligence and Security Committee on Iran's foreign policy.
The committee’s report, published in summer 2025, will shape policy for years, with Anoush’s expertise having helped inform its findings.
Professor Ehteshami's influence on academic understanding has also been fundamental in his field.
Amongst his over 20 published monographs, Anoush co-designed and co-edited the major volume ‘Foreign Policy in Middle East States’ which has been translated into dozens of languages and is now in its second edition.
It fills a critical gap – examining why Middle Eastern states behave as they do. Intended for use by students, academics and policy makers alike, Professor Ehteshami describes it as giving a ‘panorama of behaviour’ and offering important insight.
Professor Ehteshami’s work has also given rise to a new academic lens through which to understand our changing world order.
What in Europe is referred to as the ‘Middle East’, Anoush argues would be more accurately described as ‘West Asia’. He highlights that, West, South, Central, Southeast, and East Asia are interconnected parts, which are increasingly working together, through trade and alliances.
Anoush established the term ‘Asianisation’ to describe this new convergence of Asian regions.
His concept has become standard terminology, helping governments understand the shifting geopolitical landscape.
Professor Ehteshami joined Durham University in 1993 and has taken on both academic and leadership roles.
As well as being our first Dean of Internationalisation, Anoush founded our School of Government and International Affairs in 2003. The school now has over 60 staff and welcomes students from over 50 countries. He has also successfully supervised 64 PhD students from 22 countries.
For Anoush, Durham creates the perfect environment to allow scholars to develop ideas and take these out into the world.
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