Dr. Luciano Zaccara is Research Associate Professor in Gulf Politics at the Qatar University, Gulf Studies Center. Also a Visiting Associate Professor at the Georgetown University in Qatar, and Director of the Observatory on Politics and Elections in the Arab and Muslim World, Spain. His research interests are Iranian Politics and Foreign Policy; Gulf Politics; International Relations in the Persian Gulf; and Electoral Systems in MENA region. Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu is a Research Assistant in the Gulf Studies Center, Qatar University. Currently, she is also a PhD Candidate at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara. Battaloglu obtained an MA Degree in Gulf Studies at Qatar University with a thesis on Turkey and Iran’s soft power in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Her research interests are international relations of the Gulf monarchies, Turkey-GCC relations and identity and foreign policy nexus in the Gulf.
