Dr. Rahaf Aldoughli is a Lecturer in Middle East and North African Studies at Lancaster University and senior editor at Cogent Social Sciences. A leading scholar in Middle Eastern studies, her work has been recognized with awards and grants from institutions such as Women in International Security (WIIS), the Kroc Institute Fellowship, XCEPT, and the Arab Center for Graduate Studies.

Her research explores nationalism, sectarianism, and political attitudes in authoritarian contexts through an interdisciplinary lens. She is the author of Romancing Masculinity in Baathist Syria: Gender, Ideology, and Identity (Manchester University Press) and is finalizing a forthcoming book on sect(ism) in Syria with IB Tauris. She is also working on her third book, which examines Syrian armed groups and the motivations of fighters in the Syrian War.

Dr. Aldoughli’s expertise has been sought by international media, including Die Zeit, The New York Times, NBC News, Al Jazeera English, TRT World, France 24, Trouw, Enab Baladi, BBC News, and Channel 4. She has also authored commissioned reports for Chatham House, Foreign Affairs, New Lines Magazine, and the Middle East Institute.

Through her research, Dr. Aldoughli seeks to deepen the academic discourse on conflict dynamics, identity formation, and political behavior in the Middle East, with the broader aim of informing policy and peacebuilding efforts.