AdvancingGlobalUnderstanding
A consortium of international social science scholars conducting independent research on current world issues for academic, government, and judicial constituencies.
Our
Mission
The Global Research Institute is a consortium of international Social Science scholars who conduct independent research on current world issues for academic, government, and judicial constituencies.
Based at the Posner Center for International Development in Denver, Colorado, our researchers specialize in Middle East cultures and societal norms, human rights issues in Muslim societies, conflict analysis, and Sharia law studies. We provide expert analysis, testimony, and consultation for institutions worldwide.
Our scholars are regularly cited and act as commentators in national and international media including the Associated Press, CBS, NBC, FOX, and MSNBC.
Independent Research
Unbiased social science analysis on current global issues
Expert Testimony
Forensic sociology for asylum and immigration cases
Academic Publishing
Peer-reviewed papers, books, and media commentary
Areas of
Expertise
Human Rights Research
Human Rights abuses in Muslim governed societies: Including, the abuse of and discrimination against women, religious minorities and LGBT communities.
Middle East Conflict Analysis
Islamic extremist terrorism is rooted in Middle Eastern Muslim Arab societies. The proliferation of this terrorism violence is worldwide.
Sharia Law Studies
Understanding the intrinsic nature of Sharia Law is critical to the societal, judicial, cultural and religious norms of more than 50 countries in the world today.
Books &
Research Papers
By Dr. Shaul M. Gabbay and the Global Research Institute scholars.
Selected Books
Social Capital in Iraq: The Case of Christian Minorities
2018
The Alliance? Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan
2013
Religious Extremism in the Muslim World: Honor Killings and Blasphemy
2013
One Land Two Stories
2012
Additional Books
- • Islam in West Africa (2013)
- • Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan Today — Livingston Publishing House (2011)
- • Gays of the Muslim World — Livingston Publishing House (2011)
- • The Search for Israeli-Arab Peace: Learning from the Past and Building Trust — Sussex Academic Press (2007)
- • Social Capital of Organizations — Research in the Sociology of Organizations (RSO) with Roger Th. A. J. Leenders, JIA Press (2001)
- • People of the Arab World and People of the Muslim World (2009)
Selected Research Papers
The Status of Palestinians in Jordan
Explore both the harsh new realities that face those Palestinians who have been stripped of their Jordanian citizenship, as well as the tumultuous history between Palestinians and Jordanians.
The Case of Pakistani ISI, the Taliban, and the War Against Terrorism
Delineating the complexities of the war against terrorism through a social network approach.
Religiously Motivated Violence in North and West Africa
Violence against Christians in North East Africa and West Africa has intensified to unprecedented levels where hundreds of churches were destroyed and thousands have lost their lives.
Honor Killing in the Muslim World
Analyzing honor killings in the Middle East from a forensic sociology perspective — family narratives from Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.
Tribal Values and Norms in Mongolia and their Effect on Women's Status
The effect of tribal values and norms on family structures particularly with regards to women is delineated, analyzed and discussed.
The Case of Turkish Kurds' Struggle for Self Determination
Discussing the current drawbacks for their lives in Turkey asking if the state borders will sustain the cultural, religious and strong social networks.
More Research Papers
The Arab Spring in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen and the Potential Muslim Spring: A Social Network Analysis
Muslims in Predominantly Christian Societies: A Comparative Study of Germany, The Netherlands, and Russia
What Does the Past Tell Us About the Future of Syria and Egypt: A Social Structural Approach
The Changing Social Structure in Bangladesh – Minorities within Minorities
The Changing Social Structure in Syria – Is Democracy Possible?
Current Social Changes and the Effect of the Islamist Government in Contemporary Egypt, Turkey and the UAE
Forensic Sociology: Analyzing Social Networks in the Muslim-World for Asylum Immigration Cases
Bangladesh and Indonesia: A Comparative Study Between East and West
Socio-Political Forces for the Understanding of Current Changes in Afghanistan
Contemporary Pakistan: Social Challenges and the Rise of Talibanism
Gays from the Muslim World and Immigration to the United States
Networks of Terror: Lebanon 1980-2007
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Immigration to the United States
Are Strong Ties Indeed Strong: The Case of Family Norms in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Christians in Predominantly Muslim Societies: A Comparative Study (with Deborah Rohan Schluetter)
The Global Emergence of Female Peacemakers (with Deborah Rohan Schlueter)
Muslim Norms and U.S. Asylum: The Case of Immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Iran
Honor Killing in Muslim Societies and their Effect on Immigration to the US
Saudi Arabia – Between Islamism and Arabism
The Paradigmatic Clash: Rationality and Ideology in the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict
Engineering Social Capital in the Middle East: The Critical Role of Trust
The War in Iraq and the Internal Social Ramifications for the Middle East
Is Trust Really Social Capital? (with Marloes Bakker, Roger Th.A.J. Leenders, et al.)
Embedding Social Structure in Technological Infrastructure (with Amy J. Stein)
Published Analysis in Media
Why We Should Worry about Egypt
The Denver Post
So Far Much Better: Palestinians Find they are Steadily Making Progress
Rocky Mountain News
Gaza Withdrawal: Heartbreaking — but Worth the Risk
Intermountain Jewish News
How Israelis and Palestinians are Working Together
Intermountain Jewish News
Threats to Take-Out Arafat Have Backfired on Israelis
Rocky Mountain News
Mapping Peace: Unforeseeable Consequences Await Region
Rocky Mountain News
Arafat, Sharon must act now for peace
Rocky Mountain News
Middle East in Dire Need of Powell Plan
Rocky Mountain News
Leadership &
Scholars
Ambassador Sam Zakhem, PhD
A Former United States Ambassador to Bahrain, Dr. Zakhem continues research of Middle East issues and political trends in Arab countries. A native of Lebanon, Dr. Zakhem continues to make significant contributions to his field of expertise.
Ambassador Babiker Khalifa
Ambassador Babiker Khalifa has over 25 years of continuous diplomatic service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan. He is recognized for detailed reports, policy papers and statements as well as for his thorough research. He was the resident Ambassador of Sudan to the Republic of Korea in Seoul in 2002/2006.
Professor Amin Kazak
Political Science Department, University of Colorado Denver. Professor Kazak was born in Haifa and became a Palestinian refugee in 1948, spending his formative years impoverished in a Palestinian refugee camp.
Seth Ward, Ph.D.
Dr. Seth Ward is founder and director of the Institute for Islamic, Judaic, Middle East and Sephardic Studies, with over fifty years of experience in these fields. He taught Islam, Judaism and Middle East studies at the University of Wyoming from 2003 until his retirement in 2022.
Dr. Raed Mualem
Born to a Christian family and living in Haifa, Israel, Dr. Raed Mualem is an educational administrator who completed undergraduate studies in biology (B.Sc) and law (LL.B), master's degrees in science, educational leadership and management, and health administration, along with a doctoral degree in life science — all awarded by Tel Aviv University.
Alla Futterman, MA
Alla Futterman (née Rubinstein) has an MA in International Studies from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver (2011) and a BA in Psychology from the University of Chicago (2006).
Deborah Rohan
Deborah Rohan is the creator and host of the "How We Change the World" video podcast. She has written numerous books and articles and plays a pivotal role in aiding refugees in their quest for asylum, producing hundreds of reports to support their cause.
Dr. Martin Widzer
Dr. Martin Widzer received his MA in International Security from The George Washington University and his PhD in International Studies at the University of Denver. He currently serves as a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Colorado Denver.
Tulibaleka Paul Ogwang, Ph.D.
Dr. Tulibaleka completed his PhD in Social Policy in 2022 at the Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Lingnan University, Hong Kong. He was an awardee of the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (2019/2020) and the Belt and Road Graduate Scholarship by the HKSAR Government.
Erica Penfold
MSocSci in Political Studies and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Cape Town. She has a BA (International Relations) from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Shaul M. Gabbay, Ph.D.
Dr. Shaul Gabbay completed a BA at Bar Ilan University and an MA at Tel-Aviv University. In 1991 he received a Presidential Fellowship from the U.S. to continue his studies. In 1995 he completed the PhD program at Columbia University in New York and received an invitation from the University of Chicago for a Post Doctoral program.
Research
Opportunities
Research Associates
To join the Global Research Institute as a Research Associate, send your vita and the specialties of your publishing expertise to Executive Director, Dr. Shaul Gabbay.
gabbay@globalresearchinstitute.org →Student Interns
The Global Research Institute is seeking student interns who demonstrate academic and research strengths in the areas of international studies, political science, cultural anthropology and forensic psychology.
info@globalresearchinstitute.org →News &
Analysis
Why We Should Worry about Egypt
The Denver Post
Palestinians Find they are Steadily Making Progress
Rocky Mountain News
Gaza Withdrawal: Heartbreaking — but Worth the Risk
Intermountain Jewish News
How Israelis and Palestinians are Working Together
Intermountain Jewish News
Threats to Take-Out Arafat Have Backfired on Israelis
Rocky Mountain News
Mapping Peace: Unforeseeable Consequences Await Region
Rocky Mountain News
Get in
Touch
Phone
(303) 847-7544Location
Posner Center for International Development
1031 33rd St.
Denver, CO 80205
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Global Research Institute?
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The Global Research Institute is a consortium of international Social Science scholars based in Denver, Colorado, who conduct independent research on current world issues for academic, government, and judicial constituencies.
What research areas does the Global Research Institute focus on?
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The institute focuses on human rights research in Muslim-governed societies, Middle East conflict analysis, Sharia law studies, forensic sociology for asylum cases, and comparative studies of societies across more than 50 countries.
Who leads the Global Research Institute?
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The institute is led by Executive Director Dr. Shaul M. Gabbay, PhD from Columbia University, former Director of the Institute for the Study of Israel in the Middle East at the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies.
Where is the Global Research Institute located?
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The Global Research Institute is located at the Posner Center for International Development, 1031 33rd St., Denver, Colorado 80205, United States.
How can I join the Global Research Institute as a Research Associate?
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To join as a Research Associate, send your vita and the specialties of your publishing expertise to Executive Director Dr. Shaul Gabbay at gabbay@globalresearchinstitute.org.
Does the Global Research Institute offer internships for students?
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Yes, the institute seeks student interns with strengths in international studies, political science, cultural anthropology, and forensic psychology. Contact info@globalresearchinstitute.org with your resume and areas of interest.
What publications has the Global Research Institute produced?
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The institute has published numerous books and papers including 'Social Capital in Iraq: The Case of Christian Minorities,' 'The Alliance? Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan,' and research on topics ranging from honor killings to Palestinian status in Jordan.
Does the Global Research Institute provide expert testimony?
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Yes, institute scholars provide expert witness testimony and consultation for cases involving Islamic, Jewish, and Middle East issues, particularly for asylum and immigration proceedings.