Dr. Jens Heibach

Research Fellow

Dr.  Jens Heibach

  • Short CV

    • 09/2017: 2017 Dissertation Award of the German Middle East Studies Association for Contemporary Research and Documentation (DAVO)
    • Since 01/2017: Research Fellow at GIGA Institute of Middle East Studies
    • 2009 - 2016: Research and Teaching Associate at the Centre for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Philipps-Universität Marburg
    • 2008 - 2009: Member of the Political and Cultural Department at the German Embassy in Sanaa
    • Education: Diploma in Political Science (Minor: Islamic Studies) at the Freie Universität Berlin; Dissertation “Opposition Cooperation under Authoritarianism: The Case of the Joint Meeting Parties in Yemen” at Philipps-Universität Marburg (2016)

    Current Research

    • Saudi Foreign Policy towards Sub-Saharan Africa

    • Political Opposition in Authoritarian Regimes

    • Political Islam

    • International Relations of the Persian Gulf

    Countries and Regions

    • Yemen

    • Saudi Arabia

    • Sub-Saharan Africa


    Memberships

    • Yemen Policy Center, Member of Advisory Board, since 2020
    • German Political Science Association, Membership in discipline-specific association or network, since 2017
    • International Studies Association, Membership in discipline-specific association or network, since 2017
    • Deutsch-Jemenitische Gesellschaft, Membership in region-specific association or network, since 2012
    • German Middle East Studies Association for Contemporary Research and Documentation, Membership in region-specific association or network, since 2010

    Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies | 2024

    Beyond the Soft–Hard Power Binary: Resource Control in Turkey’s Foreign Policy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa

    Using the case of Turkey’s Africa policy under the AKP, this article challenges this reading and its underlying conceptual assumptions.

    British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies | 03/2023

    Iran’s Foreign Policy Making: Consensus Building or Power Struggle?

    This article seeks to identify ways in which the foreign policy power hierarchy inside the Islamic Republic of Iran can be explained. It uses high-level diplomatic meetings as observable evidence in a novel analytical framework to identify the scope of competition and hierarchies in foreign policy decision-making processes. Results reveal that diplomatic activities of key foreign policy decision makers did not noticeably diverge.

    Middle East Law and Governance | 2023

    Coalition Maintenance during Democratization: Comparative Insights from Tunisia and Yemen

    The paper reveals that the Tunisian Troika (2011–2014) and the Yemeni Coalition Government (1993–1994) internal functioning was hampered by adverse power configurations and ideological differences.

    Research Project | 01/03/2022 - 28/02/2025

    Explaining Middle-Power Engagement in External Regions: A Comparison of Iranian, Saudi, and Turkish Sub-Saharan Africa Policies

    By means of a comparative historical analysis of Iranian, Saudi-Arabian, and Turkish engagement in Africa following the continent’s decolonization processes and running up until 2020, this project seeks to make sense of middle-power engagement in external regions. First, the project will identify the periods of shifting IST engagement in Africa. Second, it will analyze the reasons why, and the conditions under which, IST have stepped up—or reduced—their foreign policy efforts in Africa. Third, it will develop mid-range generalizations on middle-power engagement in external regions.
    DFG, 2022-2025

    Research Project | 01/03/2019 - 01/12/2023

    Mediating Islam in the Digital Age (MIDA), Work Package "Contested Authority and Knowledge Production"

    Work Package 4 ‘Contested Authority and Knowledge Production’ deals with the construction and transformation of religious authority and religious knowledge production in changing circumstances. It addresses questions of legitimacy, power and discipline. The Work Package is part of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network ‘Mediating Islam in the Digital Age’ (MIDA), coordinated by the ‘Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique’ (CNRS).
    EC. Horizon 2020, 2019-2023

    Tagesspiegel | Interview | 23/01/2024

    Angriffe der jeminitischen Miliz im Roten Meer: „Die Huthis sind keine Marionetten des Irans“

    Jemens Miliz gefährdet mit Schiffsattacken den Welthandel. Experte Jens Heibach erklärt, warum die Huthis sogar die USA herausfordern und sich von Teheran wenig vorschreiben lassen.

    SWR2 Aktuell | Interview | 12/01/2024

    Interview zum US-Militäreinsatz gegen die Huthis

    Tagesthemen, ARD | Interview | 12/01/2024

    Interview zum möglichen Eskalationspotential nach Angriff auf Huthi-Stellungen im Jemen

    Jemen-Experte Dr. Jens Heibach ordnet die Lage in der Region nach dem Militärschlag der USA gegen die Huthi-Miliz ein und bewertet das Eskalationspotenzial in der Region.

    Teaching | Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Philipps-Universität Marburg | 2023

    Die internationalen Beziehungen des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens und Nordafrikas

    Das Seminar bietet eine Einführung in die internationalen Beziehungen des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens und Nordafrikas seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Thematisiert werden u.a. die Entstehung des regionalen Systems (und seiner Subsysteme); dessen Beziehungen zum globalen System und anderen regionalen Systemen.

    Teaching | Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Marburg | 2016

    Politics and Society of Saudi Arabia

    Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Marburg Marburg Germany

    Teaching | Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Marburg | 2016

    Die internationalen Beziehungen des Persischen Golfs

    Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Marburg Marburg Germany

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