PhD (Otago)
BA (Hons. 1) (Otago)
Dr Leon Goldsmith works on Middle Eastern and comparative politics. His research looks at ethno-religious conflict and integration processes, sub- and supranational identity politics, youth politics, political participation, political culture, institutions and comparative political systems. His main geographic areas of research are Syria and the Levant, and Oman and the Arab Gulf states. Leon’s current theoretical interests are Arab-Islamic empiricists Ibn Khaldun and Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi.
Dr Goldsmith welcomes postgraduate supervision in the above areas or any related topics.
Teaching
- POLS105 Introduction to Comparative Politics
- POLS210 Middle Eastern Politics
- POLS550 Comparative Regional Conflicts
Contact details
Room 4N10, 4th floor, Arts (Burns) Building
Tel +64 3 479 8665
Email leon.goldsmith@otago.ac.nz
Office Hours: Tues 11:00–12:00, Thurs 11:00–12:00
Research Day: Friday
Publications
Goldsmith, L. (2019). 'Dancing between raindrops': Politics education in an authoritarian state: The Sultanate of Oman 2012-2019. Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference. Retrieved from https://nzpsa2019.sched.com
Goldsmith, L. T., & Dumairieh, N. (2019). شيوخ الدين العلويين: مقدمة موجزة [The 'Alawī shaykhs of religion: A brief introduction] [CIRS Occasional Papers]. SSRN. 32p. Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/abstract=3292755
Goldsmith, L. (2018). Syria's Alawis: Structure, perception and agency in the Syrian security dilemma. In R. Hinnebusch & O. Imady (Eds.), The Syrian Uprising: Domestic origins and early trajectory. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Goldsmith, L. T. (2018). The Alawites of Syria: The costs of minority rule. In P. S. Rowe (Ed.), Routledge handbook of minorities in the Middle East. (pp. 185-196). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Goldsmith, L. T. (2018). The ‘Alawī shaykhs of religion: A brief introduction. Sociology of Islam, 6(2), 190-211. doi: 10.1163/22131418-00602003
Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Goldsmith, L. T., & Dumairieh, N. (2019). شيوخ الدين العلويين: مقدمة موجزة [The 'Alawī shaykhs of religion: A brief introduction] [CIRS Occasional Papers]. SSRN. 32p. Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/abstract=3292755
Other Research Output
Goldsmith, L. (2018). Oman: The conflict in Yemen endangers Oman's neutrality. The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/oman/oman-the-conflict-in-yemen-endangers-omans-neutrality/
Goldsmith, L., & Parsons, N. (2017, November). The Middle East today. Panel discussion at the Celebrating 50 Years of Politics at Otago Events, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].
Goldsmith, L. (2017). Oman: A consultative democracy. The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/focus/oman-a-consultative-democracy/
Goldsmith, L. (2016). Oman: The sultanate’s tightrope walk. The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/oman/oman-the-sultanates-tightrope-walk/
Goldsmith, L. T. (2016). Alawites pay the price for backing Bashar Assad. Politco. Retrieved from https://www.politico.eu/article/isil-syria-alawites-pay-the-price-for-backing-bashar-assad-vladimir-putin-russia/
Goldsmith, L. (2016). Syria: The Alawite 'identity reform'. The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/syria/syria-the-alawite-identity-reform/
Goldsmith, L. (2015). Immunizing against sectarian “sickness”: The case of Oman. Middle East Institute. Retrieved from https://www.mei.edu/publications/immunizing-against-sectarian-sickness-case-oman
Goldsmith, L. (2015). Oman: "Charlie"...A letter from Muscat to Paris. The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/opinion-column/oman-charlie-a-letter-from-muscat-to-paris/
Goldsmith, L. (2015). Oman/Iran: The nuclear argreement... "peace and stability" for real? The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/iran/omaniran-the-nuclear-agreement-peace-and-stability-for-real/
Goldsmith, L. (2015). Oman: Can Oman survive without its heart? The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/oman/oman-can-oman-survive-without-its-heart/
Goldsmith, L. (2015). Oman: The return of the king. The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/oman/oman-the-return-of-the-king/
Goldsmith, L. (2015). Oman: The silent state? The Maghreb and Orient Courier. Retrieved from https://lecourrierdumaghrebetdelorient.info/oman/oman-the-silent-state/
Goldsmith, L. T. (2015). Is Alawite solidarity finally breaking? Hurst. Retrieved from https://www.hurstpublishers.com/is-alawite-solidarity-finally-breaking/
Goldsmith, L. (2012). Alawites for Assad: Why the Syrian sect backs the regime. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2012-04-16/alawites-assad
Authored Book - Research
Goldsmith, L. T. (2016). دائرة الخوف العَلَويون السوريون في الحرب والسلم [Cycle of fear: Syria's Alawites in war and peace]. Beirut, Lebanon: Arab Scientific, 388p.
Goldsmith, L. T. (2015). Cycle of fear: Syria's Alawites in war and peace. London, UK: Hurst, 288p.
Chapter in Book - Research
Goldsmith, L. (2018). Syria's Alawis: Structure, perception and agency in the Syrian security dilemma. In R. Hinnebusch & O. Imady (Eds.), The Syrian Uprising: Domestic origins and early trajectory. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Goldsmith, L. T. (2018). The Alawites of Syria: The costs of minority rule. In P. S. Rowe (Ed.), Routledge handbook of minorities in the Middle East. (pp. 185-196). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Goldsmith, L. T. (2017). Adapting to shifting ground: The Alawites of the Northern Levant. In K. S. Parker & T. E. Nasrallah (Eds.), Middle Eastern minorities and the Arab Spring: Identity and community in the twenty-first century. (pp. 101-128). Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.
Goldsmith, L. T. (2015). Alawi diversity and solidarity: From the coast to the interior. In M. Kerr & C. Larkin (Eds.), The Alawis of Syria: War, faith and politics in the Levant. (pp. 141-158). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Journal - Research Article
Goldsmith, L. T. (2018). The ‘Alawī shaykhs of religion: A brief introduction. Sociology of Islam, 6(2), 190-211. doi: 10.1163/22131418-00602003
Goldsmith, L. (2013). 'God wanted diversity': Alawite pluralist ideals and their integration into Syrian society 1832-1973. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 40(4), 392-409. doi: 10.1080/13530194.2013.811631
Goldsmith, L. (2011). Syria's Alawites and the politics of sectarian insecurity: A Khaldunian perspective. Ortadoğu Etütleri, 3(1), 33-60.
Goldsmith, L. (2011). Syria's Alawites and the politics of sectarian insecurity: A Khaldunian perspective. Ortadoğu Etütleri, 3(1), 33-60.
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Goldsmith, L. (2019). 'Dancing between raindrops': Politics education in an authoritarian state: The Sultanate of Oman 2012-2019. Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference. Retrieved from https://nzpsa2019.sched.com
Goldsmith, L. (2011). The seeds of the Syrian Revolution: A Khaldunian perspective. Proceedings of the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference. (pp. 15). Retrieved from http://nzpsa.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/nzpsa-2011-conference-abstracts.pdf
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Goldsmith, L. (2018, February). Complex and interactive residual risk: Opportunities & challenges for resilience. Verbal presentation at the Risk Management Conference, Muscat, Oman.
Goldsmith, L. (2017, February). The 'Alawī sheikhs of religion: A brief introduction. Verbal presentation at the Leading the Faithful: The Role of Religious Authorities in the Middle East Working Group II, Doha, Qatar.
Goldsmith, L. (2016, August). Alawite religious leadership, the state, and politics in the Levant. Verbal presentation at the Leading the Faithful: The Role of Religious Authorities in the Middle East Working Group I, Doha, Qatar.
Goldsmith, L. (2015, November). Syria: The security dilemma of religious minorities. Verbal presentation at the War and Wars' Ending in the Post-2011 Middle East: A Cooperation of Germain Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA) and Lebanese American University (LAU), Byblos, Lebanon.
Goldsmith, L. (2015, April). Between integration and disintegration: Reconciling 'heterodox' and 'orthodox' Islamic identities in Syria. Verbal presentation at the International Symposium on Syria: History, Politics and Foreign Policy, Ankara, Turkey.
Goldsmith, L. (2015, March-April). Searching for institutional equilibrium in divided societies: Lessons from the Levant. Verbal presentation at the Economics of Conflict International Workshop, Muscat, Oman.
Goldsmith, L. (2014, January). 'Alwais of coast and city. Verbal presentation at the The 'Alawis of Syria: War, Faith and Politics in the Levant International Workshop, London, UK.
Goldsmith, L. (2012, May). Resilience of Alawite 'Asabiyya and implications for the Syrian uprising. Verbal presentation at the Middle East Institute Annual Conference, Singapore.
Harris, W., & Goldsmith, L. (2012, June). The convulsion in Syria. Verbal presentation at the 47th Otago Foreign Policy School: The Middle East: Unfolding Dreams and Drama in the Early Twenty-First Century, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Goldsmith, L. (2012, November). The "reality of events" and international dysfunction in the Syrian crisis: Perspectives from Syrian fig farmers. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Political Studies Association (NZPSA) Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.
Goldsmith, L. (2009, September). Sect and politics in Syria: The Alawites, 'Asabiyya and the Syrian regime. Verbal presentation at the British Society of Middle East Studies (BRISMES) Graduate Conference, Exeter, UK.
Awarded Doctoral Degree
Goldsmith, L. (2012). The politics of sectarian insecurity: Alawite'Asabiyya and the rise and decline of the Asad Dynasty of Syria (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2232
