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Sebastian Sons
AUTHOR

Sebastian Sons

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The Arab world, its diverse and often contradictory societies, and its growing importance for Germany, Europe, and the world have fascinated me for more than two decades. My first trips to Saudi Arabia in particular sparked a deep curiosity to learn more about these countries and societies.

Since then, I have traveled regularly especially to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar and have focused on the geopolitical, foreign and security policy, economic, social, and cultural transformations taking place in the Arab Gulf monarchies. I studied Islamic Studies, Modern History, and Political Science in Berlin, learned Arabic in Syria, and completed training at the Berlin School of Journalism.

Today, I work as a Senior Researcher at the Bonn-based research institute Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO). I am actively engaged in dialogue and exchange initiatives with partners from the Gulf region and Europe and have built extensive networks in academia, politics, business, and culture. I provide my expertise to German and international government agencies, research institutions, international organizations, and political foundations. In addition, I regularly analyze political, social, and economic developments in the Arab Gulf states in German-language and international media, as well as in academic articles and publications.

In November 2016, Built on Sand: Saudi Arabia – A Problematic Ally (in German), was published by Propyläen Verlag. In September 2022, this was followed by Human Rights Are Not for Sale: Why the World Cup in Qatar Must Also Lead to a New Policy at Home (in German), and in October 2023 by The New Rulers of the Gulf and Their Pursuit of Global Influence (in German). In October 2026, my first political thriller, Hour of the Scorpion (in German), was published by Atrium Verlag.

Between 2019 and 2021, I worked in Jordan as an advisor for the regional project “Cooperation with Arab Donors” at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Prior to that, I served as Head of Research at the German Orient Institute in Berlin, Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Orient, and Research Associate in the Middle East and North Africa Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin. I completed my Ph.D. at the Department of Gender and Media Studies for the South Asian Region at Humboldt University of Berlin with a thesis titled Everyday Presence, Public Absence: Practices, Strategies, and Content Among Pakistani Media Actors on Labor Migration to Saudi Arabia (in German). I completed training at the Berlin School of Journalism and worked as a sports journalist.
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