Dania Arayssi

Dania Arayssi, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy and a scholar of Middle East political economy and participation. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, where her dissertation examined the political effects of remittances and civic engagement in the Middle East. She also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at CU Boulder and held fellowships with the Barney Ford Lab for Civic Thought and Engagement and the Institute of Behavioral Science.

 

Her research focuses on Middle East politics, with particular expertise in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Hezbollah. Her doctoral work investigates how remittance income shapes political behavior and civic engagement in Lebanon, challenging conventional theories of political mobilization. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Beirut and leads survey research initiatives examining political participation patterns across the region.

 

Dania’s broader research interests include democracy and peace studies, development economics, economic policy, elections and voting behavior, non-state actors and ideology, protest movements, race and representation, regime change, and trust development. She has particular expertise in the role of civil society organizations in political transitions and democratization processes.

 

At the New Lines Institute, Dania’s work addresses critical policy questions related to Syrian political transitions, minority inclusion in post-conflict governance, and regional security dynamics. Her recent publications analyze Al-Sharaa's governance model in Syria and the implications for U.S. strategic interests in the region. She regularly briefs congressional staff and policymakers on Middle East security issues.

 

Dania holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Public Policy from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, a master’s degree in History of International Relations from Saint Joseph University in Beirut, and a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the American University of Science and Technology. She has also completed a Diploma in International Criminal Law from the Asser Institute in The Hague.