MCLA Seminar Series to Explore Climate Change Perceptions in Middle East

NORTH ADAMS — The Green Living Seminar Series at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) continues on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 5:30 p.m. with a presentation by Nimah Mazaheri, professor of Political Science and dean of Academic Affairs at Tufts University.

The presentation, titled “Faith Under Fire: How Religion Shapes Climate Concern in the Middle East,” will take place in MCLA’s Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121. The event is free and open to the public.

Mazaheri will discuss his research on how religion influences climate change perceptions across the Middle East, a region facing significant environmental challenges, including extreme heat, recurring droughts, and water salinization.

Drawing from Arab Barometer surveys of 13,700 people across 12 countries, Mazaheri’s research reveals unexpected patterns in how Middle Eastern populations view the climate crisis. His findings show that, while Muslims tend to be less concerned about climate change compared to Christians in the region, individuals with a strong sense of religiosity across all faiths demonstrate greater concern about environmental threats. The research also uncovers a ‘culture war’ dynamic, with religious Muslims who endorse Islamist government showing less concern than their secular counterparts.

“These findings show that religion exerts a nuanced and unexpected influence on how people evaluate the climate change crisis,” Mazaheri notes in his 2024 published paper on the topic.

Mazaheri’s work focuses on the political economy of the Middle East and North Africa, with particular emphasis on how oil wealth shapes politics and economics in the region. His research has been published in leading journals, including Comparative Political Studies, World Politics, and World Development.

This semester’s Green Living Seminar series explores “Nature and Spirituality,” a 12-week examination of how faith, religion, and spiritual traditions shape our relationship with the natural world. All presentations will be recorded as podcasts available at www.mcla.edu/greenliving.