UAB’s Dr. Tina Kempin Reuter Examines the Complexities of the Middle East
RCB President Jeff Stone and Rotarian Ray Watts with Dr. Kempin Reuter
This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed Dr. Tina Kempin Reuter, Director of the Institute for Human Rights at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, for a presentation entitled "Navigating the Middle East: Context and Current Dynamics."
Dr. Kempin Reuter provided historical context tracing the region’s complex past, from multiple empires through modern-day statehood and conflict between Israel and Palestine. She outlined key turning points including the 1948 establishment of Israel, the displacement of Palestinians during the Nakba, and the ongoing disputes over land, borders, and governance. She also discussed the role of global powers, regional alliances, and humanitarian challenges affecting both Israelis and Palestinians.
Dr. Kempin Reuter noted that while political agreements address borders and treaties, lasting peace depends on addressing the deeper emotional and historical wounds on both sides. She concluded by highlighting the fragility of current ceasefire efforts and the immense challenges of rebuilding Gaza, estimating reconstruction costs exceeding $50 billion.
Bio for Dr. Tina Kempin Reuter
Dr. Tina Kempin Reuter is the Director of the Institute for Human Rights and Professor of human rights, peace studies, and international politics in the Department of Political Science & Public Administration and the Department of Anthropology. Her research focuses on human rights, ethnic conflict and genocide studies, and conflict management and peace making with a geographical focus on Europe and the Middle East. Before joining UAB, she was the Director of the Reiff Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution and Associate Professor of international and comparative politics at Christopher Newport University. She was formerly associated with the Solomon Asch Center for the Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict, University of Pennsylvania, the Institute of Public International Law at the University of Zurich, and the Center for Security Studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
Dr. Kempin Reuter holds a PhD in International Relations and International Law and an MA in Contemporary History, Economics, and International Law from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. She is the author of numerous publications in her field and has been awarded multiple prizes and grants to expand her research and teaching. She is a native of Switzerland and speaks multiple languages.
She enjoys teaching seminar-style classes using various teaching methods and approaches, ranging from classical classroom teaching to online courses, simulations, and small group tutoring. She has offered multiple education abroad seminars including trips to Switzerland, Israel and the Palestinian territories, and the Balkans (Kosovo) to study human rights.