He has previously served as Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Middle East Politics at the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University in Ireland. His research focuses on democratization and authoritarianism in the Arab world, the role of Islamist parties and movements, and the dynamics of civil society. His most recent publications in 2013 include articles in Middle East Law and Governance, Mediterranean Politics, Democratization, Middle Eastern Studies, Orient and Digest of Middle East Studies. His most recent book is a co-edited volume, Civil society activism in Syria and Iran (lynne Rienner 2013). He is currently working on a project on Salafism in the Arab world after the uprisings.