Mr. Wissam SAADE

Institute of Political Science

Lecturer

(+961) 1 421 000 ext wissam.saade@usj.edu.lb

Born in 1977 in Beirut, Wissam Saade began his academic journey with studies in political science at Saint-Joseph University and philosophy at the Lebanese University. In 2003, he completed a Master of Advanced Studies (Diplôme d'Études Approfondies, DEA) in political philosophy at USJ under the guidance of the late Thierry Hentsch, presenting a thesis on Spinoza, the theological-political discourse, and the “Marrano condition.” His writings span a diverse range of subjects in philosophy and the history of ideas, with articles published in Majallat al-Fikr al-‘Arabi al-Mu‘âsir, Majallat al-Dirâsât al-Filastîniyya, and Majallat Kalamon. Since 2001, Saade has contributed as an editorial writer for As-Safir, where he also led the opinion section. In 2008, he joined Al-Mustaqbal as head of the local politics department. Since 2013, he has penned a weekly column for Al-Quds al-Arabi and has frequently collaborated with the cultural supplement L’Orient Littéraire of L’Orient-Le Jour, as well as with the website Middle East Eye. In 2008, Saade chaired a workshop in Sanaa, Yemen, organized by the National Democratic Institute, focusing on constitutional reform dialogue. His expertise has been sought at numerous conferences in Paris, Amman, Tunis, New Delhi, Tokyo, and Berlin, where he has addressed Middle Eastern crises, state-building processes, and the interplay between religion and power in the region. Since 2022, he has held the position of research advisor to the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, affiliated with the Council of Ministers. In addition to his academic and journalistic pursuits, Saade has worked as a consultant for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the Heinrich Neumann Foundation, and the German Development Agency (GIZ), gaining a wealth of experience in international policy. Saade’s academic interests extend to South Asia, where after several years spent exploring and living in India and other regions, he is currently working on a doctoral thesis exploring the national-religious Hindutva movement in India. Fluent in Arabic, French, English, and German, Saade has also studied Hindi. Since 2003, he has taught at the Institute of Political Science at USJ, offering courses in political thought, epistemology, the history of Arab-Islamic civilization, and international relations. He also published a booklet in 2021 with the American University of Beirut Press, titled The Chronic Christian Complaint about the Representative System in Lebanon, following a collaboration with the Asfari Institute. He also co-authored a book with Fawwaz Trablousi and Wael Jamal titled Changes in the Arab Region and the Impact of International Developments: Between Populist Movements and Alternative Voices published in Arabic by Maraya publishing house Cairo, 2019.

Highest degree : DEA in Political Science - Saint Joseph University of Beirut