Dr. Shaul Gabbay, Ph.D.

Dr. Shaul Gabbay, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert witness specializing in the cultural and societal norms of Muslim-majority countries.

With a career spanning decades in academia and legal consulting, Dr. Gabbay has become a trusted resource for attorneys navigating immigration, asylum, and deportation cases where cultural context is critical.

Academic and Professional Background

Dr. Gabbay earned his Ph.D. in Sociology with a focus on cultural and societal dynamics in Muslim-majority countries. His academic work spans topics such as human rights, societal norms, political conditions, and gender issues, making him uniquely qualified to provide nuanced and credible analysis for legal cases.

As a professor and researcher, Dr. Gabbay has published extensively on the cultural, political, and historical realities shaping the Muslim world. His deep knowledge is grounded in rigorous scholarship, ensuring his insights are both reliable and well-informed.

Expert Witness Experience

Dr. Gabbay has provided expert testimony in courts across the United States, working on cases involving:

  • Asylum and Deportation: Offering detailed analyses of country conditions to demonstrate risks of persecution or harm.

  • Cultural Disputes: Explaining societal norms and practices to clarify misunderstandings in legal proceedings.

  • Human Rights Cases: Providing reports and testimony on violations, threats, and risks faced by individuals in specific cultural contexts.

His expert reports and courtroom testimony have been praised for their clarity, credibility, and depth, often playing a pivotal role in achieving successful outcomes for clients.

Global and Cultural Expertise

Dr. Gabbay’s work spans Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. He is deeply familiar with the cultural, political, and societal factors that influence legal cases, including:

  • Gender and Family Dynamics: Insights into practices like honor killings and gender-based violence.

  • Political Persecution: Analysis of risks faced by individuals opposing authoritarian regimes.

  • Religious and Cultural Norms: Context for how these shape societal expectations and individual behavior.

Whether you need expert testimony, a detailed country conditions report, or guidance on cultural dynamics, Dr. Gabbay is here to help.

Credentials & Resume

Education:

Visiting Professor:

Visiting Scholar:

Professional Experience:

  • Middle East Politics

  • Democratization in the Middle East and the Muslim World

  • Middle East, Terrorism and Homeland Security

  • Social Networks in Iraq

  • The Arab/Israeli Conflict

  • Politics among the Nations

  • The Role of NGOs in Conflict Resolution

  • Social Capital and Social Networks

  • News of the World

  • Beyond the Sound Bites

  • Organizational Structures and Processes

  • Organizational Intervention

  • Research Methods

  • Introduction to Sociology

  • The Strategy of Peacemaking – Contemporary Trends in Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

  • Evaluation of Evidence

  • Research Methods

  • Institutional and Social Structure of Israel

Presentations at Peer-Reviewed Scientific Conferences:

2024

  • “Winds of Resentment: The Rise of Anti-US and Anti West Sentiments in Predominantly Muslim Societies – The Case of Somalia”
    International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (Chicago)

2023

  • “A Social Structural Approach for Understanding Democracy Challenges in Kyrgyzstan”
    International Conference on Multidisciplinary Social Studies (Denver)

  • “A Social Structural Approach for Democratization Challenges in Turkey: The Case of Kurds”
    International Conference on Political Sciences (Manchester, UK)

  • “A Social Capital Approach for Democratization Challenges in Egypt”
    International Conference on Social Science and Humanities (London)

  • “Social Capital and Social Liability in Iraq”
    International Conference on Economics and Social Science (Israel)

2022

2021

  • “The Effect of Bangladeshi Social Structure on Democratization Process – A Social Network Approach”
    International Conference on Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (Amsterdam)

  • “Honor Killings in Algeria: The Effect of the Hirak Movement”
    International Conference on Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (London, UK)

2020

  • “A Social Network Approach for Explaining Challenges of Implementing Democracy in the Muslim World: The Case of Mauritania”
    6th International Conference on Social Science & Humanities

2015

  • “Political and Terror Networks in Somalia – A Forensic Social Network Approach for Explaining Consistent Unrest”
    International Conference on Forensic Research and Technology

2014

2013

  • “The Arab Spring in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen and the Potential Muslim Spring – A Social Networks Analysis of the Middle East and Its Effect on the Muslim World”
    Hawaii International Conference on Social Science

  • “Religiously Motivated Violence in North and West Africa (e.g., Egypt and Nigeria): A Forensic Sociology Perspective”
    International Conference on Forensic Research and Technology (Las Vegas)

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

  • “The Paradigmatic Clash: Rationality and Ideology in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”
    Association for Israel Studies Annual Conference (Tucson, Arizona)

2004

  • “Rationality and Ideology: A Paradigmatic Analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”
    Hawaii International Conference on Social Science

  • “The War in Iraq and the Internal Social Ramifications for the Middle East”
    International Symposium on the Middle East (China)

2002

  • “Social Capital and Conflict Resolution – The Case of the Middle East”
    International Conference on Middle East Issues (Havana, Cuba)

  • “Social Capital in the Middle East Conflict”
    Association for Israel Studies Annual Meeting (Vail, Colorado)

2001

Papers:

  • “Palestinian Diaspora: Status and Rights in Middle East and African Countries”
    Advances in Social Sciences Research Vol. 11, No. 10 (2024)

  • “Forgotten Victims: Male Honor Killings in Muslim Societies”
    Advances in Social Sciences and Management (ASSM) (2024)

  • “The Critical Role of Researching Case Studies for Understanding Terrorism”
    In Martine Herzog-Evans & Stephen J Morewitz (Eds.), Handbook of Understanding Terrorism (pp. 263–267). Springer (2024)

  • “The Pendulum of Power: Tracing Turkey's Democratic Evolution and Authoritarian Drift”
    European Journal of Applied Sciences Vol. 12(2), pp. 271–278 (2024)

  • “Balancing Acts: Jordan’s Remarkable Stability Amidst Regional Conflict and Humanitarian Response”
    Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal Vol. 10, No. 11 (2023)

  • “Crushed Under Authoritarian Rule: Islam, State Power, and Religious Persecution in Tajikistan”
    Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal Vol. 10, No. 8 (2023)

  • “Caught in the Crossfire: Bangladesh's Erosion of Human Rights in the Battle Against Terrorism and Religious Extremism”
    Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) (2023)

  • “Pakistan’s Intractable Corruption Provides Terror Groups Agency”
    Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal Vol. 10(4), pp. 390–396 (2023)

  • “The Political Role of Apostasy Charges in the Muslim World: Part One”
    The Official Newsletter of the Forensic Social Sciences Association Vol. 5, No. 1 (2023)

  • “Kyrgyzstan at a Crossroads: Democracy and the Struggle for Human Rights”
    Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal Vol. 10, No. 12, pp. 296–302 (2023)

  • “Iran’s Human Rights Record Continues Downward Trajectory”
    International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSS) Vol. 10, No. 4 (2022)

  • “Political Corruption Cripples Mauritania’s Societal and Economic Development”
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research Vol. 10(2), pp. 205–209 (2022)

  • “Yemen’s Human Rights Abuses Skyrocket Amidst Ongoing Chaos”
    International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSS) Vol. 9, No. 4 (2021)

  • “Extremists’ Weaponization of the Internet in Bangladesh: A Threat to Rapid Development?”
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research Vol. 9(2), pp. 308–312 (2021)

  • “Lebanon: Unraveling the Hezbollah Factor”
    International Journal of Recent Research in Social Sciences and Humanities Vol. 8(2), pp. 12–19 (2021)

  • “Algeria Unfinished: Honor Killings and Women’s Rights from the Black Decade to the Hirak Movement”
    International Journal of Recent Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (2021)

  • “Persecution of Minorities in Algeria: What Fuels the Maltreatment”
    International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSS) Vol. 9, No. 4 (2021)

  • “Hereditary Slavery Shackles Mauritania”
    International Journal of Social Science Studies Vol. 9 (2021)

  • “India’s Muslims and Hindu Nationalism”
    International Journal of Social Science Studies Vol. 8, No. 5 (2020)

  • “Impact of Tribal Influence on Djibouti Society”
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research Vol. 8(3), pp. 11–17 (2020)

  • “Turkey’s Human Rights Abuses Derail Candidacy to Become a Member of the European Union”
    International Journal of Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Research Vol. 6(4), pp. 1–7 (2019)

  • “The Impact of External Military Intervention on the Syrian Civil War”
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research Vol. 7(2), pp. 56–62 (2019)

  • “Human Rights in Sri Lanka”
    Journal of Social Science Studies Vol. 5(3) (2018)

  • “Socio-Political Conditions for Christians in Egypt”
    European Scientific Journal (ESJ) Vol. 14(19) (2018)

  • “The Treatment of Minorities in Kyrgyzstan: The Case of Uzbeks”
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research Vol. 6(1) (2018)

  • “Existential Threats to Christians in Iraq”
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research Vol. 5(5) (2017)

  • “Tribal Values and Norms in Mongolia and Their Effect on Women’s Status”
    Journal of Social Science Vol. 3(5) (2015)

  • “Networks, Social Capital, and Social Liability: The Case of Pakistani ISI, the Taliban, and the War Against Terrorism”
    Social Networking Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 220–229 (2014)

  • “Social Membership and Historical Conflict: The Case of Bangladesh’s Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party”
    International Journal of Recent Advances in Multidisciplinary Research Vol. 2(3) (2015)

Published analysis in media:

  • Rocky Mountain News

    • “So Far Much Better: Palestinians Find they are Steadily Making Progress” (2005)

    • “Threats to Take-Out Arafat Have Backfired on Israelis” (2003)

    • “Mapping peace: Unforeseeable consequence await region, world if Israelis, Palestinians can't strike a deal” (2002)

    • “Arafat, Sharon must act now for peace” (2001)

    • “Middle east in dire need of Powell plan” (2001)

  • Intermountain Jewish News

    • “Gaza withdrawal: Heartbreaking – but Worth the Risk” (2005)

    • “How Israelis and Palestinians are Working Together” (2004)

Published analysis in media:

Awarded Research Grants

Honors and Awards

Membership in Professional Associations

Qualified Immigration Proceedings as Muslim-World Expert

Within the U.S.:

  • Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington

Outside the U.S.:

  • Canada, The Netherlands, Great Britain

Board Memberships