Jörg Gertel is Professor of Arabic and Geography and Global Studies at the University of Leipzig, Germany. He holds a PhD in Geography and taught and carried out research in Khartoum, Cairo, Seattle and Auckland. He specialises in the fields of youth, food and nomadic studies, focusing on the changing notions of insecurity and uncertainty.
Ralf Hexel is the Director of the Department for Middle East and North Africa at the Friederich-Ebert-Stiftung, a German based political foundation. He earned his PhD in Latin American literature at the University of Rostock in 1990, and then worked as a consultant for German and Austrian NGOs in Africa. Since joining the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in 1993, he has occupied various leading positions in the foundation’s projects in Europe, Africa and the MENA region.