Dr Patrycja SASNAL is a political scientist, Arabist and philosopher, specializing in politics in the Middle East, climate change and human rights, political violence and migration. She is Senior Professorial Fellow in the European Neighbourhood Chair at College of Europe and Mentor of the Migration and Human Rights Nest. She is also visiting professor at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California Los Angeles.
She serves at the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Her report “The Impact of New Technologies for Climate Protection on Human Rights” was adopted by the Human Rights Council in 2023. Currently, she is rapporteur of the report on the impact of disinformation on the enjoyment of human rights to be presented to the Council in 2026. She also serves in the UN Working Group on Communications – part of the complaint procedure, holding states responsible for human rights violations.
She is a long-time employee of the Polish Institute of International Affairs, where she has worked since 2007, currently in the position of a senior analyst. In the years 2019-2024 she headed the research office of the Institute overseeing research and analysis direction of more than 40 analysts.
She is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and of the Polish Ombudsman’s Expert Commission on Migration. She was a Fulbright scholar at Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, associate researcher at the American University in Beirut and studied at Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris III. Her book is Arendt, Fanon and Political Violence in Islam, published in 2019 in the Routledge series in postcolonial studies. She has written i.a. for The Guardian, Le Monde, Polityka, Gazeta Wyborcza.
Sasnal lead several European research projects on migration, human rights, radicalization and the role of religion in sociopolitical processes. She has three MAs (International Relations, Arabic Language and Culture, Philosophy) and a PhD in Political Science from Jagiellonian University. She speaks English, Arabic, French and Polish.
Selected publications:
Monographs, edited volumes:
- 2019: Arendt, Fanon and Political Violence in Islam; Abingdon, Routledge, ISBN 9780367259594;
- (ed.) 2019: Cooperation with Religious Institutions as a European Policy Tool, Joint Policy Study 14, European Institute of the Mediterranean;
- 2017: Pseudo-stabilization. The problems of contemporary U.S. policy in the Middle East [in Polish], Warszawa: PWN (Polish Scientific Publishing), ISBN 978-83-01-19132-0;
- (ed.) 2015: Irregular migration to the European Union – implications for Poland [in Polish], PISM Report, November 2015, ISBN 978-83-64895-67-8;
- 2014: Myths and Legends: Modern History and Nationalistic Propaganda in Egyptian Textbooks, Warszawa: PISM/FIIA, ISBN 978-83-62453-89-4;
- (eds. Behr, T., Sasnal, P.) 2012: Still Awake: The Beginnings of Arab Democratic Change, Helsinki, Warsaw: Finnish Institute of International Affairs & PISM, ISBN 978-83-62453-41-2;
Book chapters, articles & reports
- 2025 (forthcoming): Human-rights based governance of geoengineering and the role of the European Union, European Journal of Risk Regulation;
- 2024 (co-author): Impact, opportunities and challenges of neurotechnology with regard to the promotion and protection of all human rights, A/HRC/57/61, UN Human Rights Council’s Advisory Committee report;
- 2023 (rapporteur, main author): Impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights, A/HRC/54/47, UN Human Rights Council’s Advisory Committee report;
- 2023 (co-authored): Advancing racial justice and equality, A/HRC/54/70, UN Human Rights Council’s Advisory Committee;
- 2021 (co-authored): The negative effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of all human rights, A/HRC/48/66, UN Human Rights Council report;
- 2021 (co-authored): Moving towards racial equality: study of the Advisory Committee on appropriate ways and means of assessing the situation, A/HRC/48/72, UN Human Rights Council report;
- 2021 (co-authored): Current levels of representation of women in human rights organs and mechanisms: ensuring gender balance, A/HRC/47/51, UN Human Rights Council report;
- 2019: Points of Tangency Between State and Religious Institutions in Europe – Institutionalisation of State Religion Policy, in: Sasnal, P. (ed.) Cooperation with Religious Institutions as a European Policy Tool,Joint Policy Study 14, European Institute of the Mediterranean;
- 2018: Domesticating the Giant: The Global Governance of Migration, Council on Foreign Relations, New York;
- 2018: The looming peace in Syria, „Orient”, I/2018, Deutsches Orient Stiftung;
- 2017: Brothers in Arms, Strangers in Love: Mapping the Trajectory of Flows Between Two Different Socio-Religious Models in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, in: Mason, R. (ed.): Egypt and the Gulf: A Renewed Regional Policy Alliance, Berlin & London: Gerlach Press;
- 2016: The Reasons for Radical Groups’ Appeal among European and Arab Citizens: The Case of ISIS, [in:] Terrorist Threat in the Euro-Mediterranean, A. Mukhtar, F. Ammor, D. Ghanem-Yazbeck, P. Sasnal, Joint Policy Study 3, European Institute of the Mediterranean;
- 2016: Faith Brings Down Regimes. The Role of Religion in Transitional Processes, [in:] The Arab Transitions in a Changing World. Building Democracies in Light of International Experiences, S. Florensa (ed.), Barcelona;
- 2016: Universal Utopia: Weighing the Reasons for the Appeal of the Islamic State, in: PISM Strategic Files, 1 (82);
- 2015: Poland: from onlooker to wannabe agenda-setter, in: Behr, T., Tiilikainen, T. (eds.): Northern Europe and the Arab World: From the Cold War to the Arab Spring, Aldershot, Burlington, Singapore, Sydney: Ashgate;
- 2015: Pulling the Rope: The Struggle between Official and Popular Islam in Egypt, in: PISM Policy Papers, 2(104);
- co-authored with Uzelac, A. 2014: Unaided Refugees Make ISIS Stronger: Europe and the Worst Humanitarian Crisis of the 21st Century, in: PISM Policy Papers, 19(102);
- 2012: The Pessoptimist’s Arab Revolution: A Mismatch Between Social Evolution and Political Revolution, Insight Turkey, 14/4;
- 2024: Why the U.S. Presidential Election Matters for the Middle East, Global Memo, Council on Foreign Relations, 31 October 2024;
- 2024: Why the U.S. Presidential Election Matters for Europe, Global Memo, Council on Foreign Relations, 3 September 2024;
- 2022: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Will Have Lasting Implications, Global Memo, Council on Foreign Relations, 3 March 2022;
- 2021: How We Fell Into a Dictator’s Twisted Trap, TheDailyBeast.com, 15 November 2021;
- 2021 (co-authored): Why Europe needs a rights-based policy after the Gaza conflict, European Council on Foreign Relations, 8 June 2021;
- 2020: Mistaking Panacea for Pathogens: The Case for Existential Multilateralism in: CFR (eds.) Challenges of Global Governance Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Council on Foreign Relations,May 2020;
- 2020 (co-authored with El Menouar, Y.): There's a social pandemic poisoning Europe: hatred of Muslims, The Guardian, 28 September 2020;
- 2020 (co-authored): The UN at Seventy-Five: How to Make it Relevant Again, Council on Foreign Relations, September 2020;
- 2020: How Europe should fight violent Islamist extremism, European Council on Foreign Relations, 8 December 2020;
- co-authored with Fahmi, G. 2020: State Religious Institutions in the MENA: Can They Prevent Violent Radicalization?, EU-LISTCO Policy Paper Series, Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB),
- 2019: Peace According to Real Estate Dealers, EuroMeSCo Policy Brief no. 102, 25 October 2019, Barcelona;
- أسباب جاذبية الجماعات الراديكالية بين المواطنين الأوروبيين والعرب, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies/EuroMeSCo, April 2017;
- 2017: Expating Democracy: Dissidents, Technology, and Democratic Discourse in the Middle East by Nir T. Boms, review article for the Israeli Journal of Foreign Affairs, March 2017;
- 2016: The International Dimension of the Fight for Aleppo in Syria, Center for Security Studies, Zurich;
- 2016 (co-authored with Quercia, P., Smith, J., Volker, K.): NATO in Libya: A Long-term Plan for Stability, in: PISM Policy Papers, 11 (152);
- 2015: Saudi Arabia: On the Inside Track in Egypt, The Globalist, July 2015;
- 2014: Syria and Egypt: Two Counterrevolutions in Action, The Globalist, 3 June;
- 2013: Recession and terrorism foster Islamophobia in EU, Public Service Europe, 29 May;
- 2012: Egypt’s Foreign Policy: Post-Western and Pan-Islamic, Euro-Mediterranean Study Commission Brief 34;
- 2012: Six Milion Mubaraks, International Relations and Security Network (ISN), 23 July;
- 2011 : Du faux chocolat et de l’islam politique, «Le Monde», 5 December;
Policy papers and press articles
- 2024: Why the U.S. Presidential Election Matters for the Middle East, Global Memo, Council on Foreign Relations, 31 October 2024;
- 2024: Why the U.S. Presidential Election Matters for Europe, Global Memo, Council on Foreign Relations, 3 September 2024;
- 2022: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Will Have Lasting Implications, Global Memo, Council on Foreign Relations, 3 March 2022;
- 2021: How We Fell Into a Dictator’s Twisted Trap, TheDailyBeast.com, 15 November 2021;
- 2021 (co-authored): Why Europe needs a rights-based policy after the Gaza conflict, European Council on Foreign Relations, 8 June 2021;
- 2020: Mistaking Panacea for Pathogens: The Case for Existential Multilateralism in: CFR (eds.) Challenges of Global Governance Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Council on Foreign Relations,May 2020;
- 2020 (co-authored with El Menouar, Y.): There's a social pandemic poisoning Europe: hatred of Muslims, The Guardian, 28 September 2020;
- 2020 (co-authored): The UN at Seventy-Five: How to Make it Relevant Again, Council on Foreign Relations, September 2020;
- 2020: How Europe should fight violent Islamist extremism, European Council on Foreign Relations, 8 December 2020;
- co-authored with Fahmi, G. 2020: State Religious Institutions in the MENA: Can They Prevent Violent Radicalization?, EU-LISTCO Policy Paper Series, Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB),
- 2019: Peace According to Real Estate Dealers, EuroMeSCo Policy Brief no. 102, 25 October 2019, Barcelona;
- أسباب جاذبية الجماعات الراديكالية بين المواطنين الأوروبيين والعرب, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies/EuroMeSCo, April 2017;
- 2017: Expating Democracy: Dissidents, Technology, and Democratic Discourse in the Middle East by Nir T. Boms, review article for the Israeli Journal of Foreign Affairs, March 2017;
- 2016: The International Dimension of the Fight for Aleppo in Syria, Center for Security Studies, Zurich;
- 2016 (co-authored with Quercia, P., Smith, J., Volker, K.): NATO in Libya: A Long-term Plan for Stability, in: PISM Policy Papers, 11 (152);
- 2015: Saudi Arabia: On the Inside Track in Egypt, The Globalist, July 2015;
- 2014: Syria and Egypt: Two Counterrevolutions in Action, The Globalist, 3 June;
- 2013: Recession and terrorism foster Islamophobia in EU, Public Service Europe, 29 May;
- 2012: Egypt’s Foreign Policy: Post-Western and Pan-Islamic, Euro-Mediterranean Study Commission Brief 34;
- 2012: Six Milion Mubaraks, International Relations and Security Network (ISN), 23 July;
- 2011 : Du faux chocolat et de l’islam politique, «Le Monde», 5 December;