War and Fragile Peace: Geopolitics of Imperialism and Multipolarity in the Conflict over Iran

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Friday, May 8, 2026 | 2pm to 3:30pm

The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has proved extremely controversial, as it risks the lives of Iranians, people across the Middle Eastern conflict zone, and U.S. troops. Its impact on the nations of the Persian Gulf and global energy trade remains a cause for concern during the war and after the ceasefire. The choking of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20% of global non-renewable energy supplies, has driven up oil prices and caused significant disruptions for Asian nations that depend heavily on Gulf oil. The war, launched without approval from the United Nations Security Council or the United States Congress, is dividing public opinion in the global community, including within the U.S. and its Western allies. Amidst shifting justifications for the war, including the regime change in Iran as a desired U.S.-Israeli goal, the regime in Iran has remained resilient; with support from Russia and China, it seeks to negotiate with the US.. to end decades of isolation.

In this talk, Prof. Sumanth Inukonda (LaGuardia Community College/CUNY), speaks with media theorist Oliver Boyd-Barrett, and 2026 Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 5th District U.S. House seat Christian Vukasovich, about the implications of conflict over Iran for the world and America.

Author Bio

Sumanth Inukonda is Associate Professor of Communication at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY. Prof. Inukonda does research in Social Stratification, Social Movements, Urban/Rural Sociology and Communication and Media. He has previously worked on a project with the Administrative Staff College of India & Water and Sanitation Program, South Asia. He is the author of Media, Nationalism and Globalization: The Telangana Movement and Indian Politics (Routledge, 2009), and a co-editor of Propaganda, Communication and Empire: Western intervention in Afghanistan (Routledge, 2025).


Oliver Boyd-Barrett is Professor Emeritus of the School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University, and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is the author or editor of some twenty-five scholarly books, including Conflict Propaganda in Syria (2021), and a co-editor of Propaganda, Communication and Empire: Western intervention in Afghanistan (Routledge, 2025).


Christian Vukasovich is currently a Democratic candidate running for U.S. Congress in Michigan’s 5th District in the 2026 election. As a former college professor at the University of Southern Maine, his work has focused on communication, media studies, strategic communication, and student mentorship.