Laurence Louër has an interdisciplinary training in philosophy (University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne), sociology (University Paris X Nanterre), Arabic (Institut des langues et civilisations orientales - INALCO, Paris) and political science (Sciences Po Paris). She obtained her PhD from Sciences Po Paris in 2001.

She was editor of the journal Critique internationale from 2006 to 2016, and has been a member of the editorial board of Arabian Humanities since its creation in 2013. Between 2004 and 2009, she was a permanent consultant at the Centre for Analysis, Forecasting and Strategy of the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Between 2013 and 2017, she was a member and then director of the Scientific Advisory Board of UMIFRE (French Research Centres Abroad) in Egypt, Sudan and the Arabian Peninsula.

Between 2017 and 2020, she led (with Laetitia Bucaille) the Inalco-Sciences Po Master on the Middle East. Since 2021, she is in charge (with Jan Rovny) of the Comparative Politics programme of the Master in Political Science at Sciences Po (School of Research).

As a specialist in Middle East studies, she has focused on several themes. Initially, she explored relations between states and minorities through the study of communal movements. She has worked on Palestinian political movements in Israel (To Be an Arab in Israel, London, Hurst, 2007) and on Shia Islamic movements in the Gulf (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait) and their relations with Iraq and Iran (Transnational Shia Politics. Political and Religious Networks in the Gulf, London, Hurst, 2008). She went on to comparatively analyse Shia Islamic movements in the Middle East (Shiism and Politics in the Middle East, London, Hurst, 2012), and Sunni-Shia relations (Sunnis and Shi‘a. A Political History, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2020). Since 2010, she has shifted her thematic focus to the analysis of the relationship between labour and the political order in the Gulf (“The Arab Spring Effect on Labor Politics in Bahrain and Oman”, Arabian Humanities, 4, 2015). In particular, she examines the impact of labour market reforms on the relationship between the state, business and labour.

She teaches at Sciences Po in French and English, on the Menton campus (“Introduction à la science politique” and “Introduction to Political Science”), at the Paris School of International Affairs – PSIA (“Shiism and Politics in the Middle East”; “States and Societies in the Gulf Monarchies”) and at the School of Research (“Le religieux dans le monde contemporain”, with Kathy Rousselet and Antonela Capelle-Pogacean).

She also teaches at the Paris-Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) (Master in Applied Sociological Research, “Introduction to Gulf Studies” and “Advanced Topics in Gulf Studies”).

• Laurence Louer. Le conflit israélo-arabe dans le complexe de sécurité régional du Golfe. Les Dossiers du CERI, 2023, "Après le 7 octobre 2023". ⟨hal-04281852⟩
• Laurence Louer. The Social Contract and the Welfare State: A Comparative Perspective. Les Dossiers du CERI, Décembre 2021, pp.en ligne, 2021. ⟨hal-03479396⟩
• Laurence Louer. Social Citizenship in the Gulf Monarchies: Beyond the Rentier State Paradigm. Les Dossiers du CERI, 2021, Décembre 2021, pp.en ligne. ⟨hal-03479392⟩
• Laurence Louer. Introduction. The Social Contract and the Welfare State: A Comparative Perspective. Les Dossiers du CERI, 2021, Décembre 2021, pp.en ligne. ⟨hal-03479378⟩
• Bruno Palier, Rivka Azoulay, Laurence Louer. Kuwait's Welfare System. [Research Report] 18, Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Evaluation of Public Policies. 2021. ⟨hal-03396220⟩
• Laurence Louer. Arabie saoudite et Émirats arabes unis : un nouvel axe régional. Questions internationales, 2020, 103-104. ⟨hal-03566561⟩
• Laurence Louer. Bahrain: The Army and the Dynamics of State-Society Relations. William R Thompson. Oxford Research Encyclopedias: Politics, Oxford University Press, pp.en ligne, 2020, 9780190228637. ⟨hal-03380973⟩
• Laurence Louer. Sectarianism in the Gulf Monarchies: Regional and Domestic Factors of Sunni-Shi‘a Tensions. Mehran Kamrava. Routledge Handbook of Persian Gulf Politics, Routledge, 2020, 9780367193737. ⟨hal-03380990⟩
• Laurence Louer. Sunnis and Shi‘a. A Political History. Interview with Laurence Louër. 2020. ⟨hal-03392036⟩
• Laurence Louer. Sunnis and Shi'a: A Political History. Princeton University Press, 240 p., 2020, 9780691186610. ⟨hal-02525001⟩
• Laurence Louer. Shi’i minorities in the Arab world. Paul Rowe. Routledge Handbook of Minorities in the Middle East, Routledge, pp.240 - 252, 2018, 9781138649040. ⟨hal-03393840⟩
• Laurence Louer. Communautarisations chiite et sunnite en miroir au Bahreïn. Archives de Sciences Sociales des Religions, 2018, 181 (janvier-mars), pp.161 - 178. ⟨10.4000/assr.38542⟩. ⟨hal-03399629⟩
• Samy Cohen, Nonna Mayer, Didier Demazière, Laurence Louer, Yves Déloye, et al.. Evaluer l’évaluation des articles en sciences sociales. 2018, 13 p. ⟨hal-04740354⟩
• Christophe Jaffrelot, Laurence Louer. Introduction. The Gulf - South Asia Religious Connections: Indo-Islamic Civilization vs. pan-Islamism?. Christophe Jaffrelot; Laurence Louer; Christophe Jaffrelot; Laurence Louer. Pan-Islamic Connections. Transnational Networks Between South Asia and the Gulf, Hurst Publishers, pp.1 - 20, 2017, 9781849048187. ⟨hal-03394076⟩
• Christophe Jaffrelot, Laurence Louer. Pan-Islamic Connections. Transnational Networks Between South Asia and the Gulf. Hurst Publishers, pp.288, 2017, Comparative Politics and International Studies Series, 9781849048187. ⟨hal-01647892⟩
• Christophe Jaffrelot, Laurence Louer. Les réseaux islamiques entre l’Asie du Sud et le Golfe. 2017. ⟨hal-03392618⟩
• Laurence Louer. Sunnites et Chiites. Histoire politique d'une discorde. Seuil, pp.352, 2017, 9782021346725. ⟨hal-01621684⟩
• Laurence Louer. Ressorts internes et externes du conflit entre sunnites et chiites. Alain Dieckhoff; Philippe Portier. L'Enjeu mondial. Religion et politique, Presses de Sciences Po, pp.309 - 319, 2017, 9782724620757. ⟨hal-03398577⟩
• Laurence Louer. Book review: "After the Sheikhs. The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies". European Review of International Studies, 2016, 3 (2), pp.119-122. ⟨10.3224/eris.v3i2.14⟩. ⟨hal-03471854⟩
• Laurence Louer. De la révolution à la réforme : chiisme et politique en Arabie saoudite. Confluences Méditerranée , 2016, 2016/2 (97), pp.31 - 41. ⟨10.3917/come.097.0031⟩. ⟨hal-03399777⟩
• Laurence Louer. The Politics of Labor Policy Reform in Bahrain. Gulf Affairs, 2015, Autumn 2015, pp.9 - 12. ⟨hal-03459681⟩
• Laurence Louer. The Arab Spring Effect on Labor Politics in Bahrain and Oman. Arabian Humanities, 2015, 4, ⟨10.4000/cy.2865⟩. ⟨hal-03568225⟩
• Laurent Bonnefoy, Laurence Louer. Le Printemps arabe dans la péninsule Arabique. Arabian Humanities, 4, 2015, ⟨10.4000/cy.2803⟩. ⟨hal-03470176⟩
• Laurent Bonnefoy, Laurence Louer. Introduction : le « Printemps arabe » et ses suites dans la péninsule Arabique. Arabian Humanities, 2015, 4, pp.10.4000/cy.2872. ⟨10.4000/cy.2872⟩. ⟨hal-03459962⟩
• Laurence Louer. Aux sources du conflit sunnites/chiites. 2014. ⟨hal-03392597⟩
• Laurence Louer. Activism in Bahrain: Between Sectarian and Issue Politics. Lina Khatib and Ellen Lust (Eds). Taking to the Streets: The Transformation of Arab Activism, John Hopkins University Press, pp.172-198, 2014, 9781421413136. ⟨hal-04379048⟩
• Laurence Louer. The State and Sectarian Identities in the Persian Gulf Monarchies. Lawrence Potter. Sectarian Politics in the Persian Gulf, Hurst Publishers, pp.117 - 142, 2014, 9781849043380. ⟨hal-03398177⟩
• Eberhard Kienle, Laurence Louer. Comprendre les enjeux économiques et sociaux des soulèvements arabes. Critique Internationale, 2013, 4 (61), pp.11 - 17. ⟨10.3917/crii.061.0011⟩. ⟨halshs-00995320⟩
• Laurence Louer. Soulèvements et factionnalismes des élites autoritaires en Égypte et au Bahreïn. Critique Internationale, 2013, 61, pp.35 - 50. ⟨10.3917/crii.061.0035⟩. ⟨hal-03460763⟩
• Laurence Louer, Eberhard Kienle. Économie politique des soulèvements arabes. Laurence Louer; Eberhard Kienle. Critique Internationale, pp.92, 2013. ⟨hal-03399479⟩
• Laurence Louer. D'une intifada à l'autre. La dynamique des soulèvements au Bahreïn. Amin Allal; Thomas Pierret. Au coeur des révoltes arabes: Devenir révolutionnaires, Armand Colin, 2013, 9782200285555. ⟨hal-03393976⟩
• Laurence Louer. Sectarianism and Coup-Proofing Strategies in Bahrain. Journal of Strategic Studies, 2013, 36 (2), pp.245 - 260. ⟨10.1080/01402390.2013.790314⟩. ⟨hal-03415361⟩
• Laurence Louer. Arab citizens: an unfinished process of integration. Alain Dieckhoff. Routledge handbook of modern Israel, Routledge, pp.114 - 122, 2013, 9780415573924. ⟨hal-03393991⟩
• Laurence Louer. Political pluralism and governance challenges in Kuwait and Bahrain. Abbas Kadhim. Governance in the Middle East and North Africa: A Handbook, Routledge, 2013, 9781857435849. ⟨hal-03398531⟩
• Laurence Louer. Shiism and Politics in the Middle East. Hurst Publishers, pp.176, 2012, Comparative Politics and International Studies, 9781849042024. ⟨hal-03398451⟩
• Laurence Louer. Bahreïn. Une révolution suspendue. Thierry De Montbrial; Philippe Moreau Defarges. RAMSES 2013. Gouverner aujourd'hui ?, Dunod, pp.152 - 155, 2012, 9782100584116. ⟨hal-03394030⟩
• Laurence Louer. The Politics of Employment Policy Reform in the Gulf States. Les Études du CERI, 2012, 185, pp.3-28. ⟨10.25647/etudesduceri.185.eng⟩. ⟨hal-03473893⟩
• Laurence Louer. Les enjeux des réformes des politiques de l'emploi dans les monarchies du Golfe. Les Études du CERI, 2012, 185, pp.1-31. ⟨10.25647/etudesduceri.185⟩. ⟨hal-01024569⟩
• Laurence Louer. Le soulèvement au Bahreïn. Tumultes, 2012, 38-39, pp.213 - 227. ⟨10.3917/tumu.038.0213⟩. ⟨hal-03415445⟩
• Laurence Louer. Shi'i Identity and Politics in Saudi Arabia. Anh Nga Longva; Anne Sofie Roald. Religious Minorities in the Middle East. Domination, Self-Empowerment Accommodation, Brill Publishers, 2011, 9789004207424. ⟨hal-03574107⟩
• Laurence Louer. Les monarchies du Golfe face au printemps arabe. Laurence Louer. Les Dossiers du CERI, 2011. ⟨hal-03461423⟩
• Laurence Louer. Le Bahreïn, maillon faible du Golfe. 2011. ⟨hal-03392875⟩
• Laurence Louer. Introduction : Les monarchies du Golfe face au printemps arabe. Les Dossiers du CERI, 2011, pp.1-4. ⟨hal-01024466⟩
• Laurence Louer. Bahreïn, la fin des compromis. Les Dossiers du CERI, 2011, pp.1-6. ⟨hal-01024464⟩
• Laurence Louer. De quelques ouvrages récents sur le Hezbollah. Critique Internationale, 2009, 44, pp.151 - 160. ⟨10.3917/crii.044.0151⟩. ⟨hal-01023678v2⟩
• Laurence Louer. The Political Impact of Labor Migration in Bahrain. City and Society, 2008, 20 (1), pp.32-53. ⟨10.1111/j.1548-744X.2008.00004.x⟩. ⟨hal-03417765⟩
• Laurence Louer. Transnational Shia Politics. Religious and Political Networks in the Gulf. Hurst Publishers, pp.256, 2008, Comparative Politics and International Studies Series, 9780231700405. ⟨hal-03398452⟩
• Laurence Louer. Chiisme et politique au Moyen-Orient. Iran, Irak, Liban, monarchies du Golfe. Editions Autrement, pp.148, 2008, 9782746710870. ⟨hal-03394124⟩
• Laurence Louer. Vie et mort de l’utopie révolutionnaire dans les monarchies du Golfe. Sabrina Mervin. Les mondes chiites et l’Iran, Éditions Karthala; Institut français du Proche-Orient, pp.61 - 85, 2007. ⟨hal-03570003⟩
• Laurence Louer. To Be an Arab in Israel. Hurst Publishers, pp.238, 2006, The CERI series in comparative politics and international studies, 9781850657989. ⟨hal-03393229⟩