Paul Musgrave, Professor of Political Science, is quoted in an article examining the predicament McDonald’s finds itself in as franchises in the Middle East have weighed in on opposing sides of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, with branches in Muslim countries disavowing a decision by McDonald’s Israel to provide free meals to the Israeli military. “We’re in a post-‘Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention’ world now for sure,” Musgrave says, citing the idea that two countries with McDonalds would never go to war with each other. “Even though Russia and Ukraine both had McDonald’s in 2022, they still went to war. Now, conflicts within the McDonald’s empire mirror the real stresses and passions of the region.” Additionally, he was featured in Vice. Musgrave says, "The risks here could be extreme. During the 1960s, for instance, even powerful brands like Coca-Cola were expelled from countries because of the Arab boycott of Israel and firms conducting business with Israel. That lasted for decades." (Al Jazeera, 10/20/23; Vice, 10/20/23 )