Middle East Studies

Research Initiatives

Islam and the Humanities

Islam and the Humanities logo

Through an annual conference, lectures, and a book series, Islam and the Humanities explores the relationship between Islamic studies and larger debates in the disciplines of history, religious studies, comparative literature, philosophy, contemporary art, the humanistic dimensions of anthropology and sociology. 

This initiative is led by Shahzad Bashir, Aga Khan Professor of Islamic Humanities, Professor of History and Religious Studies

Palestinian Studies

Palestinian Studies logo

There is now a critical mass of innovative scholars in the US, Europe, and the Middle East who work on Palestine and Palestinians. The field has grown quantitatively and qualitatively, with new lines of inquiry pushing in several new directions simultaneously. New Directions in Palestinian Studies aims to shape scholarly works in this field through an annual workshop, an endowed post-doctoral fellowship, and a book series with the University of California Press. The thematically organized workshops bring together emerging and established scholars to take stock of research trends, identify promising new questions and sources, and encourage networking across academic and research institutions. 

This initiative is led by Beshara Doumani, Mahmoud Darwish Professor of Palestinian Studies, Professor of History