Middle East Studies Mission Statement

Middle East Studies @ AU aims to build ties across the different schools at American University, between faculty and students and those that share common research interests on the Middle East region at the undergraduate and graduate level. The goals of the initiative are to:

1. Provide a forum for members of the community to access information on curricula, public events, and research.
2. Build a community of AU scholars engaged in research and teaching on the Middle East and a forum for presenting scholarship, hosting speakers, and designing programs to enhance Middle East resources and opportunities @ AU.
3. Connect student learners with interests in the Middle East to each other and provide them with opportunities to organize, enhance, and articulate their own initiatives and research interests.
4. Foster community among students of Middle Eastern languages and provide engagement with foreign language study through language tables, films, and cultural events

MES@AU is interdisciplinary, inclusive, and open to all who wish to contribute to our scholarly community on the Middle East at AU. Visit our website to see how American University, from its location in Washington, DC, opens a unique vantage on the cultures, history, and politics of this fascinating region.

Come to the monthly Middle East Forum to hear cutting-edge research from AU scholars on the Middle East and to engage with the broader Middle East community of scholars, practitioners, journalists and activists working from the capitol city and beyond. These are held one Wednesday each month on Bender Library's first floor from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

For questions regarding the Middle East Studies @ AU initiative, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Thompson, or Dr. Pedram Partovi.