About the The department of Middle Eastern and African History

The department of Middle Eastern & African History is recognized worldwide as a leader in the study of the modern Middle East, drawing Israeli and international graduate and undergraduate students interested in this dynamic field. Our faculty of scholars and teachers are some of the most distinguished and innovative figures in fields ranging from political, intellectual, social and cultural history to the history of science and technology.

Covering the history of the region from the rise of Islam until today, our strengths are in the history of the Ottoman Empire and the modern Middle East that replaced it. The courses offered by the department cover the Arab world, Turkey, Iran and Central Asia from various perspectives, using interdisciplinary methodologies, and stressing knowledge of the region’s many languages, including Arabic, Ottoman - and modern Turkish, and Persian. In tandem with the focus on the modern era, the department offers elementary courses on the history of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern era. Departmental course offering also includes seminars and lecture courses on the history of Africa from the pre-colonial period until the present day.