Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA)

08/28/2026

Syllabus season is here and our most recent Crown Conversation offers a timely analysis of the U.S.-Israel War on Iran from three different regional perspectives.

Crown Conversation 32, “The Iran War: What Has Changed and What Comes Next for the Middle East?,” looks at how the conflict is reshaping the Iranian state and society, nuclear diplomacy and Israeli politics, the U.S.–Israel relationship, and the evolving regional security order in the Gulf, including the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

This Crown Conversation is an accessible starting point for both students and scholars trying to understand what's at stake for the region.

Read it on the Crown Center website: https://www.brandeis.edu/crown/publications/crown-conversations/index.html

08/27/2026

APPLY NOW: Student Poster Competition proposals are accepted on a rolling basis through October 5.
MORE INFO —> www.asmeascholars.org

08/26/2026

📣 Calling Tenure-line Israeli Faculty 🇮🇱 🇺🇸

Interested in teaching across epochs? Israel Studies bridges millennia and encompasses ancient texts and archaeology, modern history and literature, religious traditions, social movements, and cutting-edge technology.

Consider teaching about Israel in the United States during your sabbatical and connect the distant past with the urgent present to show students how historical narratives shape modern societies.

Archaeology and Ancient History are only two of many fields in the humanities and social science welcome to apply to our Visiting Faculty Program. If you have a sabbatical coming up, add a teaching component and apply for funding. Applications due by November 3 for AY 27-28. https://bit.ly/3QvNTyb

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

Rhetoric profoundly shaped the worldview, intellectual culture, and literature of the Byzantine Empire throughout its millennium-long history. Rhetorical education—and literary education in general—was central to elite identity: it enabled social mobility and allowed its graduates to pursue care...

08/06/2026

☪️📜💡 As we prepare to launch the 𝗔𝗯𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, we’re revisiting some of the thought-provoking scholarship that shaped the past academic year.

One of our featured interviews highlights the work of Hoover Institution Fellow Cole Bunzel, whose research sheds new light on the historical roots of Wahhabism and its enduring influence on Islamic political thought and contemporary Islamist movements.

Drawing on years of archival research and previously overlooked eighteenth-century manuscripts, Bunzel traces the evolution of from its origins in central Arabia to its role in shaping the modern Saudi state. His work challenges simplified narratives by showing how the movement developed over time and explores why its ideas have been interpreted so differently by the Saudi religious establishment and militant jihadist groups alike.

Beyond reconstructing the history of Wahhabism, Bunzel examines broader questions about religion, political authority, and ideological change, offering valuable insights into the intellectual foundations of contemporary debates across the Middle East.

👉🔗 Read the full interview on our website: islamicstudies.stanford.edu

08/06/2026

Pleased to host TODAY, 12p EST a webinar discussion with Dr. Simon Waldman on “Between Nationalism and Islamism: How Turkey Failed Its Jews.”
REGISTER HERE —> asmeascholars.org/webinar

07/31/2026

The Keynote Address at the Nineteenth Annual ASMEA Conference will be given by H.E. Dr. Barham Salih, the 12th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

"We are pleased to welcome back H.E. Dr. Salih to the ASMEA Conference in 2026," said ASMEA Executive Director Dr. Asaf Romirowsky. "At this pivotal time in the region, his remarks are a highly anticipated highlight for our upcoming annual gathering in Washington, D.C."

***SPACE IS LIMITED. RSVP NOW***

MORE INFO HERE-->
https://mailchi.mp/asmeascholars/keynote_salih?e=7c84de0b40

04/28/2026

🚨DUE May 1: Apply Now ~ 2026 Research & Travel Grants! This year we are pleased to offer additional Travel Grant opportunities for scholars to present research on topics related to North African Studies as well as Abraham Accords/ Gulf Region Studies.
Don't delay - submit your application today!--> https://www.asmeascholars.org/upcoming-conference

04/09/2026

APPLY NOW: New 2026 Research & Travel Grant Opportunities (North African; Gulf Region; Abraham Accords)!! -