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

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Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) Est. in 2007 by Profs. Bernard Lewis of Princeton University & Fouad Ajami of the Hoover Institute and Johns Hopkins University.

What did 9/11 and 10/7 do to American higher education?In a new op-ed for JNS.org, Alex Joffe (Director of Strategic Ini...
10/09/2026

What did 9/11 and 10/7 do to American higher education?

In a new op-ed for JNS.org, Alex Joffe (Director of Strategic Initiatives) and Asaf Romirowsky (Executive Director) of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa argue that the two attacks frame a quarter century of decline in education, and that rebuilding academia is now a national priority. The piece also draws on our recent poll on how freely 9/11 can be discussed in academia.

Read the full op-ed at đź”— https://www.jns.org/opinion/alex-joffe/sept-11-and-oct-7-bookend-the-decline-of-higher-education

Three years ago today, Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. ...
10/07/2026

Three years ago today, Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Today, we remember the victims, the survivors, the families still living with the loss, and the hostages and their families.

Today is the last day to register for the Nineteenth Annual ASMEA Conference with an early bird discount. Rates go up to...
09/30/2026

Today is the last day to register for the Nineteenth Annual ASMEA Conference with an early bird discount. Rates go up tomorrow!

Register today to join us on November 7-9 in Washington, D.C.
đź”— asmeascholars.org/upcoming-conference

We're honored to announce that H.E. Shaikh Abdulla Bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Un...
09/28/2026

We're honored to announce that H.E. Shaikh Abdulla Bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States (BahrainEmbDC), will deliver opening remarks at the 19th Annual ASMEA Conference.

Al Khalifa has served as Bahrain's Ambassador to the U.S. since 2017, following a career spanning the Royal Court, the General Organization for Youth and Sports, and the Governorate of Bahrain's Southern Province, where he launched an anti-violence and anti-addiction initiative with the U.S. nonprofit D.A.R.E. that grew into a national program under Bahrain's National Anti-Drug Committee.

His honors include the 2019 Stevie Award, the Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit for his role in Bahrain's COVID-19 response, and recognition as NUSACC's 2022 "Ambassador of the Year."

🗓️ Join us November 7–9, 2026 at the Washington Georgetown Marriott Hotel.

Register today (ASMEA members receive discounted rates): https://www.asmeascholars.org/nineteenth-annual-asmea-conference

Got research on the Middle East or Africa that deserves a bigger audience than your seminar room?Applications are still ...
09/27/2026

Got research on the Middle East or Africa that deserves a bigger audience than your seminar room?

Applications are still open for the Student Poster Competition at the 19th Annual ASMEA Conference, November 7–9, 2026 in Washington, D.C. It's a chance to present your work visually, spark discussion, and get direct feedback from established academics in the field.

WHO CAN APPLY — Undergraduate applicants must be juniors or seniors in the 2026–27 academic year. Graduate applicants must be enrolled at a higher education institution for the 2026–27 academic year. Topics must relate to the Middle East and/or Africa.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED — A 300-word abstract of original, unpublished data, a brief letter of reference from an advisor or department chair, and a C.V. or resume, submitted through the online portal.

Successful applicants must register for the conference at asmeascholars.org. Limited travel scholarships are available for confirmed participants.

Applications are evaluated and accepted on a rolling basis until 🗓️ October 5, 2026.

APPLY NOW ✍️ https://bit.ly/4d8eqcN

Questions? ✉️ Email [email protected]

09/25/2026

"My book made noise, but it didn't change Middle Eastern studies,” said Dr. Martin Kramer, during our recent webinar discussion marking 25 years since the publication of his critical monograph “Ivory Towers on Sand: The Failure of Middle Eastern Studies in America.”

A historian, Kramer explained why ASMEA exists, and why building new institutions matters more than trying to fix old ones, “We’ve moved past mere critiques to building solid alternatives.”

Watch the full discussion: ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s0H_Hj55Ps

09/25/2026

Why won't reform fix Middle Eastern studies? Dr. Martin Kramer's answer, from our recent webinar marking 25 years since "Ivory Towers on Sand: The Failures of Middle Eastern Studies in America": tenured faculty don't retire, and they groom their own successors. "Faculty turnover happens one funeral at a time."

That's why the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa exists, to build something new rather than wait for the old guard to change. As Kramer put it: "We don't want to be the barking dogs while the caravan moves on. We need to be the caravan."

Watch our full discussion: “Ivory Towers on Sand: The Failure of Middle Eastern Studies in America” ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s0H_Hj55Ps

Dr. Asaf Romirowsky's conversation with Martin Kramer earned an Editors' Pick this week from The Tikvah Fund, marking 25...
09/24/2026

Dr. Asaf Romirowsky's conversation with Martin Kramer earned an Editors' Pick this week from The Tikvah Fund, marking 25 years since Kramer's "Ivory Towers on Sand" first exposed the corruption at the heart of Middle East studies.

Watch our full discussion: “Ivory Towers on Sand: The Failure of Middle Eastern Studies in America” ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s0H_Hj55Ps

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2021 L Street NW, # 101/291
Washington D.C., DC
20036

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+12024298860

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