Understanding the Middle East through teaching, research, and community outreach

Wasan Issa, Class of 2024; Majoring in Peace, War, and Defense and Health Policy and Management; Minoring in Conflict Management

welcome

Our center is distinguished by its cross-regional approach to Middle East studies

We break down area studies barriers in order to track global flows of ideas, commodities, and people.

The Center is part of the North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies, a collaboration between Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Director Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi speaking with Dr. Mahnaz Afkhami, former Iranian cabinet minister and global women’s rights activist

CMEIS Annual Academic Lecture Series

These lecture series are designed to create a campus-wide conversation, and an opportunity to interact with leading scholars in the field who are nationally and internationally renowned. The lecture series allows students to network with the guest speakers who are often invited to partake in classroom visits in addition to their public lectures. This opportunity provides them with an extraordinary exposure they need to solidify their next steps in their academic career and to meet the people who will help get them there.

Event Funding

We welcome proposals from UNC students, student organizations, faculty, departments, and schools seeking support for projects that increase awareness of the history and cultures of the Middle East and Muslim countries.

Grant Funding

With support from the Title VI program of the U.S. Department of Education, we are pleased to offer several Faculty grants.

North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies

The Center is part of the North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies, a collaboration between Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Together we are committed to providing teacher training opportunities and resources for deepening understanding of the Middle East in K-14 classrooms.

Fellowships

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship

The UNC Center for Middle East & Islamic Studies offers both Academic Year (graduate-students only) and Summer (graduate- and undergraduate-students) FLAS awards in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu.

Roshan Institute Fellowships for Excellence in Persian Studies

Roshan Institute Fellowships for Excellence in Persian Studies support talented graduate students.