Welcome

The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies promotes understanding of the Middle East through teaching, research, and community outreach. Our center is distinguished by its cross-regional approach to Middle East studies, one that breaks down area studies barriers in order to track global flows of ideas, commodities, and people.

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

Persian Studies    Turkish Studies    Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies    Conflict Management Initiative

Latest News

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  Conflict Over Gaza: Conference Report

  Overview and Purpose  On March 22-24, 2019, the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies held a conference on “Conflict Over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities.”  For the past eight years, the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies has held an … Continued

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  Three UNC-Chapel Hill students win Boren Awards

  Nicole Behnke and James Hepburn were two of 106 graduate students chosen for David L. Boren Fellowships and Marissa Muller was one of 244 undergraduate students chosen for a David L. Boren Scholarship. University Communications – Chapel Hill, N.C. – Friday, May … Continued

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  Statement of the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies Against Anti-Semitism

  The Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies, dedicated to informed research and teaching on the Middle East, rejects anti-Semitism and all forms of racism and bias. Unfortunately, a musical performer at the Consortium’s recent conference on “Conflict over Gaza: People, … Continued

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  Building a New Life in Orange County: Refugee Experiences

  April 17, 2019 Carolina Passport   Orange County in North Carolina has an estimated 1,200 refugees. While they represent a small portion of the more than 65 million individuals displaced worldwide, their resettlement process can prove challenging. Local organizations like … Continued

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  UNC Global Statement about Recent Performance

  UNC Global welcomes students, faculty, and staff from over a hundred countries, represented by a diverse range of perspectives, traditions, and faiths—and we stand steadfast against hate in all its forms. Many members of our community, including Interim Chancellor Kevin … Continued

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  [Conference Report] Duke-UNC Annual Middle East and Islamic Studies Conference | “Muslims, Motherlands and Minoritization” | March 2, 2019 at UNC

  BY RACHEL COCHRAN | HINA MUNEERUDDIN | YASMINE FLODIN-ALI | ARIANNE EKINCI  //  APRIL 3, 2019   On March 2, 2019 the Islamicate Graduate Student Association (IGSA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted the 16th Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Middle East and Islamic Studies Conference, … Continued

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  UNC-Chapel Hill alumna Sandy Alkoutami selected as James C. Gaither Junior Fellow

  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumna Sandy Alkoutami has been selected for the elite James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program run by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. University Communications, Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 – Chapel Hill, N.C. University … Continued

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  Conference to Shed Light on Current Realities in Gaza Strip, March 22-24

  The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies will host a conference entitled “Conflict over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities” on March 22-24, 2019 in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium at the FedEx Global Education Center at the University of North … Continued

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  Learning through Languages Symposium Showcases High School Students’ Global Research

  Ninety-seven high school students from across North Carolina participated in the fourth annual Learning through Languages High School Research Symposium, sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University on February 1, 2019. The event was organized … Continued

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  Sancar’s Replica Nobel Medal Now on Display at Wilson Library

  Aziz Sancar, the Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics and winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, gifted one of three replicas of the Nobel Prize medal to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is … Continued