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

Persian Studies    Turkish Studies    North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies    Conflict Management Initiative

Latest News

Space

• 

  Preserving endangered Islamic manuscripts

    Scholars from the department of African, African American and diaspora studies and a University Libraries digitization specialist traveled to Senegal and Mali to preserve and digitize 6,000 pages of handwritten Islamic manuscripts.   Samba Camara sits in his office … Continued

• 

  UNC Arabic Summer Students Engage with Refugees

  This summer, Intermediate Arabic students at UNC put their language learning to the true test of connection with a special visit from Saeed, a 34-year-old Syrian refugee and language partner from NaTakallam. NaTakallam hires displaced persons & their host community … Continued

• 

  Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Spring 2022 Newsletter

  Our annual newsletter highlights center activities from the 2021-2022 academic year. Read to learn more about programming, highlights from our affiliated faculty and students, and K-14 outreach events. Click on the image below to view the newsletter, or download a … Continued

• 

  English-Language Workbook from Mosul, Iraq, Donated to UNC

  For more than 800 years, the Mosque of the Prophet Jonah defined a neighborhood in Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq. It was a site of worship, a source of local pride, an important landmark – especially its tall minaret, … Continued

• 

  “Reporting from Jerusalem: Behind the Headlines” with NPR International Correspondent Daniel Estrin

    On Tuesday, February 15, the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies, the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies, and the North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies hosted NPR International Correspondent Daniel Estrin, who presented on “Reporting from … Continued

• 

  OVPGA Welcomes New Associate Director of Global Education

  The Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs (OVPGA) has appointed Sharmila Udyavar as associate director of global education. Udyavar previously served as interim director for international programs at Fayetteville State University (FSU).    As associate director, Udyavar will expand global learning opportunities for UNC-Chapel … Continued

• 

  High School Language Learners Create Projects on Health, Education and Climate at UNC-Chapel Hill

    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted a virtual awards ceremony to celebrate teams from the seventh annual Learning Through Languages High School Research Symposium on Dec. 8. This year, world language students from 12 high schools conducted and presented research in their language of study on topics related … Continued

• 

  Educators Explore Food, Water, and Sustainability around the World and at Home during International Education Week

  Food, water, and sustainability are crucial issues around the world—and right here in North Carolina. This fall, the UNC-Duke Area Studies Centers and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) provided teacher education on these vital and interconnected issues … Continued

• 

  Conference Builds Capacity for Arabic Language Teaching in North Carolina

  Arabic greetings of marhaba (hello), sabah al kheir (good morning), and ahlan wa sahlan (welcome) were shared as attendees gathered for the inaugural conference of the emerging North Carolina Arabic Teacher Council (NCATC), November 13-14, 2021. “Come Together: The Future of Arabic Language in North Carolina” was held at UNC-Chapel Hill and convened over 30 educators and administrators from … Continued

• 

  An Interview with Dr. Yaghoobi, New Director of Persian Studies

  Recently I interviewed our wonderful professor, Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, about her appointment as the new inaugural Director of Persian Studies here at UNC. This was the multilayered question I asked her: In your appointment letter, which I was given to … Continued