2025 Impact Report

Five Years of Engagement: Middle East Studies at Ohio State University, 2020–2025
 

Overview

Over the past five years, Middle East Studies at Ohio State University has demonstrated robust growth and significant impact across academic programs, interdisciplinary course offerings, and co-curricular engagement. The Middle East Studies Center (MESC)  has become a hub for students and faculty interested in the Middle East, fostering language proficiency, cultural understanding, and career readiness. Our activities and events:

• The Middle East Studies Forum is a vibrant community of scholars that highlights aspects of the academic profession and fosters professional networking.
• MESC supports student organizations, film screenings, guest lectures, and cultural festivals, enriching campus life and promoting cross-cultural understanding.
• The Center regularly hosts career events, connecting current students with graduates in fields such as academia, public service, media, and others.

Unique Strengths:

• The breadth of language instruction and interdisciplinary coursework focused on the Middle East distinguish OSU regionally and nationally.
• The level of collaboration between units in multiple disciplines supports continuous improvement and innovation in programming.
• The integration of ancient and modern studies, as well as a strong focus on diaspora and transnational issues, positions OSU as a leader in the field of Middle East Studies.

Middle East Studies at Ohio State University in Numbers

• In Academic Year 2024, 2,040 students enrolled in courses with at least 25% Middle East content, reflecting strong and sustained interest across the university.
• 443 students participated in language instruction courses for Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Uzbek, and Akkadian.
  • Arabic is the most widely taught Middle Eastern language at OSU, with courses at all proficiency levels and the largest enrollments.
  • Hebrew maintains steady enrollments, while Persian, Turkish, and Uzbek are offered regularly in smaller classes.
• In 2023–2024, eight students completed majors in Middle East-related fields, and 39 completed minors-most commonly in Arabic, but also in Hebrew, Turkish, and Central Asian Studies.

Faculty, Professional Staff, and Specialized Library Resources

• Students benefit from the expertise of 36 tenure-track faculty across 10 departments.
• The Center’s professional staff and interns are highly qualified and engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Library resources are extensive, with notable holdings in Ottoman and Central Asian history and unique research assets such as the OCIANA epigraphy image database.

Courses Offered

The Middle East Studies curriculum at Ohio State University is highly interdisciplinary, integrating history, political science, anthropology, religious studies, and literature. Students gain historical knowledge, cultural awareness, and the ability to analyze contemporary issues such as international relations, social structures, gender dynamics, and religious diversity.

Recent and Upcoming Courses Include:

• Islamic Studies:

  • The Quran in Translation
  • Introduction to Islam
  • The Early Islamic Conquests
  • Islam, Politics, and Society in History
  • Muslims in America and Europe

• Jewish Studies:

  • Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
  • Culture of Contemporary Israel
  • Introduction to Jewish Culture, Thought, and Practice
  • Women in the Bible and Beyond
  • History of Zionism and Modern Israel
  • Israel/Palestine: History of the Present
  • Israeli Film & Society

• Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures:

  • Introduction to the Modern Middle East
  • Ancient Empires
  • Citizenship and Diaspora
  • Messages from Beyond (divination, prophecy, occult)
  • Lost Languages, Lost Cultures
  • Stories of Belonging and Difference
  • Oligarchs, Penthouses, and Yachts (Eurasian elites)
  • The Middle East Close-Up
  • Films of the Middle East
  • Mythology of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia
  • Words Across the World

• South Asian Studies:

  • Understanding Bollywood, Knowing India
  • Citizenship and Diaspora (India/Pakistan & Israel/Palestine)
  • Citizenship in South Asia
  • Desi Diaspora
  • Living Everyday Lives (caste in South Asia and race in the US)2

• Language Courses: Regular offerings in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Uzbek, Akkadian, and, most recently, Syriac.

Conclusion

The Middle East Studies Center at Ohio State University has established itself as a vibrant, interdisciplinary hub for education, research, and engagement on Middle Eastern topics. Its broad curriculum, strong enrollments, diverse language offerings, and dynamic extracurricular programming have made a measurable impact on students and the broader university community.