The Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Global Academy is an interdisciplinary initiative that sustains essential research collaborations and knowledge production among scholars in the humanities and social sciences from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and their counterparts outside the region.
The Global Academy supports scholars working in two broad thematic areas: governance, accountability, and the rule of law; and fairness and economic equality. The Global Academy conceives of these two areas in interdisciplinary terms, and invites scholars to apply from the humanities and social sciences, from comparative literature, history, and Islamic studies to political science, anthropology, economics, and beyond.
The MESA Global Academy is excited to announce a call for applications for scholarships for the academic year 2021-2022. The Global Academy will award up to 12 scholars in the field of Middle East Studies a $5,000 grant to further their research and collaboration with MENA-focused scholars in North America.
Competitive fellowships are available for scholars from the MENA region who are currently displaced in North America and whose work is broadly focused on Middle East Studies. Eligibility criteria are: 1) a PhD or equivalent in a field in the social sciences or humanities (graduate students will not be considered); 2) a primary institutional affiliation in the MENA region prior to displacement; and 3) a publication record indicating scholarly productivity (in English, French, a native MENA language, or principal research language of the field).
Islamism, Muslim Nationalism, and Muslim Populism: The Changing Faces of Political Islam
On May 12, 2022, Ottoman & Turkish Studies at NYU hosted Dr. Halil Yenigun of San Jose State University for a talk on political Islam. Dr. Asli Igsiz of NYU served as chair and Dr. Banu Bargu of UC Santa Cruz served as discussant. The event was co-hosted by NYU's Department of History, Department of Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies, and the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies.
New Multilateral Development Banks in Turkey and Brazil: Green Lending vs. Business as Usual
On May 11, 2022, Northwestern University's Middle East and North African Studies Program and The Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Program hosted Dr. Ali Riza Gungen of York University for a talk on banking in Turkey and Brazil. Dr. Stephen Nelson of Northwestern served as moderator and Seyma Kabaoglu of Northwestern served as discussant.
Syrian Displacement: Exploring Questions of Violence, Digital Media, and Belonging
On May 10, 2022, the University of Chicago's Center for Middle Eastern Studies hosted Dr. Katty Alhayek of Toronto Metropolitan University and Dr. Basileus Zeno of Amherst College for a panel on Syrian displacement. Dr. Lisa Wedeen of the University of Chicago served as discussant.