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Academic Programs

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The Center for Middle Eastern Studies coordinates three PhD programs and one master’s program within the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and houses the modern Middle Eastern language programs. Degree Programs AM Program in...

Frequently Asked Questions

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What programs and degrees does CMES offer? Joint PhD Programs in Middle Eastern Studies: CMES offers joint PhD programs with the Departments of Anthropology, History, and History of Art and Architecture. Master's (AM) in Regional Studies—Middle East: A...

In the city, out of place: dispossession and the economics of belonging in southeastern Turkey (CMES Graduate Student Talk)

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A dissertation defense by CMES graduate student Will Day, PhD Candidate in Anthropology & Middle Eastern Studies This thesis analyzes everyday talk about "livelihood" or the challenges of work and getting by among displaced Kurds in the city of Diyarbakir...

CMES Summer in Review 2016

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Each summer, a number of CMES PhD, AM, and undergraduate students whose interests lie in the Middle East have the opportunity to travel to the MENA region for summer research and language study. A group of these students shared stories from their summer...

CMES Summer in Review 2018

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Each summer, a number of CMES PhD, AM, and undergraduate students whose interests lie in the Middle East have the opportunity to travel to the MENA region for summer research and language study. A group of these students shared stories from their summer...

American Sniper’s Cultural Moment: A Student-veteran Roundtable Discussion [NEW DATE]

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Please join the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and several of its student-veterans for a discussion of Clint Eastwood’s newest film: their reactions to the film, its wider reception, and reflections. Moderated by Professor Steven Caton. Featuring: John...

CMES AM students present theses based on original research

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On May 2, 2013, second-year CMES Master’s students presented their thesis projects to an audience of fellow students, faculty, and other members of the CMES community. Their projects represented a range of topics and source material, from archival...

Congratulations, 2015-16 CMES Graduates!

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CMES is pleased to congratulate this year's graduating class of twelve students who earned a master's degree in Regional Studies—Middle East and its graduating PhD students. AM graduates and thesis titles Hind Al-Ansari Wadah Al Shugaa “The Race for the...

Applying to CMES

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Fall 2026 Admissions Update: Admissions to the joint PhD programs in Middle Eastern studies have been paused and will not be accepting applications for Fall 2026 Welcome, prospective students! Thank you for your interest in the graduate degree programs at...

The Middle East Beyond Borders Graduate Workshop Featuring Arafat Razzaque and Kimberly Wortmann

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The Middle East Beyond Borders: Culture, Religion, Politics, an interdisciplinary graduate workshop is pleased to present Arafat Razzaque, PhD student, History/MES "Scandalous Knowledge: Transgression, Social Reputation and the Construction of a Moral...

Khushi Nansi

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Khushi Nansi is a PhD student in the Department of History of Art and Architecture. She studies the medieval Islamic Mediterranean, focusing on sites of occlusion within Spain and Sicily, into the Arabian Peninsula. Her research interests are...

CMES Outreach holds Arabic teacher training program for undergraduate students

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Earlier this summer, twenty-nine undergraduate students from three countries and ten states came to Harvard’s campus for advanced training in Arabic language and culture teaching. They were here for an intensive three-week workshop, the Arabic Institute...