Middle East Studies Association

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Middle East Studies Association
AbbreviationMESA
Formation1966
Type Learned society
Location
President
Aslı Ü. Bâli [1]
Website mesana.org

Middle East Studies Association (often referred to as MESA) is a learned society, and according to its website, "a non-profit association that fosters the study of the Middle East, promotes high standards of scholarship and teaching, and encourages public understanding of the region and its peoples through programs, publications and services that enhance education, further intellectual exchange, recognize professional distinction, and defend academic freedom". [2]

Contents

Some critics[ who? ] have accused MESA of politicization and being dominated by academics critical of Israel and the United States. In 2007, the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa was founded as an ideological counterweight to MESA.

History

MESA was founded in 1966 with 51 original members. [3] Its current membership exceeds 2,700 and it "serves as an umbrella organization for more than fifty institutional members and thirty-six affiliated organizations". [4] It is a constituent society of the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Council of Area Studies Associations, and a member of the National Humanities Alliance. [5]

In 2007, Bernard Lewis and Fouad Ajami started Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) as a rival to MESA, as they saw MESA as "dominated by academics who have been critical of Israel and of America's role in the Middle East." [6] [7] [ better source needed ]

In mid-March 2022, MESA voted by a margin of 787 to 167 to join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement to hold Israel to account for alleged human rights abuses against the Palestinians. [8] [9] MESA's decision was criticised by the Academic Engagement Network, the AMCHA Initiative, and ASMEA. [8] [10]

From 2019 to 2023, MESA was headquartered at George Mason University. [11] It is now based in an office in Tuscon, Arizona. [12]

Publications

The International Journal of Middle East Studies (IJMES) is a quarterly journal published by Cambridge University Press under the auspices of MESA. The editor is Joel Gordon of University of Arkansas. [13] [14]

The Review of Middle East Studies (RoMES) is MESA's journal of review. MESA policy has established the focus of RoMES as the state of the craft in all fields of Middle East studies. The Editor is Heather Ferguson and the journal is based at Claremont McKenna College. [15]

MESA has a very active Committee on Academic Freedom (CAF) that has two wings: CAFMENA (Middle East and North Africa, established in 1990) and CAFNA (North America, established in 2005). Through CAF, MESA monitors infringements on academic freedom on the Middle East and North Africa worldwide. [16]

Awards

Since 1991, MESA has awarded the Albert Hourani Book Award to recognize "the very best in Middle East studies scholarship". The prize is named after Albert Hourani, "to recognize his long and distinguished career as teacher and mentor". [17] The Albert Hourani Book Award is an award honoring scholarly non-fiction books, given by the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) to "recognize outstanding publishing in Middle East studies" and to honor work "that exemplifies scholarly excellence and clarity of presentation in the tradition of Albert Hourani", the distinguished scholar of Arab and Islamic history. [18] On occasion two authors have shared the year's award; in some years, the society has given honorable mention distinctions. MESA first gave the award in 1991.

The Roger Owen Book Award, first given in 2011, recognizes the very best in economics, economic history, or the political economy of the Middle East and North Africa scholarship. The award honors Roger Owen for his long and distinguished career and scholarly contributions. The biennial award is given in odd-numbered years

The Fatema Mernissi Book Award was established in 2017 to recognize outstanding scholarship in studies of gender, sexuality, and women’s lived experience. The annual award was named for Fatema Mernissi to recognize her long and distinguished career as a scholar and as a public intellectual.

The Nikki Keddie Book Award was established in 2017 to recognize outstanding scholarly work in the area of religion, revolution, and/or society. The annual award was named for Nikki Keddie to recognize her long and distinguished career as a scholar and teacher.

The MESA Dissertation Awards were established in 1982 to recognize exceptional achievement in research and writing for/of dissertations in Middle East studies. In 1984 the award was named for Malcolm H. Kerr to honor his significant contributions to Middle East studies. Awards are given in two categories: Social Sciences and Humanities.

Since 1997, Jere L. Bacharach Service Award has recognized the contributions of individuals through their outstanding service to MESA or the profession. Service is defined broadly to include work in diverse areas, including but not limited to outreach, librarianship, and film. [19]

Former presidents

The following persons have been presidents of the association: [20]

References

  1. ↑ "MESA Board of Directors" . Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  2. ↑ "Middle East Studies Association" . Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Anne Betteridge, ACLS Occasional Paper 28, 1993 http://archives.acls.org/op/op28betteridge.htm
  4. ↑ "About". Middle East Studies Association.
  5. ↑ "Members".
  6. ↑ Karni, Annie (8 November 2007). "Group Formed To Improve Middle East Scholarship". The New York Sun . Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  7. ↑ Akhavi, Khodi (20 November 2007). "New Middle East scholars group seen as close to White House". Electronic Intifada . Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. 1 2 Flaherty, Colleen (24 March 2022). "Middle East Studies Scholars Approve BDS Resolution". Inside Higher Ed . Times Higher Education. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Middle East Studies Association academics back pro-Palestine BDS vote in blow to Israel World 3 min read". The New Arab . 23 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  10. ↑ Romirowsky, Asaf; Joffe, Alex (26 March 2022). "MESA's Israel boycott encapsulates everything wrong with academia - opinion The point of the academic boycott of Israel is to twist official opinion in the manne". Jerusalem Post . Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Middle East Studies Association Expelled from George Washington University". Middle East Forum. 24 July 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "About". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "IJMES CUP" . Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  14. ↑ "IJMES UARK" . Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  15. ↑ "RoMES CUP" . Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  16. ↑ "Committee on Academic Freedom (CAF)". arizona.edu. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Middle East Studies Association". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  18. ↑ Middle East Association of North America (MESA). "Albert Hourani Book Award". Awards. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  19. ↑ "Middle East Studies Association". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  20. ↑ "Previous Boards". Middle East Studies Association.
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