What Is Middle East Studies?
Middle East Studies is an interdisciplinary field devoted to the study of the societies, cultures, languages, histories, and political systems of a broad and diverse region spanning parts of the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, and Central Asia.
Rather than approaching the region through a single discipline, Middle East Studies brings together methods and perspectives from the humanities and social sciences. At Carleton, this means studying the Middle East through history, religion, politics, language, music, literature, and the arts, while also asking how these domains intersect and inform one another.
Thinking Critically about the Term “Middle East”
The term Middle East is itself a modern, Western designation for a region with one of the longest and most interconnected histories of human civilization. Scholars today often reflect critically on this terminology and, alongside it, use alternative frameworks such as MENA (Middle East and North Africa), SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa), or WANA (West Asia and North Africa) to address geographic realities and the legacies of European colonial perspectives.
At Carleton, students are encouraged to think carefully about the language we use to describe regions of the world. This includes examining how terms like “Middle East” shape understanding, frame academic inquiry, and reflect broader historical and political contexts—while also recognizing the practical and scholarly reasons such terms continue to be used.
Interdisciplinarity at the Core
Middle East Studies at Carleton is interdisciplinary by design. The program brings together faculty from multiple departments, including:
- Arabic
- Art History
- French and Francophone Studies
- Hebrew
- History
- Music
- Political Science
- Religion
This structure allows students to encounter the Middle East from multiple angles and to understand how different disciplinary approaches—textual, historical, political, artistic, and cultural—both complement and challenge one another.
Geographic and Cultural Scope
Courses in Middle East Studies address a wide geographic and cultural range. In addition to the eastern Mediterranean, students encounter histories and cultures of North Africa and Central Asia, as well as transregional connections that link the Middle East to Africa, Europe, and Asia.
At the center of the region today is the Arab world, comprising twenty-two countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The region also includes other countries and societies shaped by distinct linguistic and cultural traditions, such as Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew.
This broader scope highlights movement, exchange, and shared intellectual traditions, rather than treating the region as isolated or static.
Religion, Culture, and Society
The Middle East is the cradle of major religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Zoroastrianism, and remains home to diverse cultural, linguistic, and social communities. Courses in Middle East Studies examine these traditions in their historical and cultural contexts, alongside social practices, artistic production, and political life.
Rather than isolating religion from other aspects of society, the program encourages students to explore how religious ideas, cultural expression, and social structures interact across time and place.
How Middle East Studies Fits with Other Programs
The Middle East Studies minor is designed to be flexible and complementary. Students often combine Middle East Studies with majors in Religion, Political Science, History, Music, and related fields.
The program also pairs especially well with the Arabic minor and the Hebrew language sequence, allowing students to connect language study with broader regional, historical, and cultural perspectives. More generally, Middle East Studies offers a valuable framework for students interested in global history, international affairs, cultural analysis, and comparative approaches to society.
Some students complete the minor; others take one or more courses to enrich their major or explore new perspectives. Both paths are integral to the program’s mission.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Middle East Studies at Carleton extends beyond coursework through lectures, concerts, workshops, and film screenings that bring visiting scholars and artists into conversation with students and faculty. These events offer opportunities to engage with contemporary scholarship and artistic practice and to experience the Middle East as a dynamic and lived set of cultures.
Among these is the Ira Wender Residency in Middle East Studies, an endowed lecture series that brings a distinguished scholar to campus each year for several days. During the residency, the visiting scholar gives lectures, visits classes, and engages closely with students and faculty.