From the Program Director, Dr. Dina Le Gall



Drawing on faculty from a number of departments, the Interdisciplinary Program in Middle Eastern Studies seeks to provide students with an introduction to an area of the world that is as historically and culturally rich as it is critical to today’s geopolitics. The double purpose is to introduce students to a variety of topics and issues in the history, politics, languages, societies, and cultures of the Middle East and to give them the opportunity to study the Middle East using the tools of diverse disciplines. We define the Middle East broadly to include the whole area from North Africa to Afghanistan.

The program is offered as a minor field that complements a wide array of majors. It is particularly valuable for students who wish to combine an interest in the Middle East with majors such as History, Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, or Languages and Literatures in preparation for graduate work in Middle Eastern Studies or for professional careers in education, business, media, government, human rights, diplomacy, and law, among others.

Middle Eastern Studies Main Photo

Learning Goals and Objectives


Field Competency:
Students will gain an introduction to the Middle East and develop a grasp of central issues in the history, politics, literatures and/or societies of the region. They will approach the Middle East from at least two disciplinary perspectives, including anthropology, history, literature, or political science.

Analytical Skills: Students will hone their reading and analytical skills, and will know how to access information and how to summarize and evaluate scholarly arguments and media opinions based on evidence.

Writing Skills: Students will be able to produce well-argued and carefully supported written assignments in which they synthesize information from different sources, advance and sustain arguments, use citations according to accepted academic standards, and avoid plagiarism.

Cultural/Political Awareness: Students will be aware of the diversity of Middle Eastern societies, will learn to approach these societies with empathy, and will be able to participate productively and dispassionately in discussions of complex and contested issues.

Upcoming Events

April 1, 2024 - April 1, 2024

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Daniel Alarcón at Lehman College

Daniel Alarcón, Editorial Director at Radio Ambulante and Contributing Writer at The New Yorker in conversation with Professor Ulises Gonzales

April 2, 2024 - April 2, 2024

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Workshop with Indigenous Maya Rock Band Sak Tzevul

Indigenous Maya Rock Band Sak Tzevul will do a workshop and pocket show at Lehman!

April 2, 2024 - April 2, 2024

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Sonic Conversations: A Workshop with Lesley Mok

In this workshop, explore the relationship between speech and music by looking at examples from Johnny Hodges, Nancy Wilson, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, and others!

April 2, 2024 - April 2, 2024

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Live in Concert: Lesley Mok with Chris Williams and Henry Fraser

Improvisers Lesley Mok, Chris Williams, and Henry Fraser build intimate worlds through their love of jazz, long-form drone music, noise, and hip-hop.

April 8, 2024 - April 8, 2024

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Session 2: Disrupting Micro (Macro) Aggressions: Promoting Awareness, Understanding Intersectionality, and Creating Dialogue Among the Higher Education Community

The Office of Compliance and Diversity cordially invites you to attend the 2nd session workshop on Disrupting Micro (Macro) Aggressions: Promoting Awareness, Understanding Intersectionality, and Creating Dialogue Among the Higher Education Community, on Monday, April 8th from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 10, 2024 - April 10, 2024

3:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Dead Poets Rise Tournament

April is National Poetry Month and we’re inviting all poetry and gaming enthusiasts to join us for the Dead Poets Rise Tournament at Lehman College, proudly sponsored by the English Department and co-hosted with the Art Department and the Student Gaming Club!