Middle East Studies Program (MESP)

Our Mission

The Middle East Studies Program (MESP) fosters knowledge of the Middle East, its past and current economic, social and political developments, and seeks to facilitate teaching, learning, research and public awareness of the diverse array of Middle Eastern languages, cultures, and peoples.

At the core of MESP’s mandate is the pursuit of firsthand knowledge about the range of cultures, languages, and challenges that make this region so unique.

All countries, topics and political positions are studied. Our broad interdisciplinary approach encompasses the humanities and social sciences as well as the arts and natural sciences.

MESP helps sponsor conferences, speakers, training programs, and other activities related to the Middle East. MESP further seeks to guide and train students who plan to make a career in or related to this field. We prepare tomorrow’s leaders by equipping them with knowledge about Middle Eastern languages, cultures, and societies.