Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Overview

The Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES) promotes research and scholarship in South Asia and the Middle East. CSAMES was recently designated a National Resource Center (Title VI) by the US Department of Education for the study and teaching of the Middle East, enabling the Center to further strengthen its commitment to an academic inquiry into a region that is home to some of the world's oldest religions and civilizations.

CSAMES works with more than a dozen departments and affiliated faculty of over 100 faculty members, who bring to the Center their expertise and diverse areas of interest. These members actively participate in lectures and events, including the annual Turkish Studies Symposium and the Middle East and Islamic Studies Lecture Series. Some of the disciplines that CSAMES faculty are associated with are contemporary and historical studies of South Asia and the Middle East, and inquiries into such topics as religious and social identities, cultural values, literary expression, urbanization, politics and gender. Courses recently developed in conjunction with these faculty include Muslim-Christian Interactions and Islam in East Africa.

Academics (MA Program and Undergraduate Minors)

CSAMES administers the South Asian and Middle Eastern concentration of the MA in Asian Studies. The Center's students specialize in either South Asian Studies or Middle Eastern studies. The program is offered through the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures; however, admissions, advising and evaluation of students' progress are the responsibility of CSAMES. Apart from the Master's program, CSAMES also offers interdisciplinary minors in both South Asia and Middle East. The structure of the minor provides students great flexibility, and possible areas of emphasis include language and literature, history and social sciences, art and architecture, and empires and religious studies.

Language Studies

The Center supports language studies through its affiliated faculty that teach Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew and Turkish. The Center supports the graduate study of Middle Eastern languages with Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships through the Title VI funding. Along with this, CSAMES also provides support for new library acquisitions in these languages and new course development.

Outside the Classroom

CSAMES also organizes events on campus for (and with) students and faculty to facilitate debate about current events and histories concerning the Middle East and South Asia. CSAMES sponsors a weekly noon Brown Bag Lecture Series and frequently co-sponsors Miller Committee lectures which bring renowned scholars to campus. Its annual Turkish Studies Symposium and Indian Studies Lecture series provide a platform for noted scholars from campuses across the globe. CSAMES hosts film screenings and art exhibits to explore discourses beyond the stereotypical and to provide a more meaningful understanding of these two geopolitically significant regions of the world.

Further community outreach activities include developing lesson plans and packets for teachers, hosting workshops for current and pre-service teachers, and providing speakers, resources, and consultation services to community groups and cultural organizations.