Death of Pope Francis marks end of historic papacy
Cornell experts comment on the legacy of Pope Francis, who died on Monday, marking the end of a historic papacy.
Ethnic cleansing explored in Annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration Lecture
Columbia University's Khatchig Mouradian will give a lecture, “Ethnic Cleansing in the Long 19th Century: The Native American, Circassian, and Armenian Cases,” on April 24.
Fulbright funds research on early Egyptian radio
With the award, Ziad Fahmy is working on the first critical history of early Egyptian radio.
Junior wins international reporting honor
Gabe Levin, editor in chief of the Cornell Daily Sun and a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, spent the summer of 2024 reporting on the Israel-Gaza war.
New Klarman Fellows to join the College of Arts and Sciences
Fellows will pursue research in the sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Alums offer mentoring to students exploring career options
Melissa Lewin ’00 and her husband Rob ’99 are active backers of Cornell through their support of Cornell’s Public History Initiative and the archaeology program.
Manning honored for contributions to archaeology
Sturt Manning, received the P. E. MacAllister Field Archaeology Award at the Annual Meetings of the American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) in Boston in November.
Klarman Fellow wins Middle East Studies dissertation award
Olga Verlato's dissertation, “Languages of Power and People: Multilingualism, Politics, and Resistance in Modern Egypt and the Mediterranean,” received the Malcolm H. Kerr Award from the Middle East Studies Association of North America.
University celebrates top faculty for outstanding teaching, mentoring
Eleven teaching faculty from across the university have been awarded Cornell’s highest honors for graduate and undergraduate teaching, Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff announced Oct. 22.
Archaeology conference focuses on cultural erasure
“Unearthing Unseeing: Archaeology, Heritage, and Forensics in the Shadow of State Violence” will highlight new approaches to cultural remains caught up in contemporary conflicts and past trauma.
A&S announces membership in MLA Strategic Partnership Network
“We felt this is an important resource that should be available to our humanists at all levels, whether they have the resources to pay for membership or not,” said Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author from Jerusalem to speak Oct. 10
Nathan Thrall will talk about his most recent book, “A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy.”
Modeling an ancient house and garden in 3D
Cornell researchers have received a $150,000 NEH Digital Humanities Advanced Grant to create a 3D virtual modeling project based on the Casa della Regina Carolina, a large Pompeian house.
Final speaker in series examining antisemitism, Islamophobia
Cornell’s “Antisemitism and Islamophobia Examined” series concludes this semester with a talk by Derek Penslar, the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History at Harvard University.
Language ‘Sustainability through Collaboration’ Conference at Cornell
Cornell, the only institution offering regular multilevel instruction in all six of the major Southeast Asian languages – Burmese, Indonesian, Khmer, Filipino (Tagalog), Thai and Vietnamese – will host a conference on the teaching of these languages on Sept. 19-21.
From portfolios to pizza, fall A&S career events explore diverse fields
"Cornell alumni are generous with their time and efforts to assist students, to answer questions from students, or connect them to people and places."
New A&S dean relishes ‘life in a university’
Peter John Loewen says he's excited to support faculty in their research, meet students and showcase the value of a liberal arts education.
Peter Loewen named dean of Arts and Sciences
Coming from the University of Toronto, where he was the director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Loewen began his five-year appointment as the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Aug. 1.
Committee to recommend final expressive activity policy
The committee of faculty members, students and staff has begun a review of the university’s interim expressive activity policy and will recommend a final policy early in the fall semester.
National Humanities Center selects two A&S professors as 2024-25 Fellows
Kim Haines-Eitzen, the Paul and Berthe Hendrix Memorial Professor of Near Eastern studies, and Mostafa Minawi, associate professor of history and director of Critical Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Studies, will pursue research projects in residence in Durham, North Carolina.
Outstanding A&S teachers, advisors honored with 2024 awards
Among the faculty members being recognized this year for exceptional teaching and mentorship are Liliana Colanzi, Durba Ghosh, and Nick Admussen.
'I learned to push the boundaries of what I could accomplish'
Tessa Walden is a Near Eastern studies and government major.
A career focused on voting rights
Alumna Jenna Zitomer '18 discusses her involvement with civic engagement through the Voter Participation Center in Washington, D.C.
Exploring the remains of ancient daily life
The collection “Households in Context: Dwelling in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt” shifts the archaeological perspective from public and elite spaces such as temples, tombs and palaces to everyday dwellings and interactions of families.
Milstein faculty fellow's course examines tech's role in cultural preservation
As a new faculty fellow in the Milstein Program in Technology & Humanity, Adam T. Smith co-developed the new course this spring.
Summer Experience Grant applications now open
The grants provide funding for students in unpaid or low-paying summer experiences to offset the cost of taking on those positions.
Understanding politics at home and abroad: Sarah Cutler '16
Sarah Cutler, an alumna of Arts & Sciences, has used her work in journalism to help people understand political polarization in the U.S.
Students in DC examine antisemitism, Islamophobia
Students from the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy’s Cornell in Washington program will have an opportunity to observe in person how policymakers contend with Islamophobia and antisemitism at a White House briefing on March 14.
Talk focuses on academic freedom post Oct. 7
On March 13, the Department of Near Eastern Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences will host “Academic Freedom and Middle East Scholars after Oct. 7,” one of Cornell’s Freedom of Expression theme year events.
Twelve new Klarman Fellows to pursue innovative, timely research in A&S
This fifth cohort of Klarman Fellows is the largest since the program was launched in 2019.
Speaker series to examine antisemitism, Islamophobia
Leading academics from around the country will join Cornell experts in a semester-long series, “Antisemitism and Islamophobia Examined.”
Alumni Spotlight: Nelly Silagy Benedek '84
Nelly Silagy Benedek, class of ’84, was a College Scholar and majored in English, Art History, and Near Eastern Studies, concentrating on modernism in art and poetry.
Tracing Indian Ocean slavery through Iranian cinema
In a new book, Professor Parisa Vaziri explores how Iranian cinema preserves the legacy of Indian Ocean slavery.
Minawi wins Middle East Studies Association book prize
The award was given for “Losing Istanbul: Arab-Ottoman Imperialists and the End of Empire.”
Alumni Spotlight: Cristian Gonzalez '20
Cristian graduated from Cornell University in 2020 with majors in Near Eastern Studies and Government and minors in Arabic, Jewish Studies, Law & Society, and History. Cristian chose to pursue Near Eastern Studies to further his understanding of the impacts of colonialism on identity formation for the many peoples of the Middle East and North Africa through the lens of history, language, and religion.
Talk explores connections of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism
Professor Ross Brann discussed how racist depictions of the behavior and appearance of Jews and Muslims encouraged ancient peoples to view them as others in a talk held Nov. 16.
Remembering the Triangle
About 2,000 people gathered in October in Greenwich Village for the Triangle Fire Memorial dedication. The 1911 workplace disaster became a catalyst for worker protections and a defining moment for the nation.
Talk to consider roots of antisemitism, racism, Islamophobia
A Nov. 16 talk sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the College of Arts and Sciences will shed light on the history of hate movements in the U.S.
Role of women in early Christianity informs Catholic present
“As Roman Catholic Church leaders meet this month for the Synod on Synodality, some women—both nuns and laypeople—have been invited to join the workshop," says Kim Haines-Eitzen.
Rethinking the history of enslavement through the lens of Iranian cinema
A new book by assistant professor of comparative literature and near eastern studies, Parisa Vaziri, exams African enslavement in the western Indian Ocean through the lens of Iranian cinema.
Oct. 26 panel focuses on Israel-Palestine conflict
The Department of Near Eastern Studies will offer “Understanding Events in Israel – Palestine” from 5-6:30 p.m. in Room 165 of McGraw Hall.
Conference highlights humanities projects on the theme of “Crossing”
The Society’s fall conference on Friday, Oct. 27, will feature talks by seven multidisciplinary fellows.
Award-winning Simon Shaheen to perform, lecture on Arab music
“Simon Shaheen is widely celebrated as a virtuoso violinist and oud player, incomparably creative composer and master teacher of Arab music."
Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Powers '11
After graduating from Cornell and NES in 2011, Sarah Powers moved to New York City, where she attended Columbia University School of Social Work.
New NES Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship for 2024-26
With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Cornell University invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship beginning August 2024. Applications are due January 5, 2024.
Hundreds of Armenian heritage sites at risk in Nagorno-Karabakh
Faculty researchers paint a picture of what will happen if multilateral organizations fail to protect Armenian cultural heritage as Azerbaijan shells the disputed region.
The College welcomes new faculty for 2023-24
Our 34 new faculty will enrich the College of Arts & Sciences with creative ideas in a vast array of topics.
New Faculty: Jonathan R. Lawrence
Jonathan R. Lawrence, Near Eastern Studies
Alumni Spotlight: Andy Warner '06
Andy is the author of four books: "This Land is My Land", "Spring Rain", the NY Times Best Selling "Brief Histories of Everyday Objects", and the YA history series Andy Warner’s "Oddball Histories: Pests and Pets".
Ayse Lokmanoglu '08 appointed Assistant Prof. at Clemson
Congratulations to NES alum Ayse Lokmanoglu on her recent appointment.