Middle East Studies Association (often referred to as MESA) is a learned society, and according to its website, "a non-profit association that fosters the study of the Middle East, promotes high standards of scholarship and teaching, and encourages public understanding of the region and its peoples through programs, publications and services that enhance education, further intellectual exchange, recognize professional distinction, and defend academic freedom.".[2]
Critics have accused MESA of politicization and being dominated by academics critical of Israel and of America. In 2007, the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa was founded as an ideological counterweight to MESA.
MESA was founded in 1966 with 51 original members.[3] Its current membership exceeds 2,700 and it "serves as an umbrella organization for more than fifty institutional members and thirty-six affiliated organizations".[4] It is a constituent society of the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Council of Area Studies Associations, and a member of the National Humanities Alliance.[5]
The Review of Middle East Studies (RoMES) is MESA’s journal of review. MESA policy has established the focus of RoMES as the state of the craft in all fields of Middle East studies. The Editor is Heather Ferguson and the journal is based at Claremont McKenna College.[9]
MESA has a very active Committee on Academic Freedom (CAF) that has two wings: CAFMENA (Middle East and North Africa, established in 1990) and CAFNA (North America, established in 2005). Through CAF, MESA monitors infringements on academic freedom on the Middle East and North Africa worldwide.[10]
In mid-March 2022, MESA voted by a margin of 787 to 167 to join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement to hold Israel to account for alleged human rights abuses against the Palestinians.[13][14] MESA's decision was criticised by the Academic Engagement Network, the AMCHA Initiative, and ASMEA.[13][15]
Since 1991 MESA has awarded the Albert Hourani Book Award to recognize "the very best in Middle East studies scholarship". The prize is named after Albert Hourani, "to recognize his long and distinguished career as teacher and mentor".[16]
Malcolm Kerr Award
The MESA Dissertation Awards were established in 1982 to recognize exceptional achievement in research and writing for/of dissertations in Middle East studies. In 1984 the award was named for Malcolm H. Kerr to honor his significant contributions to Middle East studies. Awards are given in two categories: Social Sciences and Humanities.
Jere L. Bacharach Service Award
Since 1997 Jere L. Bacharach Service Award has recognized the contributions of individuals through their outstanding service to MESA or the profession. Service is defined broadly to include work in diverse areas, including but not limited to outreach, librarianship, and film.[17]
^. arizona.edu. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
^Karni, Annie (8 November 2007). "Group Formed To Improve Middle East Scholarship". The New York Sun. from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
^Akhavi, Khodi (20 November 2007). "New Middle East scholars group seen as close to White House". Electronic Intifada. from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
^ abFlaherty, Colleen (24 March 2022). "Middle East Studies Scholars Approve BDS Resolution". Inside Higher Ed. Times Higher Education. from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
^"Middle East Studies Association academics back pro-Palestine BDS vote in blow to Israel World 3 min read". The New Arab. 23 March 2022. from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
^Romirowsky, Asaf; Joffe, Alex (26 March 2022). "MESA's Israel boycott encapsulates everything wrong with academia - opinion The point of the academic boycott of Israel is to twist official opinion in the manne". Jerusalem Post. from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
^"Middle East Studies Association". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
^"Middle East Studies Association". Middle East Studies Association. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
^"Previous Boards". Middle East Studies Association.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Middle East Studies Association news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Middle East Studies Association often referred to as MESA is a learned society and according to its website a non profit association that fosters the study of the Middle East promotes high standards of scholarship and teaching and encourages public understanding of the region and its peoples through programs publications and services that enhance education further intellectual exchange recognize professional distinction and defend academic freedom 2 Middle East Studies AssociationAbbreviationMESAFormation1966TypeLearned societyLocationTucson ArizonaPresidentEve Troutt Powell 1 Websitemesana orgCritics have accused MESA of politicization and being dominated by academics critical of Israel and of America In 2007 the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa was founded as an ideological counterweight to MESA Contents 1 History 2 Activities 2 1 Publications 2 2 Controversies 2 3 Awards 3 Former presidents 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditMESA was founded in 1966 with 51 original members 3 Its current membership exceeds 2 700 and it serves as an umbrella organization for more than fifty institutional members and thirty six affiliated organizations 4 It is a constituent society of the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Council of Area Studies Associations and a member of the National Humanities Alliance 5 Activities EditThe current president is Eve Troutt Powell University of Pennsylvania 6 Publications Edit The International Journal of Middle East Studies IJMES is a quarterly journal published by Cambridge University Press under the auspices of MESA The editor is Joel Gordon of University of Arkansas 7 8 The Review of Middle East Studies RoMES is MESA s journal of review MESA policy has established the focus of RoMES as the state of the craft in all fields of Middle East studies The Editor is Heather Ferguson and the journal is based at Claremont McKenna College 9 MESA has a very active Committee on Academic Freedom CAF that has two wings CAFMENA Middle East and North Africa established in 1990 and CAFNA North America established in 2005 Through CAF MESA monitors infringements on academic freedom on the Middle East and North Africa worldwide 10 Controversies Edit In 2007 Bernard Lewis and Fouad Ajami started Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa ASMEA as a rival to MESA as they saw MESA as dominated by academics who have been critical of Israel and of America s role in the Middle East 11 12 In mid March 2022 MESA voted by a margin of 787 to 167 to join the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions BDS movement to hold Israel to account for alleged human rights abuses against the Palestinians 13 14 MESA s decision was criticised by the Academic Engagement Network the AMCHA Initiative and ASMEA 13 15 Awards Edit Albert Hourani Book Award Main article MESA book awards Since 1991 MESA has awarded the Albert Hourani Book Award to recognize the very best in Middle East studies scholarship The prize is named after Albert Hourani to recognize his long and distinguished career as teacher and mentor 16 Malcolm Kerr AwardThe MESA Dissertation Awards were established in 1982 to recognize exceptional achievement in research and writing for of dissertations in Middle East studies In 1984 the award was named for Malcolm H Kerr to honor his significant contributions to Middle East studies Awards are given in two categories Social Sciences and Humanities Jere L Bacharach Service AwardSince 1997 Jere L Bacharach Service Award has recognized the contributions of individuals through their outstanding service to MESA or the profession Service is defined broadly to include work in diverse areas including but not limited to outreach librarianship and film 17 List of Recipients Year Recipient Institution1997 Ellen Fairbanks D Bodman I William Zartman University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Johns Hopkins University1998 Richard L Chambers University of Chicago1999 George N Atiyeh Library of Congress2000 Louisa Moffitt Marist School2001 Elizabeth W Fernea University of Texas at Austin2002 Jeanne Jeffers Mrad Center for Maghrib Studies in Tunisia2004 Jere L Bacharach University of Washington2005 Ernest N McCarus University of Michigan2006 Howard A Reed University of Connecticut2008 Fred McGraw Donner University of Chicago2009 Mary Ellen Lane Council of American Overseas Research Centers2010 McGuire Gibson University of Chicago2011 Bruce Craig Michael C Hudson University of Chicago National University of Singapore2012 Erika H Gilson Princeton University2014 Gunter Meyer University of Mainz2015 Virginia H Aksan McMaster University2016 Ann Mosely Lesch American University in Cairo2017 Bassam Haddad George Mason University2018 James A Miller2019 Suad Joseph University of California Davis2020 James F Goode Dale F EickelmannFormer presidents EditThe following persons have been presidents of the association 18 2020 21 Dina Rizk Khoury 2018 19 Judith E Tucker 2016 17 Beth Baron 2014 15 Nathan Brown 2013 Peter Sluglett 2012 Fred Donner 2011 Suad Joseph 2010 Roger M A Allen 2009 Virginia Aksan 2008 Mervat Hatem 2007 Zachary Lockman 2006 Juan Cole 2005 Ali Banuazizi 2004 Laurie Brand 2003 Lisa Anderson 2002 Joel Beinin 2001 R Stephen Humphreys 2000 Jere L Bacharach 1999 Barbara Stowasser 1998 Philip S Khoury 1997 Leila Fawaz 1996 Farhad Kazemi 1995 Ann M Lesch 1994 Rashid I Khalidi 1993 John O Voll 1992 Barbara Aswad 1991 Dale F Eickelman 1990 Yvonne Y Haddad 1989 John L Esposito 1988 William B Quandt 1987 Michael C Hudson 1986 Elizabeth W Fernea 1985 Kemal Karpat 1984 Ira M Lapidus 1983 Richard T Antoun 1982 I William Zartman 1981 Nikki R Keddie 1980 Farhat Ziadeh 1979 Afaf Lutfi al Sayyid Marsot 1978 Wilfred Cantwell Smith 1977 George Makdisi 1976 L Carl Brown 1975 Roderic H Davison 1974 Leonard Binder 1973 Charles Issawi 1972 Malcolm H Kerr 1971 John S Badeau 1970 William M Brinner 1969 R Bayly Winder 1968 George Hourani 1967 Morroe Berger 1966 G E von Grunebaum Honorary References Edit MESA Board of Directors Retrieved 6 December 2021 Middle East Studies Association Retrieved 2 December 2014 Anne Betteridge ACLS Occasional Paper 28 1993 http archives acls org op op28betteridge htm About Middle East Studies Association Members MESA Board of Directors Retrieved 7 December 2021 IJMES CUP Retrieved 4 December 2019 IJMES UARK Retrieved 4 December 2019 RoMES CUP Retrieved 4 December 2019 Committee on Academic Freedom CAF arizona edu Archived from the original on 11 January 2013 Retrieved 23 August 2015 Karni Annie 8 November 2007 Group Formed To Improve Middle East Scholarship The New York Sun Archived from the original on 10 April 2022 Retrieved 10 April 2022 Akhavi Khodi 20 November 2007 New Middle East scholars group seen as close to White House Electronic Intifada Archived from the original on 6 May 2021 Retrieved 10 April 2022 a b Flaherty Colleen 24 March 2022 Middle East Studies Scholars Approve BDS Resolution Inside Higher Ed Times Higher Education Archived from the original on 1 April 2022 Retrieved 10 April 2022 Middle East Studies Association academics back pro Palestine BDS vote in blow to Israel World 3 min read The New Arab 23 March 2022 Archived from the original on 2 April 2022 Retrieved 10 April 2022 Romirowsky Asaf Joffe Alex 26 March 2022 MESA s Israel boycott encapsulates everything wrong with academia opinion The point of the academic boycott of Israel is to twist official opinion in the manne Jerusalem Post Archived from the original on 1 April 2022 Retrieved 10 April 2022 Middle East Studies Association Middle East Studies Association Retrieved 18 October 2020 Middle East Studies Association Middle East Studies Association Retrieved 18 October 2020 Previous Boards Middle East Studies Association External links EditOfficial website The MESA Debate The Scholars the Media and the Middle East video from the debate 22 November 1986 Boston MA Participants Bernard Lewis Edward Said Leon Wieseltier and Christopher Hitchens The chairman William H McNeill Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Middle East Studies Association amp oldid 1177069483, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
