NES to hire new political specialist

As national concern regarding the Middle East has grown, sparked by the Sept. 11 attacks and fueled by the possibility of war with Iraq, universities have encountered increased demand for scholars to bolster their Near Eastern studies departments.

While Princeton professors have seen a marked increase in student interest in the region, the University has no plans to alter the Near Eastern Studies department, though it is in the process of hiring a specialist in Middle Eastern politics.

"This university has certainly not seen it to be necessary or in its interest to go in for expansion. I think that what we have is very strong indeed," said Andras Hamori, department chair and professor in the Near Eastern studies department.

William Granara, director of undergraduate studies in the department of Near Eastern languages and civilizations at Harvard University, said that recent interest provides the opportunity to develop university programs.

"We clearly have an ignorance of the Muslim world, and universities should take up the task of gaining a better understanding. Now's the time to do it," he said.

The University recognized the need for a Middle East politics specialist before the recent spotlight on the region.

"We are strengthening the modern side of our department. We have an opportunity to appoint somebody in the field of Middle Eastern politics. It seems to be something the university needs and we need," Hamori said.

Professor Michael Cook, who heads the search committee, said the focus of the search did not change after Sept. 11.

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince’. Donate now »

"Basically what we wanted we had defined long before, and what has happened recently has reinforced the need to have someone in this field," Cook said.

The search for a new professor began three years ago after one of three Turkish studies professors retired, and it was determined that two could handle the subject competently.

Princeton's last specialist in Middle Eastern politics, John Waterbury, formerly the William Stewart Tod Professor of Politics and International Affairs, left to become president of the American University of Beirut in 1998. The Near Eastern studies department did not immediately seek a replacement, waiting to see if the politics department would hire another specialist in the area.

"Politics is an important part of area studies. This is not a reaction to the disasters and catastrophes of most recent times," Hamori said.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Recent events have sparked interest among students specializing in many fields not directly connected to the Middle East.

"Now there is a great interest — whenever we invite [guest speakers] we get great audiences of 200 or 300 people. This was something unheard of before Sept. 11," said M. Sukru Hanioglu, associate professor and director of the program in Near Eastern studies.

The rise in interest seems to be a national trend. Granara said that this year there are about 20 job openings for professors of Arabic language, compared to the yearly average of two to three.

While Granara said a longterm increase in interest could have lasting effects on Near Eastern studies, including an increase in the number of tenured positions available in the field, he also warned that the rise may be a short-term trend, comparable to the increase in interest in Far East Asia at the onset of the Vietnam War.