Yale Council on Middle East Studies (CMES)

As globally significant developments in the Middle East unfold daily, the Council on Middle East Studies (CMES) continues its role as an academic platform where students and faculty can debate the myriad contemporary, historical, political, and cultural issues of relevance to the Middle East and North Africa and beyond. As a National Resource Center for Middle East Studies (funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI), CMES serves as a central resource for the Yale community, the region, and the nation on issues pertaining to the Middle East. CMES has been pivotal in the organization of major international conferences on wide-ranging topics – such as the region’s relations with the U.S., Middle Eastern immigration to the Americas, and the social and historical geography of the Middle East. To build upon the existing faculty base at Yale, CMES hosts a number of visiting scholars each year, supports expansion in the instruction of Middle Eastern languages, and assists in supporting the acquisition of new materials in the Near Eastern Collection at Yale’s Sterling Memorial Library. CMES also offers a weekly lecture/luncheon series, a year-long film program, and many other educational events, all free and open to the public.

Through its active educational and community outreach program (known as PIER), CMES works with local, regional and national K-16 educators and students as well as members of Middle Eastern organizations, cultural centers, business, and media to develop and implement programs, services, and resources designed to advance understanding of regional issues and more. CMES-PIER offers professional development programs as well as study tour opportunities abroad.