Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

IMEIS is a Social Science-focused academic institute of excellence, research-led in ethos, with a track-record of internationally acclaimed research outputs across all sub-areas of its activity.

Welcome To The Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

Within the School of Government & International Affairs, IMEIS is a Social Science-focused academic institute of excellence, research-led in ethos, with a track-record of internationally acclaimed research outputs across all sub-areas of its activity. Success in this respect obtains largely from the interdisciplinary nature of the Institute's activities and the fruitful interaction of political economists, political scientists, historians and Islamicists, as well as with colleagues from Anthropology, Arabic, Archaeology, Geography, Business – all linked together by their collective focus on the study of the Middle East and the Muslim world in the widest sense.

See Our Research

Internationally recognised as a centre of excellence

Long-standing publication series (Durham Middle Eastern Papers)

Engaged research network and alumni community

One of the oldest Middle East studies centres in the UK

Our facilities

Both research students and visiting fellows enjoy a wide range of facilities provided to facilitate and support research within the Institute, including:

Access to Durham's library and archival holdings; access to the IT network and the wide range of online services provided; the provision of bursaries for travel to, and participation in, seminars and conferences at both national and international levels; participation in the active, researcher-led seminar series; and the existence of research support groups in the various research sub-areas.

Upcoming Events and Seminars

Research culture

The Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies prides itself on its vibrant culture of research, nurtured by a thriving academic community of staff members, research students and visiting fellows.

The recruitment of first-rate research students whose interests lie in one or more of the following sub-areas: Political Economy of the Middle East, Strategic and International Relations of the Middle East, Domestic Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Studies and whose chosen topics correlate with the research interests of staff members, remains one of the main priorities. Importance is also attached to the attraction of high calibre visiting fellows and many of international renown have joined us in this capacity. IMEIS staff have continue to enjoy the benefits of externally funded research and interaction with visiting scholars, which help enrich the community as well as our research.