The MES program seeks to foster faculty, student and public engagement with the history, politics, religions, economies, and cultures of the Middle East. Broad in geographical and temporal scope and drawing on expertise from across UBC, the program trains the next generation of citizens and leaders to understand one of the most misunderstood regions in the world.

In addition to examining the local, national and regional, MES situates the Middle East in a global context, allowing for study of Middle Eastern migrants, refugees and diasporic cultures, global manifestations of Middle Eastern faiths and faith-based communities, and the spread of… 

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MES students learn to…

…challenge paradigms and complicate widely held beliefs about the Middle East’s peoples and cultures

…examine the complexities of topical subjects such as the Syrian Civil War, the Israel-Palestine Conflict, petroleum politics, and many others

…look beyond conflict and gain awareness of the ME’s rich diversity historically and contemporaneously

…discover local and global Middle Easts and contest the region’s traditional boundaries

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