Middle East and North African Studies
Our interdisciplinary Middle East and North African (MENA) minor is designed to immerse you in the study of this dynamic region of the world from a variety of academic and artistic perspectives.
Why Choose a Minor in Middle East and North African Studies?
The Middle East and North African minor is readily compatible with majors across the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Both quintessentially ancient and utterly modern, the MENA region presents a unique opportunity to explore some of the most enduring and urgent developments in human history. As the site of several of humanity’s earliest major civilizations and some of today’s most important cultural, political, religious, and social happenings, the Middle East and North Africa provoke us to address questions central to a liberal arts education and to understanding our complex world.
SPECIAL COURSE OFFERING FALL 2024
MENA 298: Palestine/Israel: Contexts, Convictions, and Commitments
What You’ll Study
The scope of our interdisciplinary program includes not only the societies located in the Middle East and North Africa, but also the many peoples, places, and events directly shaped by developments there, such as interactions between the Ottoman Empire and Europe, Islamicate influences in southern Asia, U.S. foreign policy, and sociocultural connections to sub-Saharan Africa. Most of our students enroll in Arabic language courses and also pursue a range of electives across the humanities and social sciences.
Many of our students earn course credit on overseas programs. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, the Morocco program allows our students to study Modern Standard Arabic, learn with expert Moroccan faculty, stay with local families, and travel widely throughout the country.
Outside the classroom, the annual Middle East and North African Studies Symposium is organized by a committee of students with support from faculty and staff. This multiday interdisciplinary event celebrates the cultures of the region with guest speakers, student and faculty presentations of academic and artistic work, a film series, and a MENA-themed dinner. Our program also regularly hosts distinguished visitors, such as our 2018–19 Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Professor Rasha Soliman, an archeologist and Egyptologist from Cairo. Our faculty and students participate in many events organized by the Portland State University Center for Middle East Studies, located nearby in downtown Portland.
Complement Your Education With One of These Majors
The most popular majors for our Middle East and North African studies minors are history, international affairs, and political science.
What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark
Jade Weihz BA ’23More about JadeThe classes are very interdisciplinary in Middle East and North African studies. You take classes from multiple departments from professors who love to teach about the subject.
Nadav Ben-David BA ’25More about NadavThe MENA region holds a profound allure for me, not only due to its diversity and complexity but also because of my personal connection to it through family ties. Exploring the MENA region through academic study allows me to deepen my understanding of my heritage and cultural background.
Jana Qasem BA ’26More about JanaSince I already speak Arabic, it was possible to pursue this minor while double majoring in international affairs and world languages. I like how the MENA classes connect to my two majors.
What Can You Do With a Minor in Middle East and North African Studies?
Our alumni use the topics explored and skills cultivated in their Middle East and North African studies minor to help prepare them for an array of pursuits and careers in a complex and fast-changing world. They have gone on to work with the Peace Corps in Morocco, study advanced Arabic in Cairo, and undertake graduate studies in MENA and other fields.
Dedicated Faculty
Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.
Invest in Yourself
A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.
Find Your People
Students can join a variety of student-run organizations. Don’t see what you’re looking for on the club list? Start something new and build your own community of peers!
Where Lewis & Clark Will Take You
Emily Hayes-Rich 2019More about EmilyLewis & Clark not only provided me with the tools to succeed in the career that I want, but also gave me access to the opportunities I needed to get started.
Amelia Madarang BA ’22More about AmeliaSince graduation, I have been in Hualien, Taiwan, as an English teaching assistant with Fulbright Taiwan.
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