​To capitalize on our unique expertise in interfaith relations in the region and on the history of Jewish and Christian communities in the Islamic world, the department offers an intensive, one-year M.A. in Middle East studies with a focus on religious minorities. Taught completely in English, “Intertwined Worlds: Jews, Christians, and Minorities in Islamic Societies" emphasizes multi-disciplinary study and training in archival and ethnographic research and oral history.

​One year.jpg

A one-of-a-kind academic program, “Intertwined Worlds" explores cross-cultural fertilization and inter-religious relations between Islam and a range of religious minorities. Students will learn about Middle Eastern Jewish identities and Judaic-Arab literary, oral, and material culture, and trace the complex trajectory of Christian groups in the Middle East and North Africa. The international M.A. also includes courses in both classical and colloquial Arabic taught in Arabic by native speakers.    

Alongside their academic course load, students in the program enjoy educational tours of Israeli cities, such as Jerusalem and Haifa, that are home to mixed, multi-religious communities, and a special two-week course on the history of Moroccan Jews. Finally, students enjoy film nights and social events as part of a close-knit and vibrant community. 

​Study Topics in the Program

V.jpgMethodologies in the study of the Middle East and North Africa
V.jpgComparative religious perspectives: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
V.jpgMemories and narratives in Jewish and Christian communities
V.jpgMaterial cultures of MENA minorities 
V.jpgMuseum studies 
​V.jpgIntroduction to archival work, oral histories, and ethnographic accounts in the study of Middle Eastern and North African Jewry and Christianity



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V.jpgCritical postcolonial and diaspora studies
V.jpgPerspectives on inter-religious relations, assimilation, and conversion
V.jpgContemporary Mizrahi identities, cultures, films, and literature
V.jpgMissionaries in the Middle East and Africa
V.jpgIslam in contemporary Israel 
​Individuals who wish to learn more about the International M.A. Program in Middle East Studies are invited to contact Dr. Jonathan Brack, head of the program, at brackjon@bgu.ac.il​.​