Istanbul-New York-Tel Aviv:

After leaving the US when I was 18 years old, I have yet to stay in one place for more than a few years, with most of my time being divided between Israel, Turkey, and the US (thus the name Istanbul-New York-Tel Aviv). In addition, I have visited Egypt and Jordan numerous times, and was also lucky to have visited Oman. My education was similarly divided between Israel, the US, and Turkey; I completed my BA in Middle East history at Haifa University, my Masters and Doctorate at the University of Chicago, and completed most of my dissertation research working in the Ottoman archives in Istanbul. My doctorate dissertation focused on the Jewish and Palestinian national movements in the years leading up to World War One.

In addition to the languages and history of this multifaceted region, I have acquired a great deal knowledge of the current state of Middle Eastern politics, and other social and economic issues. Most of this knowledge has been shared with my students at the different institutions I have taught at: Bilkent University (Ankara), Washington University in St. Louis, Carleton College, and most recently at Brooklyn College-City University of New York. Furthermore, I also have lead seminars for groups in Istanbul, and have worked with groups in Israel.

My goal in starting this blog is to be able to share my thoughts with a wider public, providing analysis of various events in Israel, Palestine, Turkey, and other regions of the Middle East. In addition to covering political developments, this blog will also address a variety of social issues. I look forward to any feedback and comments.

Yours,

Louis Fishman