CMENAS congratulates Juan R. Cole, former director of the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies, on being named a Distinguished University Professor by the U-M Board of Regents. The appointment, approved Oct. 16, began Sept. 1, 2025, and continues through his active service, with the title retained after retirement.
The Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History and Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History in LSA, is a leading historian of the Middle East. His scholarship draws on exceptional linguistic expertise in Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Greek, and several Western European languages. He is the author of 21 books and more than 110 chapters and articles, and he reaches a broad public through his long-running blog, Informed Comment.
At U-M, Cole has directed multiple international studies centers, including serving two terms as CMENAS director during 1992–1995 and 2012–2017. CMENAS, and has mentored generations of graduate students across disciplines. His work has been recognized with invited lectureships and honors at institutions such as Qatar’s national university, Northwestern University, Lingnan University in Hong Kong, the American University in Cairo, and the Library of Congress. University leaders praised his scholarship for bringing depth and nuance to public understanding of contemporary affairs.
Established in 1947, the Distinguished University Professorship recognizes senior faculty with exceptional scholarly or creative achievements, national and international reputations for excellence, and outstanding records of teaching, mentoring, and service. Each professorship carries a named title selected by the honoree in consultation with their dean. Newly appointed professors are invited to deliver an inaugural lecture.
CMENAS celebrates Professor Cole’s contributions to the study of the Middle East and to our community. Congratulations!
