Cameron Cross

I work on the comparative study of narrative in the Middle East within the rough temporal parameter of Late Antiquity to the Early Modern period (ca. 500–1500 CE). Alongside Persian, my primary area of expertise, I examine texts in Arabic, Greek, Georgian, and the languages of western Europe (Latinate and Germanic) to further our understanding of how these various literary traditions interacted with one another and their respective audiences. My current research is dedicated to the genres of epic and romance (and various admixtures of the two): how do we—can we—define such genres; what insights do these definitions afford us; and how can we productively compare the Greek novel with later medieval romances? In working with these texts, I explore questions about composition and performance, subjectivity and morality, gender and society, and cross-cultural intertextuality.

Alongside this monograph, I am working on a number of articles that touch on the following topics: the ‘rise of the romance’ in Persian, Greek, and European literature; the implications of Alexander’s quest for immortality; love and holy war in Floire & Blancheflorand Varqa & Golshah; speech, silence, and symbols in Nezami’s Haft Paykar; and monsters and the monstrous in the works of Iranshah b. Abi’l-khayr.

Affiliations:

• Middle East Studies
• Center for Middle East and North African Studies
• Medieval and Early Modern Studies
• Interdepartmental Program in Greek and Roman History

Awards:

• “Honorable Mention,” Best Ph.D. Dissertation of the Year on a Topic of Iranian Studies of the Foundation for Iranian Studies (2016)
• Research grant from the American Institute of Iranian Studies (2014)
• Center for Arabic Studies Abroad Fellow (2007—08 and 2013)