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Teaching and research are the two central pillars within the department of Middle Eastern Politics at the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies.

The study programs at the department combine learning and the application of political and cultural sciences theory and methods with the acquisition of sound language skills. Therefore, all study programs include language courses in a regional language – Arabic, Persian, or Turkish. Together with other departments of the CNMS, the department of Middle Eastern Politics offers the Bachelor’s program Near and Middle Eastern Studies. Additionally, the Master’s program Middle Eastern Politics and Economics is offered together with the department of Middle Eastern Economics since the winter term 2011/12 and the Master's program Modern Arab Politics, Society and Culture together with the department for Arab Studies since the winter term 2019/20.

Within the research, the department focusses on the topics of Islamism/ Political Islam, regional reconfigurations in the MENA region, socio-economic transformation processes, and the role of the middle class in the region. The regional focus on the Maghreb is a unique feature within the German university and research landscape.

Interdisciplinary approaches and cooperations are a guiding principle for the work at the department of Middle Eastern Politics and enrich teaching and research at the same time. Therefore, the chair of Professor Ouaissa is part of the CNMS as well as of the Institute of Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy. The courses offered within political science can partially also be taken within the study programs at the CNMS. Another cooperation exists with the Peace and Conflict Studies program. The research is structured interdisciplinarily, for instance with the research network Re-Configurations. History, Memory and Transformation Processes in the Middle East and Northern Africa, which was developed under the lead of the department and is funded by the German ministry of education and research. Within this project, researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds examine the modern history and the current developments of the region.