This Presentation is a rather impressionistic as well as eclectic view of Middle Eastern Studies, one which does not pretend to be complete. Many of you have been associated with Middle Eastern Studies for much longer than I have, and you could undoubtedly see greater changes—or lack of changes—than I will present.

Let me begin by briefly looking at the history and growth of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, for the growth of MESA is somewhat a reflection of the structure and changes in Middle East studies, particularly, of course, in the United States. Also, in this way I can make comparisons with MESA when looking at developments elsewhere.

The Domain of Middle Eastern Studies discussed in this paper covers mainly the study of the Arabic, Turkish, and Persian languages and literatures, and the history and cultures of the region where these languages are spoken. Thus, Hebrew and Jewish studies, Armenian studies, and the study of the languages and cultures of the pre-Islamic Middle East are not included.

The introductory section on the history of the field is followed by sections on the programs, on research conditions and trends, and on institutes and foundations concerned with Middle Eastern Studies. The paper does not aim at a historical analysis of the development of Middle Eastern Studies in relation to the specific historical factors (e.g., Calvinism, Asian trade, colonialism) which shaped the field. The accent is on the present-day conditions that seem to determine its current fate.