The Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies at New York University was created in 1966 to foster the interdisciplinary study of the modern and contemporary Middle East and to enhance public understanding of the region. The Kevorkian Center's activities focus on the histories, politics, economies, religions, cultures and languages of the area stretching from North Africa to Central Asia.

The activities of the Center focus on the contemporary political economy and cultures of the area from North Africa to Central Asia, and on the historical processes that have shaped the present.

The Kevorkian Center offers a master's degree program in Near Eastern Studies, along with a joint master's program with Journalism, a Museum Studies concentration and a Stern School of Business option. These master's programs are distinct from the graduate program of NYU's Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, which offers a program of studying leading to the Ph.D. The Kevorkian Center and the Department work together closely to promote the study of the Middle East at NYU.

The Kevorkian Center organizes research workshops, luncheon seminars and other forums to encourage new perspectives on the Middle East and foster exploration of interactions and parallels with other world regions. The events showcase new research by both established and younger scholars and foster discussion of current events and policy issues relating to the Middle East.

The Kevorkian Center sponsors an active public education and outreach program that includes training workshops for K-12 educators and the production and distribution of curricula and other educational resources. Each year nearly 100 teachers from public and private schools across the New York metropolitan area participate in Center-sponsored workshops on the Middle East, and many more benefit from resources and links available through the Center's website. Center-affiliated faculty share expertise on the Middle East with journalists and government agencies on a regular basis and discuss current events and policy issues at university and community events.

The Center's faculty is drawn from many academic departments and programs at NYU and includes a number of visiting scholars each year. The current director of the Kevorkian Center is Michael Gilsenan; the Center's associate director is Shiva Balaghi.

The Kevorkian Center is housed in its own building, designed by Philip Johnson and located on Washington Square in Greenwich Village, one of the cultural centers of New York City. Its facilities include the Richard Ettinghausen Library, seminar and screening rooms, and a computer language lab, as well as offices for the faculty and staff of both the Kevorkian Center and the Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

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