History Graduate Students

Profile

James Casey is a PhD student studying the history of the colonialism in the twentieth century Arab Middle East (See research below). He previously earned an MA (2011) in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. His undergraduate studies were at the University of California, Santa Cruz where he earned a B.A. in History (Highest Honors, 2008). 

A San Francisco native, he hails from Northern California.

 

Research

Mr. Casey’s research interests primarily concern local reactions to the French colonial moment in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Lebanon. Presently, his research interests focus on the role of Islamic pious endowments or waqf as they related to colonial rule. 

As a 2008-9 Fulbright Scholar in Syria, Mr. Casey examined the relationship of language and journalism in post-Ottoman Syria to emerging notions of nation, space, and community. With an interest in what a history of violence - physical, intellectual, legal, administrative - Casey’s research hopes to expand our understanding of colonialism more generally. 

Additionally, he is interested in the relationship of masculinity to violence and the role of gender in colonial situations.

 

Teaching

While completing his M.A. at UT Austin, Mr. Casey co-taught an intensive Arabic immersion course on Modern Egyptian Political History for Arabic Language Flagship students with Prof. Yoav di Capua, as well as precepting a variety of history and religion courses. 

 

Publications

“Syria, post-1920” in Cultural Sociology, Vol. 1 Cultural Sociology of the Middle East. Paterson, Orlando Gen. Ed. SAGE Publications (2012)

al-Assad, Hafez” in Cultural Sociology, Vol. 1 Cultural Sociology of the Middle East. Paterson, Orlando Gen. Ed. SAGE Publications (2