Lorenzo Kamel


Lorenzo Kamel is an Italian historian of the modern and contemporary Middle East, and Associate Professor of History at the University of Turin, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali''s Research Studies, and scientific director of "New-Med Research Network".

Biography

He held teaching and research positions in several universities in the Middle East, the US, and Europe, including the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, where he served as a Marie Curie Experienced Researcher, and Harvard University, where, among other appointments, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow for two years with a project entitled "Artificial Nations? The Sykes-Picot and the Islamic State's narratives in a historical perspective".
He holds a two-year M.A. in Israeli Society and Politics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a Ph.D. in History from the University of Bologna, and lived for years in several countries in the Middle East, including, as a visiting fellow, in the Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Israel, and Turkey. He speaks Italian, English, Hebrew, Arabic and has a working knowledge of French, Ottoman Turkish, and Latin.

Publications

He published ten books on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean affairs, including "Imperial perceptions of Palestine: British Influence and Power in Late Ottoman Times", an award-winning and widely acclaimed book based on sources from 17 archives and a plethora of written and oral primary source material. The Cambridge Review of International Affairs pointed out that the book "broadens the existing scholarship with a well-researched, even-handed volume that clearly fills a hole in the historiography" while the Journal of Palestine Studies reviewed the book stating that it provides a "fascinating and convincing interpretive analysis". Sara Roy noted that the book is a "powerful and truly illuminating study", while Hebrew University's Moshe Ma'oz contended that "for anyone with an interest in deconstructing the present of our region this book is a must".
His most recent book, "The Middle East from Empire to Sealed Identities", was praised by Nicholas Doumanis as "one of the most definitive works on the transition from empire to nation-state". Former MESA's President, Beth Baron, wrote that the book "will make an important mark on the field", while Brian A. Catlos contended that it provides "chronological continuation of much of the most interesting work being done in pre-modern Mediterranean Studies".
His publications include also over 30 articles on leading academic journals such as British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Mediterranean Politics, Peace and Change, Eurasian Studies, New Middle Eastern Studies, Passato e Presente, Oriente Moderno, and over 200 articles and policy papers on Al Jazeera, Ha'aretz, Al-Monitor, Project Syndicate, The Daily Star, The National Interest, The National, Aspen, Middle East Eye, and other media outlets in 10 languages, in over 30 countries.
He is a board member of a number of academic journals, including Palgrave Communications, Eurostudium, Passato e Presente, and frequently acts as a peer-reviewer for the European Research Council, Routledge, International Affairs'', and other institutions, publishing houses and journals.

Prizes

He was awarded with the 2010 "Giuseppe Sciacca International Prize", the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung Grant, and the 2016 "Palestine Academic Book Award".