Faculty Profile

David Commins

Professor of History; Benjamin Rush Chair in the Liberal Arts and Sciences (1987)

Contact Information

commins@dickinson.edu

Denny Hall Room 217

Bio

His teaching interests are in modern Middle Eastern history with an emphasis on Islamic thought and political movements. His most recent book is The Mecca Uprising: An Insider's Account of Salafism and Insurrection in Saudi Arabia. His other books are Islam in Saudi Arabia, The Gulf States: A Modern History, The Wahhabi Mission and Saudi Arabia, Historical Dictionary of Syria, and Islamic Reform.

Education

  • B.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1976
  • Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1985

2023-2024 Academic Year

Fall 2023

HIST 121 Middle East to 1750
Cross-listed with MEST 121-01.

MEST 121 Middle East to 1750
Cross-listed with HIST 121-01.

HIST 259 Islam
Cross-listed with MEST 259-01 and RELG 259-01.

MEST 259 Islam
Cross-listed with HIST 259-01 and RELG 259-01.

RELG 259 Islam
Cross-listed with HIST 259-01 and MEST 259-01.

Spring 2024

HIST 122 Middle East since 1750
Cross-listed with MEST 122-01.

MEST 122 Middle East since 1750
Cross-listed with HIST 122-01.

MEST 231 The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Cross-listed with HIST 371-01. Part of the Globally Integrated Program in Israel and Palestine.

HIST 371 The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Cross-listed with MEST 231-01. Part of the Globally Integrated Program in Israel and Palestine.

HIST 500 Independent Study

MEST 550 Independent Research