Research Bio
Adam Benkato is Associate Professor, and holder of the Bita Daryabari Presidential Chair in Iranian Studies, in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. His work investigates a wide variety of sources through the lenses of material philology, sociolinguistics, archive studies, postcolonialism, and oral literature. He specializes particularly in the Middle Iranian language Sogdian, but works on and teaches other ancient Iranian languages as well (such as Middle Persian, Parthian, Bactrian, Old Persian). He also carries out research on the dialectology and sociolinguistics of modern Arabic, focusing on northern Africa.
Research Expertise and Interest
old and middle iranian languages, zoroastrianism, manichaeism, arabic dialectology, sociolinguistics, philology, libyan studies, archives
Teaching
Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology Interdisciplinary Seminar [AHMA 210 - 001]
Topics in Greek or Roman Literature, History, and Culture [CLASSIC 239 - 001]
Sociolinguistics of the Greater Middle East [MELC 156 - 001]
Seminar [MELC 298 - 001]
Special Studies: Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures [MELC 290A - 001]
Iranian Philology [IRANIAN 201B - 001]
Writing Systems of the World [MELC 118 - 001]
Individual Studies for Master's Students [MELC 601 - 001]
Special Studies: Persian [MELC 290F - 001]