Amy Singer

Amy Singer is the Sylvia K. Hassenfeld Chair in Islamic Studies and Professor of History at Brandeis University. She also holds the title of Professor Emerita in the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at Tel Aviv University. Her research focuses on Ottoman history, Islamic endowments (waqf), and charity in Islamic societies, with specific studies on Edirne and Palestine under Ottoman rule. She has held visiting roles at institutions including All Souls College (Oxford), the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), and Koç University (Istanbul).

• PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University (1989)
• MA and BA from Princeton and Swarthmore College

Her research explores the intersection of Ottoman governance, rural-agrarian dynamics, and institutionalized charity. Notable works include analyses of the Haseki Sultan waqf in Jerusalem and broader studies of philanthropy in Islamic contexts. Her publications have been translated into Turkish and recognized with prestigious awards like the Sakıp Sabancı Research Award (2008) and ARNOVA's Book Prize (2010).

She has advised numerous scholars and contributed to academic leadership roles, including a two-year presidency of the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Association (2018–2020). Her affiliations include the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis, and she has engaged with research centers such as the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (Paris).