Michael Cook

Michael Cook is the Class of 1943 University Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. He specializes in Islamic history, thought, and religious values, with a focus on medieval Islamic civilization and the role of religious obligations like al-amr bi’l-ma'ruf. Cook earned degrees from Cambridge and SOAS in London, later teaching at SOAS before joining Princeton in 1986.

His research spans Ottoman population history, Islamic legal and ethical traditions, and comparative studies of ancient religions and modern politics. Notable works include Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong in Islamic Thought and Ancient Religions, Modern Politics. He has supervised over 30 doctoral dissertations, covering diverse topics such as medieval Islamic law, sectarian identities, and cross-cultural historical comparisons.

Cook’s teaching emphasizes Arabic textual analysis and graduate mentorship, including seminars on dissertation writing. His publications reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, bridging history, theology, and comparative politics.