Astrid Meier

Prof. Dr. Astrid Meier is a Professor of Islamic Studies at the Oriental Institute of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg since April 2018. She previously held a Visiting Professorship at Halle-Wittenberg (2011–2013) and served as Deputy Director of the Orient Institute Beirut (2013–2018). Her work spans social and cultural history of the early modern Middle East, Ottoman legal practices, and waqf dynamics.

• 2006–2011: Research Assistant at the University of Zurich
• 2011–2013: Acting Professor at MLU Halle-Wittenberg
• 2013–2018: Deputy Director at Orient Institute Beirut
• 2018–Present: Professor at MLU Halle-Wittenberg

Her research focuses on Islamic law, early modern Ottoman history, and Arabic literature, with a particular emphasis on waqf as a socio-political tool and ego-documents in Ottoman Syria. She explores food systems and hunger crises in African contexts, especially the Sahel, and contributes to historiography debates through manuscripts and court records.

Key projects include Bedouin Syria (collaboration with Johann Büssow), Ottoman waterscapes in Lebanon (with Stephen McPhillips, Souad Slim), and Taha al-Kurdi studies (with Ralf Elger). Her publications in Encyclopaedia of Islam and Levant journals highlight Ottoman legal and environmental dynamics.

Meier actively participates in academic governance as a member of the Board of Directors at the Center for Interdisciplinary Regional Studies (ZIRS) and the Doctoral Committee at MLU Halle-Wittenberg. She contributes to Bibliotheca Arabica and Bibliotheca Islamica series as an editorial advisor.