Elyse Semerdjian

Elyse Semerdjian is a Professor of History at Clark University, specializing in the social history of the Ottoman Empire with a focus on women and Armenian subjects. She holds a Ph.D. in History from Georgetown University (2003), an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan (1994), and a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Albion College (1992).

Her research explores gender, urban history, legal frameworks, and the Armenian Genocide. Notable works include Off the Straight Path (2008) and Remnants (2023). She has held fellowships such as the Dumanian Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies at the University of Chicago and the Cornell University Society for the Humanities Fellowship (2016). Recently, her German Research Grant (2023-2024) supported research on Aleppo’s Armenian community.

Her publications bridge Ottoman legal practices, urban spaces, and genocide studies, emphasizing embodied archives and comparative conflict analysis. Current projects include a history of Aleppo’s Armenian community from Ottoman rule to its post-war disappearance.