Joshua Landis

Joshua Landis is the Sandra Mackey Chair and Professor in Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma’s David L. Boren College of International Studies. He serves as Director of the Center for Middle East Studies and the Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies. Landis specializes in Syrian politics, Middle Eastern conflict dynamics, and regional security. His work includes analyzing the Assad regime’s resilience, US foreign policy in the Middle East, and the geopolitical implications of regional conflicts.

Education: B.A. from Swarthmore College, M.A. from Harvard University, Ph.D. from Princeton University. He has lived extensively in the Middle East, including 15 years in the region and four in Syria.

Research Interests: Syrian political history, authoritarian regimes, regional diplomacy, and the impact of sanctions. Landis writes the influential Syria Comment blog and frequently appears in media such as NPR, BBC, and Foreign Affairs.

Awards: Three Fulbright grants and numerous teaching awards. Past roles include President of the Syrian Studies Association.

Grants and Media: His analysis on Syria’s civil war, US policy failures, and regional alliances has shaped academic and policy debates. Recent media highlights include discussions on the fall of Assad’s regime and Middle East security dynamics on NPR and Politico Magazine.