Michael A. Reynolds

Michael A. Reynolds is an Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, currently on leave for Fall 2025. His expertise spans Ottoman and modern Middle Eastern history, Russian and Eurasian history, and the Caucasus region, with a focus on empire, nationalism, and foreign policy. He holds a BA from Harvard University, an MA from Columbia University, and a PhD from Princeton University.

Reynolds' research examines imperial collapse, trans-imperial dynamics, and contemporary foreign policy challenges. His notable work Shattering Empires won the American Historical Association’s George Louis Beer Prize and explores the Ottoman-Russian rivalry during World War I. He has also published widely on US foreign policy in Afghanistan and Iraq, Turkish foreign policy, and the Caucasus region’s post-imperial identity struggles.

• Education:
  • B.A. in Government & Slavic Languages/Literature, Harvard University
  • M.A. in Political Science, Columbia University
  • PhD in Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University
• Awards:
  • American Historical Association’s George Louis Beer Prize (2011)

His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary policy debates, particularly in regions like the Caucasus and the Middle East. He has contributed to interdisciplinary projects on empire, nationalism, and trans-regional dynamics, often highlighting the longue durée of political conflicts.