Michael Gasper

Michael Gasper serves as Assistant Professor of History at Occidental College, specializing in the social and cultural history of the modern Middle East and the Muslim world.

His research centers on the representation and performance of communal, religious, and national identity through the lens of everyday life during Lebanon's sixteen-year civil war (1975-1991). Utilizing archival sources and oral histories, he examines identity construction in conflict zones with particular focus on secularism, sectarianism, and geopolitical conceptualization.

His publications demonstrate consistent thematic focus on identity formation and geopolitical evolution in the Middle East, bridging historical analysis with cultural studies to explore how social identities transform during periods of prolonged conflict and political upheaval.

Scientific awards:

• Carnegie Scholar for project "Rethinking Secularism and Sectarianism during the Lebanese Civil War"