Sara Scalenghe

Sara Scalenghe is a Professor in the Department of History at Loyola University Maryland, where she has been a faculty member since 2009, and serves as a core faculty member in the Global Studies program. Her expertise centers on the social and cultural history of the Middle East with specialized focus on the Arab world.

Her educational background includes:

• B.A. in Arabic and Persian from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
• M.A. in Arab Studies from Georgetown University
• Ph.D. in Middle Eastern and North African History from Georgetown University

Prof. Scalenghe's research pioneers disability history in the MENA region, examining historical perceptions and management of disability across Ottoman and modern Arab contexts. Her work uniquely intersects gender studies, social history, and cultural analysis, revealing underexplored dimensions of Middle Eastern societies through meticulous archival research. She has established herself as a leading authority in disability historiography for the Arab world.

Her publications demonstrate sustained scholarly focus on disability across historical periods, with emerging emphasis on modern Arab contexts. The trajectory shows deepening interdisciplinary connections between disability studies, gender analysis, and postcolonial frameworks in Middle Eastern history.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• 2016 Disability History Association Outstanding Book Award for "Disability in the Ottoman Arab World, 1500-1800"

Prof. Scalenghe has secured substantial research funding including grants from the Social Science Research Council, Fulbright-Hays program, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, and American Historical Association. Her $210,912 NEH grant funded the 2018 Summer Institute on "Global Histories of Disability," demonstrating significant external validation of her research agenda. She served as President of the Disability History Association (2017-2020) and mentors students through Loyola's Global Studies program.

Her current scholarly activities include directing research collaborations on disability history in the MENA region and developing curriculum on global disability studies.