Thomas Hefter

Thomas Hefter is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages at the University of Houston's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. He holds a PhD in Classical Arabic Literature and Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago (2008). His teaching spans Arabic language instruction at all proficiency levels, as well as courses on Arabic literature and culture. His research focuses on the 9th-century scholar al-Jāḥiẓ (d. 869 CE), particularly his rhetorical strategies and epistolary prose. Currently, he is engaged in translating al-Jāḥiẓ's works into English.

• Education: PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (University of Chicago, 2008)

Research interests include classical Arabic literary forms, medieval Islamic intellectual history, and the interplay between author and reader in pre-modern texts. His work emphasizes textual analysis of al-Jāḥiẓ's writings, exploring how they shaped Arabic literary traditions and Islamic thought.

He has taught at institutions such as American University in Cairo, Princeton University, and the University of Oklahoma. Office hours are Wednesdays 2:30-3:30 PM and Thursdays 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, with online appointments available upon request.