Yossef Rapoport

Professor Yossef Rapoport is a historian specializing in the social, cultural, and legal aspects of medieval Islamic Middle Eastern societies (1000–1500 CE). Affiliated with Queen Mary University of London's School of History since 2008, he holds a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (2019–2022) for his project on tribal identity and conversion in rural Egypt and Syria. His work focuses on under-researched groups such as peasants, women, and nomads, alongside the history of medieval Islamic maps.

Trained at Tel Aviv University (Israel), Princeton University (USA), and Oxford University (UK), Rapoport’s research spans:

• Fatimid, Ayyubid, and Mamluk dynasties
• Islamic legal frameworks and gender dynamics
• Medieval cartography and geographical knowledge
• Rural socio-economic structures

Recent achievements include the Middle East Medievalists bi-annual book prize for Rural Economy and Tribal Society in Islamic Egypt (2018). His current sabbatical (2024–2025) reflects ongoing scholarly engagement.

Editorial roles include serving on the board of Islamic Law and Society. Supervised PhD topics include Mamluk genealogy, medieval childhood experiences, and building craftsmanship.