Orient-Institut Beirut

The Orient-Institut Beirut (OIB) is an independent academic research institute, belonging to the Max Weber Foundation. It is mainly funded through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany. It conducts interdisciplinary research on the Arab world and the region of West Asia and North Africa at large. Its research community comprises long-term research associates from Germany and short-term visiting fellows from all over the world, who represent the major disciplines of the humanities and social sciences, including Islamic and Arab studies, history and anthropology of the Middle East, as well as sociology and political sciences. The OIB’s current research profile centres on “Relations”, a framework broad enough to provide a conceptual matrix allowing researchers to develop institutional links and projects and join the conversation. The OIB is also a long-standing partner of academic institutions in Lebanon and the region at large. It aims to foster academic relations across the MENA region and increasingly conducts its research in transregional perspectives. One of the great academic treasures of the OIB is its public research library, which holds important collections of books, journals and newspapers. It comprises around 140,000 volumes. The OIB publishes two major book series (BTS and BI) and additional titles through OIS and extra series (see Publication page). The institute engages with a larger academic community through regular research seminars, lecture series, international conferences and workshops. Local and international partnerships are crucial in designing and funding the institute’s projects. In particular, the OIB is at the forefront of facilitating research collaborations between institutions in the Arab world and institutions in Germany and Europe. It thereby seeks to encourage innovative academic perspectives on the region.