Dr. Fanny Bessard

Associate Professor

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Biography

Fanny Bessard is an Associate Professor specializing in Medieval Eurasian History at the University of Oxford, with a focus on the social and economic transformations of the Middle East from 700 to 1000 AD. She is an expert in Arabic historiography and has considerable archaeological experience in the region, contributing to her comprehensive understanding of early Classical Islam. Before joining the University of Oxford, Dr. Bessard held the Newton Fellowship at SOAS from 2013 to 2015, followed by a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at the University of St Andrews in 2015-2016, and a Lecturership in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Bristol from 2016 to 2019. Her research investigates the economic systems and social inequalities of the Medieval Islamic world, seeking to redefine the understanding of wealth and authority in Islamic Eurasia. Dr. Bessard has published works focusing on the origins of economic success in the early Islamic Caliphate, and she actively collaborates with historians and economists to enrich her research perspective.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2019-09-01 — Present

University of Oxford • Oxford, England

Teaching and conducting research on Medieval Eurasian History with a focus on social and economic transformations.

Newton Fellowship

2013-01-01 — 2015-12-31

SOAS • London, England

Researching the economic and social structures of Islamic societies.

Leverhulme Early Career Fellow

2015-01-01 — 2016-12-31

University of St Andrews • St Andrews, Scotland

Focused on economic transformations in the Medieval Islamic world.

Lecturer

2016-01-01 — 2019-08-31

University of Bristol • Bristol, England

Lectured on various aspects of history, integrating archaeology with historical methodology.

Requirements for University of Oxford

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:24
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Politics, International Relations, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy or Sociology
Application Checklist
  • Three academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Statement of Purpose (1,000 words)
  • Two academic essays (2,000 words each)
Specialization Notes

Department of Politics and International Relations - Higher Level English requirement.