Dr. Mohamad Tavakoli Targhi

Biography

Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi is a Professor of History, specializing in Near Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto. He served as an editor for the journal Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East published by Duke University Press and was a member of the editorial board for Iranian Studies, an academic journal associated with the International Society for Iranian Studies. His research interests encompass Middle Eastern History, Modernity, Nationalism, Gender Studies, Orientalism, and Occidentalism. He is the author of multiple books, including "Refashioning Iran: Orientalism, Occidentalism and Nationalist Historiography" (Palgrave, 2001) and "Tajaddud-i Bumi [Vernacular Modernity]" (Nashr-i Tarikh, 2003). His numerous articles reflect his research focus, including titles such as "The Homeless Texts of Persianate Modernity" and contributions to international journals on Middle Eastern issues. Tavakoli-Targhi was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and has received several outstanding teacher awards during his tenure at Illinois State University. He has been a visiting fellow at prominent institutions, including St. Antony’s College at Oxford University and Harvard University, and has initiated various conferences and workshops related to Middle Eastern topics, promoting student engagement and community outreach programs.

Research Interests