Bernard Lewis
Historian of Islam and controversial public intellectual.
Bernard Lewis was a British-American historian of Oriental studies, whose expertise centered on the history of Islam and the interactions between Islam and the West. Born in London to middle-class Jewish parents, he developed an early interest in languages and history. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a focus on the Near and Middle East from the University of London’s School of Oriental Studies, followed by a PhD in Islamic history and postgraduate study in Paris. After working as an assistant lecturer at his alma mater, he served in the British Army’s Royal Armoured Corps and Intelligence Corps during the Second World War, later being seconded to the Foreign Office. Returning to the School of Oriental and African Studies, he was appointed to a new chair in Near and Middle Eastern history. In 1974, he moved to Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study, a period that marked his most prolific research output. Lewis was a founding member of the Middle East Studies Association of North America but later broke away to found the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa, challenging what he saw as a critical stance toward Israel and U.S. policy. His research began with medieval Arab history before shifting to the Ottoman Empire, using newly opened archives to produce influential studies on Islamic society, government, and demographics. He argued that the Middle East’s decline was largely self-inflicted. Lewis was also a public intellectual and political commentator, frequently advising neoconservative policymakers, including the Bush administration, and actively supporting the Iraq War. He engaged in notable public debates with Edward Said, who accused him of being a Zionist apologist and an Orientalist who demeaned Arabs and promoted Western imperialism. Lewis denied the Armenian genocide, claiming the mass killings resulted from a mutual struggle between nationalistic movements, a view rejected by other historians as ahistorical.
- born
- 31 May 1916
- died
- 19 May 2018
- field
- Oriental studies, history of Islam
- nationality
- British-American
- known_for
- Expertise in Islam and West interaction; denial of Armenian genocide; support for Iraq War
Lore & Background
Bernard Lewis was born on 31 May 1916 to middle-class British Jewish parents in Stoke Newington, London. He graduated from the University of London's School of Oriental Studies in 1936 with a BA in history, earned his PhD three years later at SOAS, and also studied at the University of Paris. During the Second World War, he served in the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps and Intelligence Corps before being seconded to the Foreign Office. After the war, he returned to SOAS, where he was appointed to the new chair in Near and Middle Eastern History in 1949. In 1974, he moved to Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study, teaching one semester per year, which allowed him to publish numerous books and articles. He retired from Princeton in 1986 and served at Cornell University until 1990.
Reader's Guide
Bernard Lewis's significance lies in his role as a leading Western interpreter of the Middle East, though his approach has been criticized as essentialist and generalizing. His research shifted from medieval Arab history to the Ottoman Empire after 1948, when scholars of Jewish origin faced difficulties conducting research in Arab countries. He argued that the Middle East's decline was self-inflicted due to culture and religion, opposing post-colonialist views. His 1990 essay 'The Roots of Muslim Rage' gained renewed attention after the 11 September 2001 attacks. Lewis was notable for his public debates with Edward Said, who called him a Zionist apologist and an Orientalist who demeaned Arabs. Lewis also denied the Armenian genocide, arguing the deaths resulted from a mutual struggle between nationalistic movements, a view rejected by other historians. His active support of the Iraq War and neoconservative ideals have since come under scrutiny.
Did You Know?
- Lewis served in the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps and Intelligence Corps during the Second World War.
- He was a founding member of the Middle East Studies Association of North America in 1966, but broke away in 2007 to found the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa.
- Lewis's 1990 essay 'The Roots of Muslim Rage' was originally delivered as the Jefferson Lecture, the US government's highest honor for achievement in the humanities.
- He altered his description of the Armenian genocide in later editions of 'The Emergence of Modern Turkey', changing 'terrible holocaust' to 'terrible slaughter'.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Bernard Lewis (31 May 1916 – 19 May 2018) was a British historian specializing in oriental studies." — Bernard Lewis "The overwhelming majority of classical theologians, jurists, and traditionalists [i.e., specialists in the hadith] . . . understood the obligation of jihad in a military sense." — Bernard Lewis "Bernard Lewis, The Political Language of Islam (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988), p. 72." — Bernard Lewis "You know the expression "My country, right or wrong." Well, these days, Americans are apt to think, "My country, wrong." — Bernard Lewis
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