I am a historian of the modern Middle East, specializing in the history and politics of Palestine/Israel, Iran and the Persian Gulf. Most of my time is spent writing, teaching and editing. Occasionally, I also comment on Middle East-related affairs in international media.

I am currently publishing a book titled Iran and Israel: Old friends, new enemies (in Norwegian). This work builds on new research in Hebrew and Persian, and takes a long historical view of relations between Iran and Israel. Exploring Jewish cultural history, European imperialism, as well as recent Middle Eastern power politics, the book seeks to explain the emergence of conflict and rivalry between Iran and Israel today.

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For agency and translation rights, see my contact page.

I hold a DPhil (PhD) in History from the University of Oxford, where I am currently a Postdoctoral Associate Member. My doctoral dissertation was titled “On Islands of Oil: Jews and Zionism in the Persian Gulf 1880-1948” and dealt with the Persian Gulf’s modern Jewish history. While exploring a hitherto unknown history of Middle Eastern Jews, I took a particular interest in Gulf region and its relationship to Palestine and the Zionist movement. Drawing on documents and literature in Hebrew, Persian, Arabic and French, the result was a new history of Jewish life in the Gulf and the emergence of the Palestine/Israel-conflict as seen by peoples and states in the Gulf. In our days, this carries particular importance when the Gulf region, long understood as a periphery, has taken center stage in questions relating to Palestine/Israel.

Before starting my doctoral studies, I completed an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies (Oxford, 2020) and a BA in Arabic and History (SOAS, 2017). In between, I have also done policy work at the Norwegian Embassy in Saudi Arabia and at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.

My academic work has appeared in journals like Past & Present and British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. I’ve also written commentary for NRK Ytring, Morgenbladet and Stavanger Aftenblad. I was previously Chief Editor of Oxford Middle East Review.

Besides my research, I offer editing services and advice for other researchers and writers. Check out my Editing page and get in touch at eirik (at) kvindesland (dot) net