Professor Sargon Donabed, Ph.D.

Professor of History, Feinstein School of Humanities, Arts & Education, Roger Williams University

Areas of Expertise

Professor Donabed specializes in a rich and interdisciplinary set of fields including:

  • Assyrian Studies
  • Indigenous Studies in the Middle East
  • Eastern Christianity
  • Myth and Folklore Studies
  • Comparative Religion
  • Immigration History
  • Animal Studies / Anthrozoology
  • Diaspora Studies
  • Cultural Heritage preservation (Roger Williams University)

Education & Early Work

  • Ph.D. in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto (Roger Williams University)
  • M.S. in Anthrozoology / Animal Studies, Canisius College (Roger Williams University)
  • B.A. in History / Religious Studies, Stonehill College (Roger Williams University)

Before entering academia full-time, he taught at middle and high school levels (including special education), and also studied ancient languages at Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Roger Williams University)

Scholarly and Thematic Focus

Professor Donabed’s work weaves together past and present, looking at how ancient history, myth, folklore, cultural heritage, and marginalized or indigenous identity connect to modern issues. Some central motifs in his scholarship include:

  • The history of Assyria and Assyrian culture, especially during the 20th century. (Roger Williams University)
  • The experiences and heritage of indigenous and marginalized communities in the Middle East. (Roger Williams University)
  • The role of storytelling, wisdom literature, folklore, and myth, both as historical artifacts and as living expressions of identity. (Roger Williams University)
  • Human-animal relationships and how animal studies (anthrozoology) intersect with culture, myth, and identity. (Roger Williams University)
  • …

Selected Publications & Projects

Some of his notable books include:

  • Reforging a Forgotten History: Iraq and the Assyrians in the 20th Century (Edinburgh University Press, 2015) (Roger Williams University)
  • Assyrians of Eastern Massachusetts (Images of America, 2006) (Roger Williams University)

He is also a co-founder and board member of the Assyrian Studies Association, helping to advance research and public engagement in Assyrian history and culture. (Roger Williams University)