Dr. Nicholas Al-Jeloo, Ph.D.
Independent Researcher; English Language Instructor at Kadir Has University, Istanbul
Education & Academic Background
- Ph.D. in Syriac Studies from the University of Sydney (2013).
- M.A. in Eastern Christianity (World Religions) from Leiden University.
- B.A. in Semitic Languages (Classical Hebrew) from the University of Sydney.
Positions & Affiliations
- English Language Instructor at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Previously Lecturer in Classical Syriac and related fields at the School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne (2014-2018).
- Taught Syriac, translation, manuscript work, field inscriptions and epigraphy; engaged in archival work and field research collecting Syriac / Neo-Aramaic inscriptions.
Research Focus & Contributions
Dr. Al-Jeloo is a socio-cultural historian whose areas of expertise include:
- Indigenous Middle Eastern minorities, especially Assyrian / Syriac communities.
Syriac language, literature, and epigraphy, including work with manuscripts and inscriptions, some collected first-hand in the field. - History of Eastern Christianity, interfaith and intercultural relations.
- Cultural heritage, memory, diaspora, and minority rights, especially in regions like Hakkâri (Turkey), Urmia (Iran), and other parts of northern Mesopotamia.
Selected Works & Activities
Some notable works and projects include:
- “Bewildering Beleaguerment: The Problem of Hakkari’s Abandoned Churches” — about heritage, abandonment, and Christian religious sites in Hakkâri.
- “An Expelled and Unwanted Minority: The Assyrians of Hakkâri” — examining forced expulsion and the legal/political status of Assyrian descendants.
- Research involving hundreds of Syriac & Neo-Aramaic inscriptions (over 2,300) used in his PhD work.
- Editing, transliteration, and translation work, contributing to Syriac studies and promoting awareness of cultural heritage.
