Hilal Khashan

Who is Hilal Khashan?

Hilal Khashan is a leading Palestinian-American scholar of the Middle East and professor of political studies at the American University of Beirut.

He was a visiting professor at McGill University in 1997 and at the University of Virginia during the 2001-2002 academic year.

His research focuses on Middle Eastern regional security, with emphasis on the Gulf. He has also conducted extensive quantitative research on Islamic fundamentalism and religious activism.

He has served on the editorial board of the Shi'a Affairs Journal since 2008 and was on the editorial board of the Middle East Quarterly from 1995 until 2002.

Khashan received his B.A. in political science from the University of Florida in 1977. He received his M.A. in 1978 and his Ph.D. in 1980, both in the field of government from the Florida State University and under the supervision of Monte Palmer.

He is frequently quoted in the international press as a commentator on Lebanese and regional politics. In one of his recent publications, he tackled the improbable alliance between Hizbullah and Maronite leader Michel Aoun. In a more recent article, he discussed Hizbullah's plans for Lebanon.