Joshua Landis

Background

Landis was born on May 14, 1957, in Manhattan, New York City, New York. When he was one year old, his family moved to Saudi Arabia, where his father was sent by Citibank to open the first branch of an American bank in the country. After staying in Saudi Arabia for three years, Landis' family moved to Beirut, Lebanon, due to his father being transferred there to work as Citibank's vice-president for the Middle East. When Landis was ten years old, his family moved back to the United States.

Landis earned a BA from Swarthmore College, majoring in European History and French Literature. He spent his college sophomore year in France. After graduating, Landis then returned to Beirut in the midst of the Lebanese Civil War to teach at the International College, Beirut. According to Landis, his experience of living in Beirut during the civil war shaped his interpretation of the Syrian Civil War later on. In 1981, Landis went to Damascus University on a Fulbright Grant. During the following year, whilst Landis was still living in Damascus, the Hama uprising of 1982 took place. Landis visited Hama a week after the uprising.

Landis went on to earn an MA from Harvard University, and then a PhD from Princeton University. Fluent in Arabic and French, he has studied Turkish, Italian, and Ottoman Turkish. He has received three Fulbright grants and a Social Science Research Council award.

Academia

He taught at Sarah Lawrence College, Wake Forest University, and Princeton University before moving to the University of Oklahoma. Since May 2004, Landis has published the Syrian Comment blog, which focuses on Syrian politics, history, and religion. Landis regularly travels to Washington, D.C., to consult with government agencies.

Landis is a frequent analyst on TV and radio, such as PBS News Hour, Charlie Rose Show, CNN and Fox News. He comments frequently for NPR and BBC Radio. He has spoken at the Brookings Institution, USIP, Middle East Institute, and Council on Foreign Relations.

Personal life

Landis is married to Manar Kashour, who comes from an Alawite family in Syria.

References

References

1. (September 29, 2015). "Obama's New Best Friend in Syria: Vladimir Putin". [[Politico]].
2. (October 10, 2015). "CIA-backed rebels in Syria face Russian bombardment". [[PBS Newshour]].
3. (October 13, 2015). "Presidential candidates must answer uncomfortable questions about Syria". [[The Guardian]].
4. (September 28, 2015). "Support For Syrian Regime Critical In Fight Against ISIS, Putin Says At U.N.". [[NPR]].
5. "Should the United States Work With Russia in Syria?". [[Foreign Affairs]].
6. (September 16, 2015). "Russia moves into Syria to boost Assad, send signal to West". [[Yahoo! News]].
7. (October 12, 2015). "A 'kaleidoscopic' mix of rebel alliances on Syria's battlefield". [[Los Angeles Times]].
8. (2008-11-06). "Professor's blog keeps OU in the news, world informed on Mideast nation". OUDaily.com.
9. (22 January 2019). "Global Dispatches Podcast: Episode 141: Joshua Landis (Interview with Joshua Landis, from 26:00)".
10. (February 6, 2012). "Crisis in Syria". [[Charlie Rose Show]].
11. link. (2012-03-14 , retrieved 1 September 2014.)
12. (2018-10-24). "The Middle East in the Time of the Great Sorting-Out".
13. (2017-06-27). "Our Man in the Middle East".