Norman Stillman
Norman (Noam) A. Stillman, PhD
Schusterman/Josey Professor of Judaic History | University of Oklahoma
Coming from a strong educational background, Norman “Noam” A. Stillman, PhD attributes his decades-long success as an educator, lecturer, and editorial leader to the several inspiring instructors he learned from throughout high school and college. He earned his bachelor’s and PhD in oriental studies from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude in 1970, where he was mentored by the renowned Shelomo Dov Goitein, one of the most distinguished scholars and historians of the 20th century. He went on to complete postdoctoral coursework in rabbinical studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Dr. Stillman has wielded his expertise in the history and culture of Jews in the Islamic world through his roles as a professor of such subjects as history, Arabic, Near Eastern history, languages, and cultures at Binghamton University from 1973 to 1995 and a visiting professor at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in Germany, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Oriental in France, and Rothberg International School within the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In addition, he has lectured within the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and at the University of Chicago. From 1995 to 2015, he presided as a Schusterman/Josey Professor of Judaic History at the University of Oklahoma, and has been Emeritus ever since. Additionally, since 2018, he has been the Chairman of the Academic Council of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) and in 2024 became a member of the Steering Committee of the Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies & Diplomacy of Ben-Gurion University.
Outside of his work across lecture halls worldwide, Dr. Stillman considers his significant accomplishment to be his pioneering written work on the history of the Jews of the Arab world. His first two books, “The Jews of Arab Lands” released in 1979 and “The Jews of Arab Lands in Modern Times” in 1991, are still widely used as core texts in universities around the globe and remain relevant and significant in the field. These works have been reviewed in several leading newspapers, including the Sunday New York Times and the Times of London. Since 2005, he has been active as the executive editor for the Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World, a five-volume series comprised of contributions from more than 350 internationally renowned scholars, published by Brill. In addition, he is particularly proud of completing his wife’s magnum opus, “Arab Dress: A Short History – From the Dawn of Islam to Modern Times,” after she passed away with about 80% of it finished. He considered it a “sacred task” that required much attention to detail; for more than two years, he worked on the book, which was later published, became successful, and even translated into Arabic.
As a testament to his impact as an educator, Dr. Stillman has accrued such accolades as the SUNY-Binghamton Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the Distinguished Humanist Award from the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, and a Gary B. Cohen Distinguished Faculty Award, among others.
Press Release
Marquis Who’s Who Honors Norman A. Stillman for Expertise in Higher Education
Norman A. Stillman is recognized for over five decades of success as an expert in Middle Eastern and Jewish history
JERUSALEM, April 09, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Norman A. Stillman has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Stillman has distinguished himself as a preeminent scholar in the field of Judaic and Islamic history, with a particular focus on the Jews of the Arab world. In 1995, he was named the Schusterman/Josey professor of Judaic history at the University of Oklahoma, where his expertise greatly contributed to the academic community. Since leaving the classroom, Dr. Stillman has held the role of executive editor for the Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World at BRILL in Leiden since 2005, overseeing this significant contribution to Jewish and Islamic studies.
Prior to these roles, Dr. Stillman was a professor of Near Eastern history, languages, and cultures at Binghamton University from 1993 to 1995. This followed an extensive period at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he was a professor of history and Arabic between 1973 and 1995. Moreover, Dr. Stillman was a visiting professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Oriental in Paris, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and served on the board of the Israel Institute. He was the recipient of Ohio State University Melton Center’s Distinguished Humanist award in the spring of 2000. He has received numerous academic honors including: Phi Beta Kappa, the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the SUNY-Binghamton award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and he delivered the prestigious Momigliano Lectures for the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought and the Sherman Lectures for the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.
Adding to his professional success, Dr. Stillman’s work as an author and editor includes significant contributions in several languages to the scholarly literature on Jews in Islamic societies, Judeo-Arabic dialectology, and Arab dress history. His best known books include The Jews of Arab Lands and The Jews of Arab Lands in Modern Times. He completed and published the second edition of the book, “Arab Dress: A Short History – From the Dawn of Islam to Modern Times,” which was written by his late colleague/wife. Despite her passing before completing the book, which was approximately 80% complete, Dr. Stillman spent the next two years finishing it. It has since been translated into Arabic and has received an overwhelming response.
Dr. Stillman’s educational background laid a strong foundation for his illustrious career. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in oriental studies, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970. He also completed post-doctoral studies in rabbinical studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1971.
Throughout his career, Dr. Stillman has been actively involved with industry-related organizations such as the World Union of Jewish Studies and the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa, where he has served as an advisory board member and academic chair, respectively.
In light of his success, Dr. Stillman has received numerous accolades, including a Distinguished Humanist Award in 2000 and the Gary B. Cohen Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Oklahoma in 2013. He credits much of his success to the guidance he received from inspiring educators throughout his academic journey, and his approach to teaching has been shaped by these influences.
