Mareike Koertner earned her B.A. in Political Science and Arabic Studies from the University of Leipzig, Germany in 2008 and received a M.Phil. (2012) and Ph.D. (2014) in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Yale University. Her educational journey also led her to the American University in Cairo, Egypt, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and traditional teachers in Egypt, Syria, and Yemen.

A passionate teacher, she considers teaching primarily as the fostering of an innate sense of curiosity and desire to learn that last well beyond the time spent in class. In an age, in which Islam is often viewed through the lens of contemporary events and conflicts, she wants to give students a sense of the religion of Islam, its history, vibrant civilizations, massive empires, and abiding social institutions throughout the fifteen centuries since its inception. Therefore, her courses do not just focus on Muslim beliefs, rituals and practice but also engage students in the study of the history, politics, and economy, art and literature, philosophy and science of the Islamic civilizations.

curriculum vitae