Sam Dolbee

Assistant Professor, History Department

Samuel Dolbee is an Assistant Professor of History at Vanderbilt University, where he specializes in environmental history focused on the Ottoman Empire and the modern Middle East. His academic interests encompass various themes, including agriculture, disease, and science. Dolbee teaches courses within the Department of History and contributes to the Climate Studies program.

Academic Background and Research

Dolbee completed his PhD at New York University, where he was part of a joint program in History and Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies. He also holds an MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University and a BA in History and International Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before joining Vanderbilt, he served as a lecturer at Harvard University and held postdoctoral fellowships at prestigious institutions such as Yale and Brandeis University.

His first book, Locusts of Power: Borders, Empire, and Environment in the Modern Middle East, published in 2023 by Cambridge University Press, explores the ecological dynamics during the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of modern states like Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Dolbee's forthcoming project focuses on the environmental history of microbes during the late Ottoman Empire, examining their impact on public health and politics.

Publications and Contributions

Dolbee's scholarly work has been featured in reputable journals such as the American Historical Review, Past & Present, and the International Journal of Middle East Studies. He is also the editor-in-chief of the Ottoman History Podcast.