Mahmoud Azaz (Ph.D. with Distinction) - محمود عزَّاز
Professor, Distinguished Fellow & Director of the National Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Arabic Language, Linguistics & Pedagogy (School of Middle Eastern & North African Studies)
Area Chair, Second Language Acquisition & Teaching (Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program)
Distinguished Fellow (University of Arizona Center for University Education Scholarship)
Academic Leadership Fellow (University of Arizona Academic Leadership Institute, 2021-2022 cohort)
Department of Linguistics (Courtesy Appointment)
Arabic Sector Head (American Association of University Supervisors, Coordinators, & Directors of Language Programs, 2018-2022)
Executive Committee of the Applied Linguistics Forum (MLA, 2021-2027)
Executive Board: Arabic Linguistics Society (ALS, 2021-2024)
I am a tenured Full Professor of Arabic language, linguistics & pedagogy and second language acquisition & teaching at the University of Arizona. I hold a Ph.D. with Distinction in Arabic SLA and Pedagogy. I am interested in the fields of SLA and pedagogy from linguistic & sociocultural perspectives and Arabic sociolinguistics. I welcome students who are interested in potential research and career paths in these areas. My language teaching philosophy guides students to form a critical understanding of the global world through language. I believe that language proficiency serves the further goal of intercultural and global competence. Instrumental pedagogical innovations that focus on linguistic and cultural aspects should target this goal. The language classroom is an ideal space in which socially-, historically-, and culturally-situated negotiations are employed to prepare global citizens. My mentoring style prioritizes building a professional collaborative spirit in an atmosphere of respect and collegiality.