John Ricardo Irfan 'Juan' Cole, born on October 23, 1952, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is an American academic, historian, commentator, and blogger specializing in the modern Middle East and South Asia. He holds the position of Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Michigan, where he teaches and researches. His father served in the United States Army Signal Corps, leading the family to relocate to France in 1954 when Cole was two years old. They lived near Paris for about four years, during which Cole attended French kindergarten and the family traveled extensively in Europe. Returning to the United States in 1958, Cole grew up in a military family background that exposed him to international environments early on. He is known for his progressive views on Islam, particularly the Twelver Shiite branch predominant in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and the Gulf. Cole was among the first American scholars to produce specialized works on Shiite thought and history, with his book 'Sacred Space and Holy War' (2002) serving as a key primer on Shiism following the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He has also analyzed Middle East revolutions, including the 1882 'Urabi revolt in Egypt, the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, and the 2011-2013 Arab Spring, while contributing to medieval Persian literature, Islamic peace studies, and the origins of Islam. Since 2002, he has maintained a prominent weblog, 'Informed Comment' (juancole.com), through which he critiques U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and broader global issues, establishing him as a key voice on Middle East issues. His work often reflects adversarial stances toward figures like Daniel Pipes and Frederick Kagan, whom he has publicly attacked for their views on the region. Cole's scholarship extends to post-occupation Iraqi Shiism and theoretical frameworks for regional upheavals, establishing him as a key voice in academic and public discourse on Islam and U.S. interventions. His commentary blends rigorous historical analysis with contemporary political critique, influencing discussions on progressive Islam and anti-imperialist perspectives.