Rashid Ismail Khalidi is a prominent Palestinian-American historian specializing in the modern Middle East, particularly Palestinian history and the Arab-Israeli conflict. He holds the Edward Said Professorship of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, where he has taught since 1992 and previously served as director of the Middle East Institute. Born in New York City to a family of Palestinian origin with deep roots in Jerusalem, Khalidi spent much of his childhood in the Middle East, shaping his scholarly and activist perspectives. He earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1970 and a doctorate in modern history from the University of Oxford in 1974. His early career included teaching positions at the Lebanese University in Beirut during the 1970s and research roles at the United Nations, where he contributed to documentation on Palestinian issues. Khalidi's academic work gained prominence with publications such as 'Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness' (1997) and 'The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood' (2006), which critically examine the historical and political dynamics of the region. He edited the Journal of Palestine Studies from 1986 to 2006 and again from 2010 to 2020, influencing discourse on Palestinian affairs. Khalidi has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, often criticizing Israeli policies and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, positions that have sparked controversy and debates within academic and political circles. His public engagements include advising on peace processes, such as during the Oslo Accords, and commenting on contemporary events like the Gaza conflicts. His work bridges academia and activism, earning him accolades from Arab intellectual communities while drawing criticism from pro-Israel groups, who have accused him of bias—allegations he has consistently refuted as attempts to silence Palestinian voices. Despite these tensions, Khalidi remains a key figure in Middle East studies, contributing to understanding influence networks through his analyses of colonialism, nationalism, and international relations. Khalidi's personal life reflects his transnational identity; he is married to Mona Khalidi, a human rights advocate, and they have three children. His family's historical ties to Palestinian leadership, including his uncle Hussein Khalidi who served as mayor of Jerusalem, underscore his embeddedness in the narrative he studies. Throughout his career, Khalidi has navigated the challenges of being a public intellectual in a polarized field, maintaining a commitment to rigorous scholarship amid ongoing geopolitical strife.