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Avi Rubin

Avi Rubin is an Israeli historian of the Ottoman Empire and a professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

born 1971Ottoman social and legal historyResearch on Ottoman Nizamiye courtsHeading Middle East studies at BGU

Born: 15 January 1971, Beersheba
Occupation: historian
Education: Harvard University

Avi Rubin was born in 1971 in Beersheba

Avi Rubin was born in Beersheba in 1971. His father, Dov Rubin, was a journalist, playwright and poet. His mother, Nechama Rubin, was honored by Beersheba for her work in education.

After his military service, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Middle East studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In 2006 he received a doctorate from Harvard University. His dissertation dealt with the Nizamiye courts of the late Ottoman Empire.

In 2007 he joined the Department of Middle East Studies at Ben-Gurion University. From 2007 to 2010 he headed its international master's program, and since 2018 he has chaired the department and sat on the university senate. He has published 2 books on the social and legal history of the Ottoman Empire.

His research shows how reformed Ottoman courts combined French law with Sharia and Ottoman law. He also studies legal codification, the rise of the legal profession and British views of the reforms. He lives in Gedera, is married to Ronit and has 2 daughters and a son.