Will Smiley

Will Smiley is an associate professor in the Humanities Program. He is a historian of the Middle East, Eurasia, the Ottoman Empire and international law. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, his J.D. from the Yale Law School, his master’s degree from the University of Utah and his bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale College. His first book, “From Slaves to Prisoners of War: The Ottoman Empire, Russia, and International Law“ (Oxford University Press, 2018), examines the emergence of rules of warfare surrounding captivity and slavery in the context of the centuries-long rivalry between two empires, the Ottoman and Russian, which defined the future of the Middle East and Eurasia. He is also co-editor, with John Witt, of "To Save the Country: A Lost Treatise on Martial Law." His other publications include articles in Law and History Review, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Journal of the History of International Law, Journal of the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Association, Journal of Ottoman Studies, Turkish Historical Review and International History Review. He comes to UNH from Reed College, where he was assistant professor of history and humanities, and he previously held fellowships in Near East Studies (Princeton University) and legal history (New York University).