Doris Behrens-Abouseif was the Nasser D. Khalili Professor of Islamic Art and Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London for 14 years. She is a specialist in Mamluk and Ottoman arts of Egypt and Syria. Her extensive list of publications covers a wide range of subjects from the early period to the 19th century, with focus on Egypt and Syria, including the history of Islamic architecture and decorative arts, Islamic cultural history, concepts of aesthetics and Orientalism.