Juan Cole is an American academic, historian, and public intellectual, born on October 23, 1952. He is recognized for his expertise in Middle Eastern studies, particularly his focus on the modern history of the region. Cole has taught at the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and is currently the Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan. He is also the founder and director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan.