CASAR was established in 2003 as result of a generous $5.2 million endowment from His Royal Highness Prince Walid bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud. AUB was given a great deal of leeway in deciding how to set up and operate the center.

In the Summer of 2003, a steering committee from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences was formed to develop the program. The committee was initially chaired by Yahya Sadowski, Associate Professor of Political Studies. In January 2004, leadership of the committee was assumed jointly by Marjorie Henningsen, Assistant Professor of Education, and David Koistinen, Assistant Professor of History.  In September 2004, Prof. Patrick McGreevy was appointed as CASAR's first director.

For more information about CASARs mission, funding, and activities please proceed to the next page. The center sponsors conferences, seminars, and research fellows on critical issues in American Studies. CASAR also helps coordinate courses at AUB related to American Studies.  For more information about CASAR and its activities, please select one of the categories on the left.