His research focus on late ninteenth century trans-imperial social and diplomatic history from an Ottoman perspective. Mostafa holds a PhD. in History and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from NYU, an MA in History from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Engineering and Management from McMaster University, in Hamilton, Canada. He divides his time between Ithaca, NY and Istanbul, and travels extensively in Europe, the Middle East, and East Africa as he continues to conduct research on the history of the region with a focus on Istanbul and its relations with the other European and African imperial centers of power. He is also a regular commentator on the social and political developments in Turkey, and their relation to wider developments in the region and American foreign policy.