News
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Excavations Uncover Mosaic Floor Panels in Ancient Galilean Synagogue
The intricate panels, nearly 1,600 years old, include the first known depictions of two biblical heroines and an episode in ancient Jewish art. A team of specialists and students led by Carolina professor Jodi Magness recently returned to Israel’s … Continued
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Preserving endangered Islamic manuscripts
Scholars from the department of African, African American and diaspora studies and a University Libraries digitization specialist traveled to Senegal and Mali to preserve and digitize 6,000 pages of handwritten Islamic manuscripts. Samba Camara sits in his office … Continued
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UNC Arabic Summer Students Engage with Refugees
This summer, Intermediate Arabic students at UNC put their language learning to the true test of connection with a special visit from Saeed, a 34-year-old Syrian refugee and language partner from NaTakallam. NaTakallam hires displaced persons & their host community … Continued
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Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Spring 2022 Newsletter
Our annual newsletter highlights center activities from the 2021-2022 academic year. Read to learn more about programming, highlights from our affiliated faculty and students, and K-14 outreach events. Click on the image below to view the newsletter, or download a … Continued
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English-Language Workbook from Mosul, Iraq, Donated to UNC
For more than 800 years, the Mosque of the Prophet Jonah defined a neighborhood in Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq. It was a site of worship, a source of local pride, an important landmark – especially its tall minaret, … Continued
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“Reporting from Jerusalem: Behind the Headlines” with NPR International Correspondent Daniel Estrin
On Tuesday, February 15, the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies, the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies, and the North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies hosted NPR International Correspondent Daniel Estrin, who presented on “Reporting from … Continued
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OVPGA Welcomes New Associate Director of Global Education
The Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs (OVPGA) has appointed Sharmila Udyavar as associate director of global education. Udyavar previously served as interim director for international programs at Fayetteville State University (FSU). As associate director, Udyavar will expand global learning opportunities for UNC-Chapel … Continued
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High School Language Learners Create Projects on Health, Education and Climate at UNC-Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted a virtual awards ceremony to celebrate teams from the seventh annual Learning Through Languages High School Research Symposium on Dec. 8. This year, world language students from 12 high schools conducted and presented research in their language of study on topics related … Continued
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Educators Explore Food, Water, and Sustainability around the World and at Home during International Education Week
Food, water, and sustainability are crucial issues around the world—and right here in North Carolina. This fall, the UNC-Duke Area Studies Centers and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) provided teacher education on these vital and interconnected issues … Continued
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Conference Builds Capacity for Arabic Language Teaching in North Carolina
Arabic greetings of marhaba (hello), sabah al kheir (good morning), and ahlan wa sahlan (welcome) were shared as attendees gathered for the inaugural conference of the emerging North Carolina Arabic Teacher Council (NCATC), November 13-14, 2021. “Come Together: The Future of Arabic Language in North Carolina” was held at UNC-Chapel Hill and convened over 30 educators and administrators from … Continued
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An Interview with Dr. Yaghoobi, New Director of Persian Studies
Recently I interviewed our wonderful professor, Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, about her appointment as the new inaugural Director of Persian Studies here at UNC. This was the multilayered question I asked her: In your appointment letter, which I was given to … Continued
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UNC-Chapel Hill Receives Platinum Award for Global Learning, Research and Engagement
The FedEx Global Education Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Photo by Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was named the Platinum winner of the 2021 … Continued
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Events on Iranian Literary Diasporas Explore Identity and Belonging
During academic year 2021-2022, the Persian Studies program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is hosting a virtual lecture series on “Iranian Literary Diasporas.” Convened by Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, Roshan Associate Professor in the Department of Asian … Continued
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Professor Sarah Shields Awarded “MESA Undergraduate Education Award”
Dr. Sarah Shields, Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the 2021 winner of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Undergraduate Education Award. Established in 2012, the MESA Undergraduate Education Award recognizes outstanding scholarship … Continued
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Online Dialogues Connect Educators in the United States, Middle East, and North Africa
In Fall 2021, dozens of K-12 teachers from across the United States and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) participated in two virtual Educator Dialogues, gaining strategies and resources to support newcomer students and globalize STEM education. The dialogues, organized … Continued
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Outdoor Access For All
UNC-Chapel Hill archaeologists are working with a diverse coalition to develop an accessible trail network, uncover the region’s history and spur equitable economic growth in the small western North Carolina town of Old Fort. The project is supported by the … Continued
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Wilson Library acquires Omar ibn Said manuscript
Created in 1856 and addressed by Said to his enslaver, the manuscript contains an Islamic blessing and two biblical texts: the 51st psalm and the Lord’s Prayer. A document recently acquired by the University Libraries is contributing to … Continued
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UNC Team Receives Grant to Archive Sufi Materials from the Afghan-Pakistan Border
Dr. Waleed Ziad, Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and Dr. Ali Jarrahi Fellow in Persian Studies, and Rustin Zarkar, UNC Middle East and Islamic Studies Librarian, have been awarded a Modern Endangered Archive Program (MEAP) grant by … Continued
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Webinar Presents Lessons on Muslim American History
On September 29, 2021, the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies hosted a webinar for educators, “Muslim American History Modules for the Social Studies Curriculum.” The program featured curricular materials for high school social studies teachers on Muslim … Continued
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UNC Area Studies Centers Host “Global Careers for LGBTQ Folk”
Members of the LGBTQ+ community play key roles in international business, diplomacy, advocacy, and scholarship, but they can also face unique challenges in global careers because of their sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression (on top of all … Continued
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Six UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate Students Awarded Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships
Six doctoral students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were awarded grants under the 2021 Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellows Program (DDRA). Carolina consistently ranks among the top producers of Fulbright-Hays DDRA fellows. UNC-Chapel Hill was awarded $210,398 in funding … Continued
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UNC and Duke Area Studies Centers Host Cultural Kitchen Series for NC Educators
The UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University area studies centers connected with North Carolina educators in kitchens across the state in three virtual Cultural Kitchen sessions that explored dishes from Latin America, Southeast Asia and North Africa. The series served as … Continued
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Banu Gökarıksel Appointed Chair of the Curriculum in Global Studies
Banu Gökarıksel, professor of geography at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been appointed to a four-year term as chair of the Curriculum in Global Studies. Gökarıksel holds an impressive record of leadership and scholarship at Carolina. A faculty member since 2005, she … Continued
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Analyzing Ancient Animal Remains
Animal teeth excavated from Bronze Age cities may answer fundamental questions about how early urban centers operated. From left, graduate student Christine Mikeska and Associate Professor Benjamin Arbuckle from the College of Arts & Sciences’ department of anthropology. (Photo by … Continued
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UNC and Duke Area Studies Centers Support Globalizing Curricula Across Minority-Serving Institutions and Community Colleges
Educators from minority-serving institutions (MSI) and community colleges across the southeast led panels about how they utilize resources from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke area studies centers to advance global scholarship and integrate global … Continued
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African Studies Center and Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Joint Statement on the Delay to Vote to Tenure Nikole Hannah-Jones
The African Studies Center (ASC) and Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies (CMEIS) value and uphold the principles of academic freedom. This freedom is necessary for us to conduct research, teaching, and service that furthers the interests of the … Continued
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Give Me the Mic and Sing: Teaching about the Middle East and North Africa through Women’s Hip Hop.
by Kristin Waterbury Song, particularly hip hop, provides women with a unique platform to amplify their voices, combat stereotypes, and address social issues. The importance of music to women around the world is reflected in the lyrics of Palestinian artist … Continued
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Virtual Cultural Festival Promotes Intercultural Education in K-12 Classrooms
Carolina Navigators, a service-learning and global education outreach program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, took K-12 classes around the world in its 14th biannual Virtual Cultural Festival on Friday, April 23. A total of 27 … Continued
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Journalism in the Classroom: Teaching About the Middle East through Underreported Stories
What are underreported stories, and where can we find them? What more do we learn, and connect with, by exploring underreported stories? On April 22, 2021, the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s … Continued
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Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Spring 2021 Newsletter
Our annual newsletter highlights center activities from the 2020 – 2021 academic year. Read to learn more about programming, highlights from our affiliated faculty and students, and K-14 outreach events. Click on the image below to view the newsletter, or … Continued
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UNC Area Studies Centers Host Panel on Women’s Leadership in the Federal Government
Women have long been underrepresented in key sectors of the United States federal government, particularly in positions of national security leadership, and this is especially true for women of color. In Spring 2021, the area studies centers at the University of North Carolina … Continued
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Beyond Words on a Page: Senses as the Way into the Middle East
How to Teach about the Middle East — and Get it Right: Experiential Learning about the Middle East through the Senses The five major senses of touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste provide creative and memorable opportunities for engaging students … Continued
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University of North Carolina Alum Radhika Arora and Angela Chin Win Prestigious Rangel Fellowship
Following a highly competitive nationwide selection process, Radhika Arora and Angela Chin were awarded a 2021 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship. The Rangel Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, supports extraordinary … Continued
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How did one stuck ship hamper global trade?
The Ever Given is underway again, but the global supply chain is reeling from the Suez Canal closing. A UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School professor explains why. On March 24 the container ship Ever Given ran aground and blocked … Continued
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Carolina Hosts Virtual Global Career Night
Brent Van Vliet ’20 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Area Studies Centers and the UNC Curriculum in Global Studies hosted Global Career Night virtually on February 24. The annual panel event features Carolina alumni in globally focused … Continued
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Voices From The Field – U.S. Department of Education International and Foreign Language Education Newsletter
Virtual Exchange Program Encourages Cross-Border Collaborations Between Teachers in the United States and the Middle East The Duke-University of North Carolina (UNC) Consortium for Middle East Studies and the University of Arizona Center for Middle Eastern Studies (UA CMES) have collaborated to … Continued
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Middle East National Resource Centers Train Teachers about Charisma, Contact, and Continuity in Middle East History
On February 25, over 80 educators at the middle, high and community college levels explored teaching practices and historical perspectives in the second installment of the webinar series, “How to Teach About the Middle East—and Get it Right!” The webinar featured Allen Fromherz, professor of history and director of the Middle East … Continued
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UNC-Chapel Hill Announces New Partnership with American Academy of Diplomacy
The American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD) and UNC-Chapel Hill are collaborating on the production of The General and the Ambassador, a well-recognized podcast series that focuses on how senior U.S. military leaders partner with senior U.S. ambassadors on national security challenges … Continued
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Global Supply Chains: An Interconnected World
by Reo Aono, International Society of Business and Foreign Affairs at UNC-Chapel Hill On February 23rd, the Duke UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies sponsored a virtual event titled Global Supply Chains: An Interconnected World. The event aimed to inform … Continued
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Raleigh man is now first Yemeni-born judge in US
Rashad Hauter can remember his father shaking him awake at 2 a.m. inside their one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, prodding him from sleep to learn the alphabet as a 3-year-old. At that early hour, his father, Ahmed, would just be getting home … Continued
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Sibley Begins as Diplomat in Residence
George Sibley has assumed the role of Diplomat in Residence (DIR) for the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S, covering North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Sibley most recently served as deputy … Continued
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The Anthropology of Air Conditioning in the Arab Gulf
“We have come to live a life that is almost exclusively indoors–from air-conditioned houses to air-conditioned cars, offices, malls…” said Marwa Koheji of her native Bahrain. “Indeed, when I learned that more than 60 percent of electricity in the Arab … Continued
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CMENAS and the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies host Christiane Gruber to talk about Islamic Art
How to Teach about the Middle East — and Get it Right: Islam through Art How to Teach about the Middle East — and Get it Right! That may seem like a daunting order to any educator. The MENA region … Continued
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UNC Alumnus Awarded Pirzada Dissertation Prize in Pakistan Studies
Alumnus Ahsan Kamal (Sociology Ph.D ‘19) has been awarded the Pirzada Dissertation Prize in Pakistan Studies for his dissertation, Saving Sindhu: Indus Enclosure and River Defense in Pakistan (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2019). Awarded by the Institute for South … Continued
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K-12 Teachers Complete Fellowship on the Middle East and North Africa
In December 2020, 15 North Carolina teachers completed the intensive nine-month Middle East and African Cultures Teacher Fellows Program (MEAC) offered by the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies and the UNC African Studies Center. The 2020 MEAC program was held virtually, connecting teachers with presenters and communities across North … Continued
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Virtual Exchange Program Encourages Teachers in the United States and the Middle East to Collaborate Across Borders
The Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies and the University of Arizona Center for Middle Eastern Studies (UA CMES) have collaborated to establish the Teachers Collaborating Across Borders Program (TCAB), a unique opportunity for educators from the United States and teachers from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to engage … Continued
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Carolina Hosts Sixth Annual Learning Through Languages High School Research Symposium
On Dec. 9, 2020, high school students from across North Carolina gathered virtually for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University’s sixth annual Learning through Languages High School Research Symposium awards ceremony. The Learning Through Languages High … Continued
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Area Studies Centers Host Expert Panel on ‘The Future of Language Learning in North Carolina’
On Dec. 8, 2020, pedagogical experts on world language instruction from across North Carolina participated in “The Future of Language Learning in North Carolina,” a virtual panel discussion about the direction of teaching and learning of world languages in the … Continued
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Internationalized Courses Provide Students with Virtual Connections to Iran
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is participating in Connecting Carolina Classrooms with the World (CCCW), an initiative launched by the Office of the Vice Provost of Global Affairs in May 2020, in collaboration … Continued
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Alumna Sarah Mackenzie Awarded Rhodes Scholarship
Sarah Mackenzie (BA ’20) has been named Carolina’s 51st Rhodes Scholar. Sarah graduated with highest distinction from UNC as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, earning a B.A. in Public Policy and Global Studies with a minor in Arabic. Sarah spent the fall … Continued
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Viewpoints on Resilient & Equitable Responses to the Pandemic. Michael Figueroa on Arab American Music During COVID
Part of the series “Viewpoints on Resilient and Equitable Responses to the Pandemic” from the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing people around the world to question how … Continued
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Haydar on the Radar: Resisting Orientalism and Global Patriarchy
Sophia Rekeibe ’21 | Department of Music Raised in Flint, Michigan, Mona Haydar is a Syrian-American Muslim who defines herself as a rapper, poet, activist, practitioner of Permaculture, meditator, composting devotee, mountain girl, solar power lover and a tireless God-enthusiast (Haydar 2015). She … Continued
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Virtual Symposium Explores Love and Desire in Modern Iran and the Diaspora
The Persian Studies program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently hosted a virtual symposium entitled “Revisiting Discourses of Love, Sex, and Desire in Modern Iran and the Diaspora.” Originally scheduled as a one-day, in-person symposium in … Continued
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18th Annual Duke-UNC Middle East and Islamic Studies Graduate Student Conference Call for Papers
What Does Race Have to Do with Religion? Racialization and Worldwide Islam The Islamicate Graduate Student Association invites papers for our 18th Annual Duke-UNC Conference, one of the longest running graduate student Middle East & Islamic Studies conferences in the … Continued
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Eminent Peace Studies Book Translated into Arabic by Noor Ghazi
Considered one of the most important books in Peace Studies, Preparing for Peace by Dr. John Paul Lederach has recently been translated into Arabic by Noor Ghazi, a member of the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies. The title is … Continued
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CMEIS Faculty Profile: Dr. Youssef Carter
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies is excited to welcome Dr. Youssef Carter to as a center member. Dr. Carter joined the Department of Religious Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill in July 2020 as Assistant Professor and Kenan Rifai … Continued
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CMEIS Faculty Profile: Dr. Ana Vinea
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies is happy to welcome Dr. Ana Vinea as a CMEIS member. Dr. Vinea joined UNC in January 2020 and is currently teaching a first year seminar on ‘Popular Culture in the Arab … Continued
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Seminar for K-12 Teachers Provides Multifaceted View of the Middle East
Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies The Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies, a partnership between the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies and the Duke University Middle East Studies Center, hosted a five-day, virtual seminar for K-12 teachers across the country from August 3-7. The seminar, “Diversities of … Continued
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Area Studies Centers Host Virtual K-12 Global Education Programs in Response to Pandemic
August 11, 2020 Virtual teacher session organized by the area studies centers at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke. The area studies centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University collaborated to host a series of … Continued
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Newly Renamed ‘Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies’ Reflects Breadth of Teaching and Research
As of July 1, 2020, the Department of Asian Studies (DAS) is changing its name to the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (DAMES). The faculty voted unanimously in the fall of 2019 to change our name to more … Continued
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Statement Against Racism and Omar Ibn Said Initiative
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Duke University Middle East Studies Center, the Duke Islamic Studies Center, and the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies stand with the … Continued
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‘Impossible Documents’ — How An Enslaved Muslim Scholar Illuminates Southern Identity
By GRANT HOLUB-MOORMAN & FRANK STASIO In the 1700s, approximately 5% of the pre-colonial United States was Muslim. Most of them were enslaved, and one of the foundational figures of early American Islam lived in North Carolina. Omar ibn Said has … Continued
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Eyre Award for Excellence in Global Studies Honors Aisha Jitan for Paper on Syrian Women in Zaatari Refugee Camp
Each year, the Curriculum in Global Studies presents the Douglas Eyre Award for Excellence to the Global Studies major who produces the best senior honors thesis. We are proud to recognize Aisha Jitan as this year’s recipient of the Eyre Award. Aisha’s thesis, New … Continued
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Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Spring 2020 Newsletter
Our annual newsletter highlights exciting center activities from the 2019-2020 academic year. Read to learn more about programming, highlights from our affiliated faculty and students, and K-14 outreach events. Click on the image below to view the newsletter, or download … Continued
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Animals that Fueled the World
When an archaeologist uncovers an artifact, while likely enthralled by the piece, they are more interested in what it can teach them about human behavior. Zooarchaeologists have a similar goal. UNC researchers Benjamin Arbuckle and Heather Lapham use ancient … Continued
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The 17th Annual Duke-UNC Middle East and Islamic Studies Graduate Student Conference
The 17th Annual Duke-UNC Middle East and Islamic Studies Graduate Student Conference was held at UNC on 29 February 2020. The theme for this year was – Who Speaks for Islam? Approaches to Authority within the Academy and Beyond. The … Continued
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Global and Area Studies Centers: Seven Hubs for International Education
The FedEx Global Education Center is home to seven global and area studies centers that provide the UNC-Chapel Hill community with essential services and resources for instruction, learning and research related to global issues, world regions and modern foreign languages. The … Continued
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Event Explores Peace vs. Justice in Syria
On February 11, the Center for the Middle East and Islamic Studies (CMEIS) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted a public talk on peace and justice in Syria. The event featured Mohammad Al Abdallah, Executive Director of the Syria and … Continued
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New research reconsiders writings of a Muslim slave and scholar
(RNS) — He was a slave from Senegal who wrote in Arabic. Or was he an Arab prince? He was a scholar who memorized vast passages of the Quran and mastered numerous Islamic texts. Or were his writings unintelligible? He … Continued
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Fifth Anniversary of Learning Through Languages Celebrates Student Foreign Language Acquisition
On December 5, 2019, 115 high school students from across North Carolina gathered at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the fifth annual Learning Through Languages High School Research Symposium. The event was organized by six area studies … Continued
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Conversations at Hickerson House: Michael Figueroa on Popular Music and Race Consciousness in Post-9/11 Arab America
Michael A. Figueroa is an assistant professor of music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is an ethnomusicologist who specializes in music and politics in the modern Middle East and its diasporas. The first phase of … Continued
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Experts Discuss the Background, Process, and Potential Impact of U.S.-Taliban Negotiations
On November 12, 2019, the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies (CMEIS) hosted a panel discussion on United States-Taliban negotiations. CMEIS invited three individuals to speak on the background of the negotiations, how they were conducted, and their potential … Continued
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UNC-Duke Area Studies Centers Celebrate International Education Week with K-12 Workshop
In celebration of International Education Week, the UNC-Duke area studies centers (UNC African Studies Center, UNC Carolina Asia Center, UNC Center for European Studies, Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies, and the UNC-Duke Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies) … Continued
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UNC-Chapel Hill Hosts UNHCR Filippo Grandi
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi delivered his first public remarks at a U.S. university on Sept. 19 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Grandi sat down with UNC-Chapel Hill alumna and Director of Africa … Continued
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A Generous Tradition Advances Persian Studies
A shared passion for the rich history and spirit of Persian culture has driven Vance L. Horner II ’92 and Shaida Jarrahi Horner ’93, MAC ’94 to support and advocate for the growth of Persian studies at their alma mater … Continued
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A Conversation with Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Sept. 19
Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, will be the featured guest in a conversation focusing on the global refugee crisis on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at Memorial Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at … Continued
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The Ackland Art Museum Shines Spotlight on Art of the Middle East and North Africa with Two Events: Exhibition “She Who Tells a Story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World” and Installation of Recently Acquired Islamic Art
The Ackland Art Museum Shines Spotlight on Art of the Middle East and North Africa with Two Events: Exhibition “She Who Tells a Story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World” and Installation of Recently Acquired Islamic Art … Continued
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Gillings Graduate Rawan Ajeen Recognized for Documenting Food Insecurity in Yemen
“Traditional food insecurity trends are not applicable to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.” That’s how Rawan Ajeen, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public health, summarizes her findings on food … Continued
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Documenting an Archaeological Dig in Huqoq, Israel
A reporter goes wherever the story is—whether that’s just off campus in Carrboro or 6,100 miles away in Israel. As part of the Documenting the Dig course, 14 School of Media and Journalism students followed one of the University’s biggest … Continued
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Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Spring 2019 Newsletter
Our annual newsletter highlights exciting center activities from the 2018-2019 academic year. Read to learn more about programming, highlights from our affiliated faculty and students, and K-14 outreach events. Download the newsletter by clicking here or by clicking on the image below. … Continued
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Conflict Over Gaza: Conference Report
Overview and Purpose On March 22-24, 2019, the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies held a conference on “Conflict Over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities.” For the past eight years, the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies has held an … Continued
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Three UNC-Chapel Hill students win Boren Awards
Nicole Behnke and James Hepburn were two of 106 graduate students chosen for David L. Boren Fellowships and Marissa Muller was one of 244 undergraduate students chosen for a David L. Boren Scholarship. University Communications – Chapel Hill, N.C. – Friday, May … Continued
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Statement of the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies Against Anti-Semitism
The Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies, dedicated to informed research and teaching on the Middle East, rejects anti-Semitism and all forms of racism and bias. Unfortunately, a musical performer at the Consortium’s recent conference on “Conflict over Gaza: People, … Continued
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Building a New Life in Orange County: Refugee Experiences
April 17, 2019 Carolina Passport Orange County in North Carolina has an estimated 1,200 refugees. While they represent a small portion of the more than 65 million individuals displaced worldwide, their resettlement process can prove challenging. Local organizations like … Continued
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UNC Global Statement about Recent Performance
UNC Global welcomes students, faculty, and staff from over a hundred countries, represented by a diverse range of perspectives, traditions, and faiths—and we stand steadfast against hate in all its forms. Many members of our community, including Interim Chancellor Kevin … Continued
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[Conference Report] Duke-UNC Annual Middle East and Islamic Studies Conference | “Muslims, Motherlands and Minoritization” | March 2, 2019 at UNC
BY RACHEL COCHRAN | HINA MUNEERUDDIN | YASMINE FLODIN-ALI | ARIANNE EKINCI // APRIL 3, 2019 On March 2, 2019 the Islamicate Graduate Student Association (IGSA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted the 16th Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Middle East and Islamic Studies Conference, … Continued
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UNC-Chapel Hill alumna Sandy Alkoutami selected as James C. Gaither Junior Fellow
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumna Sandy Alkoutami has been selected for the elite James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program run by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. University Communications, Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 – Chapel Hill, N.C. University … Continued
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Conference to Shed Light on Current Realities in Gaza Strip, March 22-24
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies will host a conference entitled “Conflict over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities” on March 22-24, 2019 in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium at the FedEx Global Education Center at the University of North … Continued
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Learning through Languages Symposium Showcases High School Students’ Global Research
Ninety-seven high school students from across North Carolina participated in the fourth annual Learning through Languages High School Research Symposium, sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University on February 1, 2019. The event was organized … Continued
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Sancar’s Replica Nobel Medal Now on Display at Wilson Library
Aziz Sancar, the Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics and winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, gifted one of three replicas of the Nobel Prize medal to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is … Continued
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K-12 Teachers Complete Year-Long Fellowship on the Middle East and Africa
In December 2018, a group of thirteen K-12 teachers completed an intensive, year-long fellowship organized by the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies (composed of the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies and the Duke University Middle East Studies Center), UNC African … Continued
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Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies Celebrates 15th Anniversary and Announces Renaming
The newly renamed Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2018. Formerly named the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, … Continued
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Study Identifies Complex Network of Factors Impeding Health System Reform in Iraqi Kurdistan
New research from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health offers the first comprehensive research to identify factors that have inhibited the growth of a sustainable health care system in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR), a deficit that has … Continued
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Jarrahi Family Supports New Professorship in Persian Studies
With the generous support of the Jarrahi family, the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Chapel Hill College of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce a new tenure-track assistant professor position in Islamic studies with a … Continued
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Folk Music of Iran Performance Highlights Persian Culture
Together, the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations and UNC Global, with support from the Iranian Cultural Society of North Carolina, hosted a performance of folk music from Iran on Friday, September 21, 2018 in the … Continued
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New Turkish Community Center aims to bring Turkish culture to America
A new Turkish Cultural and Community Center, funded in part by Noble Prize winner Aziz Sancar’s foundation, will create interactions between American students at UNC and Turkish students when it opens in spring of 2019. Gwen Sancar, president of the … Continued
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‘Reminders of Home’: UNC Exhibition Celebrates Persian Arts and Local Iranian Community
September 2018 marks Mina Vakil-Zadeh’s 50th year living in Chapel Hill. Her husband received a master’s in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1959 and remained connected to the area. In 1968, Vakil-Zadeh moved … Continued
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Five Area Studies Centers at UNC Awarded $8.6 Million and Designated as National Resource Centers
Five area studies centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have been awarded approximately $8.6 million in competitive federal Title VI funding over the next four years. Through two programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education, … Continued
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Global Heel Rose Jackson Reconnects to Her Persian Heritage at Carolina
Rose Jackson will never forget the moment she heard Farsi spoken for the first time in more than six years. She was a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, taking her first Farsi class in the … Continued
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New at UNC: Minor in Conflict Management
The study of Conflict Management is the study of human behavior during disputes, including the causes of conflict, techniques for dealing with disputes, and strategies for achieving a resolution that satisfy one’s interests and preserve relationships. People often assume that … Continued
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Duke hosts “Dimensions of the Middle East”
Summer Institute provides professional development for 6-12 grade educators. by Catherine Angst The Duke Islamic Studies Center and the Duke University Middle East Studies Center with support from the Qatar Foundation International (QFI) hosted forty 6-12 grade educators for a five-day summer institute from June … Continued
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Rotary Peace Center Educates a New Generation of Peace Builders at Carolina
For most of his life, the only place Mohammed Eid knew of was the small Palestinian refugee camp where he grew up. As a boy, he had never seen a swimming pool, a baseball field or a movie theater. Now … Continued
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UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate Student Receives Boren Fellowship
Elizabeth Christenson, a graduate student in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been awarded a Boren Fellowship to study critical languages abroad. She will be UNC-Chapel Hill’s 13th Boren … Continued
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Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations Spring 2018 Newsletter
Our third annual newsletter highlights exciting Center activities from the 2017-2018 academic year. Read to learn more about programming, highlights from our affiliated faculty and students, and K-14 outreach events. Download the newsletter by clicking here or by clicking on the image … Continued
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School of Education Doctoral Students Incorporate Travel into Learning about Education
School of Education Two University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education doctoral students have incorporated travel opportunities into their study, benefitting from funding that has helped them explore innovations and challenges in learning communities in other parts … Continued
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School of Social Work Dean and Professor Consult on CareerStart Program in Israel
Dean Gary Bowen and Professor Emeritus Dennis Orthner, both of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work (SSW), traveled to Israel in March 2018 at the invitation of Noya Baram, senior program director for youth … Continued
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Global Heel Hiba Alzouby Focuses on Refugees Locally and Globally
The notion of returning to a better Syria drives Hiba Alzouby ’21, a doctor of pharmacy candidate at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Born in New Jersey and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Alzouby lived in Syria between the ages … Continued
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Hip-Hop Concert by Omar Offendum Rounds Out Area Studies Centers’ Global Spotlight Week
The Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations hosted Syrian-American hip-hop artist, Omar Offendum, for a concert in the auditorium of the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History as final event of … Continued
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Jaff Co-Authors Survey of Syrian Refugees in Jordan Who Could Benefit from Palliative Care
A new exploratory study by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health faculty member and a Carolina alumna found that Syrian refugees in camps and communities in Jordan would benefit from palliative care … Continued
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Global Heel Carl Ernst Connects Carolina to the Middle East
For Carl Ernst, Islamic studies is about much more than studying the languages and cultures of the Middle East — it’s about fostering a much needed awareness of an area of the world with which many people in the United … Continued
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“Escape from Hell” – book by UNC student tells personal tale of Syrian refugee experience
By Rashaan Ayesh, UNC ‘18 Zubair Rushk was told from a young age to suppress his Kurdish identity. His parents warned him of the punishments that waited for him if he spoke Kurdish. His Syrian teachers proved his parents … Continued
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Jaff Proposes Strategies to Reduce Traffic-Related Deaths, Injuries in Kurdistan Region of Iraq
The Kurdistan region of Iraq has a relatively small population of 5.2 million people and has fewer vehicles on its roads than do most western cities. Yet, every day, an average 28 people in the region are injured in vehicle … Continued
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UNC Persian Studies 2016-2017 Newsletter
The annual newsletter from UNC Persian Studies highlights exciting activities and programs from the 2016-2017 academic year. Read to learn more about events, the Ferdowsi Tusi Millennium Endowment for Persian Study, Faculty Research and Publications, and more. Download … Continued
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UNC Area Studies Centers Host Global Spotlight Week on Crises of Citizenship, Feb. 17-24
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill centers for the study of Africa, Asia, Europe, Russia and East Europe, Latin America and the Middle East present “Global Spotlight Week: Crises of Citizenship,” Feb. 17-24, 2018. The week’s art exhibit, films, … Continued
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UNC Mideast Center Hosts Final Cohort of Carnegie Fellowships in Support of Arab Region Social Science
In fall 2017, the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations was pleased to host its final cohort of early-career social scientists from universities in the Arab world for semester-long fellowships. The fellowship program was … Continued
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North Carolina High School Students Compete at World Languages Symposium
Ninety high school students across North Carolina participated in the third annual Learning through Languages High School Research Symposium, sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University on Dec. 13, 2017. This year’s symposium was … Continued
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Annual Learning Through Languages Symposium Kicks Off North Carolina Day of Multilingualism
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University will host the third annual Learning Through Languages Research Symposium at the FedEx Global Education Center at UNC on Dec. 13 from 10:45 to 2:30. The symposium will be … Continued
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Webinar on ‘The Art of Revolution in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria’ Explores Creativity in the Face of Conflict
Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations Educators from around the U.S. tuned in on October 12, 2017 to learn about cultural geography and artistic expression in the midst of revolution. Organized by the Duke-UNC … Continued
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‘Translating Islam’ Conference Celebrates Major Contributions of Carl Ernst to Islamic Studies
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill held a conference in honor of Carl Ernst’s contributions to Islamic Studies on Oct. 6-7, 2017. Ernst is William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies and co-director … Continued
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Grant funding expands Durham Tech library collections
The Durham Tech library has been awarded $3,000 in grant funding from the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies to expand its collections of Middle East-related materials; made possible by the Consortium’s Title VI funding. The grant, locally administered … Continued
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K-12 Teachers ‘Taste’ the Middle East on Day-Long Study Tour
On August 15, 2017, teachers from across North Carolina sampled halva, ful medammas and baklava; spoke with a Palestinian restaurant owner; visited a Middle Eastern grocery store; and braided challah bread—all in the Triangle. The third annual “Connecting the Middle … Continued
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Excavations Yield Stunning Mosaics in Ancient Galilean Synagogue
August 2017 University Gazette A team of specialists and students led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Jodi Magness has uncovered additional mosaic scenes in the Late Roman synagogue at Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village in Israel’s Lower … Continued
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FLAS recipient Kate Hewitt Awarded Scoville Fellowship
“The Scoville Fellowship, established in 1987, is a highly competitive national fellowship program that provides recent college and graduate school alumni with the funding and opportunity to work with senior-level policy experts at one of more than two dozen leading … Continued
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International Conference on Sufi Performance Strengthens Ties between UNC and UCAD
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) collaborated together on the international conference “ZIKR | Locating Sufi Performance: Critical Perspectives on Music, Ritual, and Remembrance,” held in Dakar, Senegal June 5-7, … Continued
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Senegal: Salam 2017 Festival Started in Dakar
The Salam Festival (Peace in Arabic) opened on Monday 5 June 2017 at the Grand Théâtre de Dakar. 3rd edition of the genre, the festival initiated by the Senegalese star Youssou N’Dour is an event expected each month during the … Continued
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K-12 Teachers Learn about the Silk Road in Day-Long Workshop
Throughout history, communication routes and paths of trade have linked East and West, along which goods, knowledge, ideas, cultures and beliefs have been exchanged. On Saturday, April 8, 31 educators from across North Carolina traveled to the University of North … Continued
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Cook-off immerses students in Arabic culture
The Arabic program hosted its first ever cooking competition Monday night. Farida Badr, lecturer in Arabic with the Department of Asian Studies, said students in her Arabic 102 and Arabic 300 classes have been preparing for this competition all semester. … Continued
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Flight of Fancy
An art historian, a costume designer, a math biologist, a biomedical engineer and a team of undergraduate researchers unite to reimagine a breathtaking 9th-century flying experiment — and make a notable contribution to early aviation history. More than 1,000 … Continued
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Panel on Muslim Americans sought to end misconceptions
Hosted by the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, a panel discussion Monday aimed to educate UNC students on Islam and the lives of Muslim-Americans. To start the event, panel members had each attendee write down … Continued
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Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations Spring 2017 Newsletter
Our second annual newsletter highlights exciting Center activities and programs from this academic year, 2016-2017. Read to learn more about our events, Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) award winners, K-14 outreach efforts, and more. Download the newsletter by clicking … Continued
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Global Humanities Initiative announces winners of new translation prize
The Global Humanities Initiative (GHI), in partnership with Northwestern University Press (NUP), has announced the winners of its inaugural Global Humanities Translation Prize. The $5,000 prize is awarded for a translation-in-progress of a non-Western literary or scholarly text, and … Continued
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Researchers at UNC Conclude Hookah Smoking Is Public Health Threat in Kurdish Region of Iraq
A commentary by two University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health researchers concludes that hookah smoking is an emerging threat to public health globally, especially in the Kurdish region of Iraq. Dilshad Jaff, research … Continued
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Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies Organizes Webinar on Islam in America
Educators from around the country tuned in to learn about the history of Islam in America on January 26, 2017. Organized by the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies in partnership with the National Humanities Center (NHC), the nationwide webinar … Continued
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Global Careers Workshop Prepares Students for a Global Workforce
On Saturday, January 28, 2017, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted a Global Careers Workshop in the FedEx Global Education Center. David Patton, executive vice president of the American Councils for International Education, opened the morning with … Continued
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UNC, Duke Sponsor Research Symposium for North Carolina World Language High School Students
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University sponsored the second annual Learning through Languages High School Research Symposium, with 85 students from 9 North Carolina high schools participating. The program, held Dec. 8, 2016, was an … Continued
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Afroz Taj: Poet, Actor, Radio Host
Artist After Hours, a series from Carolina Arts and Sciences Magazine, features interviews with faculty, staff and students in the College of Arts and Sciences who pursue artistic avocations in areas not directly related to their day jobs or studies. … Continued
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Calligraphy Brings New Script to Students
Calligraphy is a difficult art to master, especially when you’re writing with a piece of bamboo and an ink pen. But Thursday night, Farida Badr, an Arabic lecturer, made it work and facilitated UNC’s first Arabic calligraphy competition. Badr said … Continued
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Advancing Education for Children Displaced by War
There’s another side to the conflict in the Middle East – one you don’t often hear about on the news. More than four million Syrian refugees have been uprooted by war. Many families forced to flee their homes have sought … Continued
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Joyce Wins Prize to Attend Conferences Focused on Middle East
Anthony Joyce, a first-year MSLS student at the UNC School of Information and Library Science (SILS), received the George N. Atiyeh Prize to help cover the cost of attending the Middle East Librarians Association meeting November 15-17 and the Middle … Continued
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K-12 Teachers Explore the Many Facets of Islam through the Performing Arts
Fifteen K-12 educators from across the state traveled to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to see Senegalese musician Youssou N’Dour in concert at Memorial Hall on Oct. 25, 2016. It was a rare opportunity to see the … Continued
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Claudia Yaghoobi Expands Persian Studies with Support from Roshan Institute
For Claudia Yaghoobi, a passion for learning and education was instilled in her from a young age. Now an assistant professor of Persian studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Yaghoobi grew up in an Armenian family … Continued
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Global Grads Student Profile: Zeliha Kilic
Zeliha Kilic is a global grad from Turkey and is a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mathematics. Her research interests are in fluid dynamics and mathematical physics. What made you choose UNC/NC when deciding on a program/place … Continued
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Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies Supports Summer Travel to Morocco for K-12 Teachers
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller,” said Ibn Battuta, a prominent Moroccan traveler and scholar who first set out to complete hajj in Mecca in the early fourteenth century. His initial attempt failed, but the experience … Continued
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Well Said: Archeology and the Huqoq Mosaics
Jodi Magness hasn’t just studied history by reading books. She’s dug it up herself. The Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism from the College of Arts and Sciences, Magness has spent her career working on archeological excavations … Continued
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Conference to Explore Islam and Religious Identity, Oct. 14-16
The inextricable link between religion and culture will be explored in a multidisciplinary conference on “Islam and Religious Identity: The Limits of Definition” on Oct. 14-16 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Recognizing that there is no single … Continued
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Exploring Muslim Identities
Popular culture tends to view the world’s great religions as monolithic identities, when the complex history of religion encompasses a spectrum of beliefs based on location, culture and myriad other factors. UNC Islamic studies scholar Carl W. Ernst will lead an examination … Continued
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Poets Take on Topics of Justice
A close friend of the three Muslim students slain in Chapel Hill in 2015 will bring a multimedia performance he created in their honor to the UNC campus in the spring. “Shattered Glass,” by NC State graduate Mohammad Moussa (B.S. … Continued
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With Open Arms
With a view of the border wall that separates Turkey and Syria in front of him, UNC School of Medicine student Yousef Abu-Salha pulls up a chair at a makeshift dental and medical clinic to talk to a child from Syria, a … Continued
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Islamic Studies Doctoral Candidate Conducts Summer Research in Persian Studies
Supported by the Roshan Fellowship for Excellence in Persian Studies, Candace Mixon, doctoral candidate in Islamic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, conducted research in Persian studies this summer. A … Continued
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2016-2017 Carolina Global Photography Competition
The academic year 2016-2017 Carolina Global Photo Competition, which is open to all students, faculty, alumni and staff of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, showcases Carolina’s global activity, educational opportunities, research and service work. Each photographer may … Continued
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New Mosaics Discovered in Synagogue Excavations in Galilee
Excavations this summer in the Late Roman (fifth century) synagogue at Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village in Israel’s Lower Galilee, have revealed stunning new mosaics that decorated the floor. The excavations are directed by Jodi Magness, a professor in the … Continued
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Carnegie Corporation Tabs Aziz Sancar as “Great Immigrant” Honoree
Aziz Sancar, MD, PhD, came to the United States as a graduate student more than 40 years ago. He never left. He took pride in his new country – and his adopted hometown of Chapel Hill – much like he … Continued
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Study Aims to Counter Islamic Stereotypes Through Artistic Performances
Although the performing arts have a history of bringing different communities and groups of people together, there is little, if any, research that has shown that the art form can play a larger role in promoting cultural understanding or reducing … Continued
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Faculty Member Teaches Leadership Workshops in Saudi Arabia
Author: Susan White/UNC School of Social Work School of Social Work Professor Kim Strom-Gottfried helped expand UNC’s reach into the Middle East this spring with a visit to Saudi Arabia, where she conducted training for women who are leaders in higher education. … Continued
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Six UNC Students Receive Critical Language Scholarships from US Department of State
Six students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have been awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study critical needs languages during Summer 2016. The UNC awardees are among the approximately 560 U.S. … Continued
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Carolina Performing Arts Announces 2016-2017 Season Featuring “Sacred/Secular: A Sufi Journey”
Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will present 46 performances by internationally renowned artists for its 12th season. Highlights for the 2016-2017 season include two festivals: “Sacred/Secular: A Sufi Journey” and “Glass at … Continued
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Well Said: America and Terrorism
In this week’s episode of the Well Said podcast, sociology professor Charles Kurzman discusses terrorism and his research on the small number of Muslim-Americans who join militant groups. Join us every Wednesday for the University’s new podcast as we talk … Continued
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Inan Awarded P.K. Sen Distinguished Visiting Professorship
The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health welcomes Gul Inan, PhD, to the Department of Biostatistics as the P.K. Sen Distinguished Visiting Professor in Biostatistics. Inan will serve in this position until June 14, 2016, during which time she … Continued
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Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations Spring 2016 Newsletter
Our first annual newsletter highlights exciting Center activities and programs from this academic year, 2015-2016. Read to learn more about our events, visiting scholars, Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) award winners, K-12 outreach efforts, and more. Download the newsletter … Continued
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For Scholars, No Easy Answers on World War I and the Transformation of the Middle East
“We have to recognize that there are several shattered political visions that are still with us and there are several unhealed traumas or wounds – the Armenians, Kurds, Palestinians (for example)…we are still dealing with the long-term legacy of these … Continued
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Making A Friendship: Why North Carolina Students Set Out To Help Children In The Middle East
Radwa Behairy, a student at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, organized a service trip to Egypt with Ali Haydari and three classmates. They packed several suitcases with dental supplies for the trip this month. Read more >>
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Abd-El-Khalick Named New Dean of School of Education
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today announced that Fouad Abd-El-Khalick has been selected as the new dean for the School of Education, one of the oldest professional schools at Carolina. He is currently the associate dean for … Continued
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Davis Library Unveils Nobel Prize Exhibit
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s libraries are the core of the campus, fostering an atmosphere charged with curiosity and discovery as students study, read and collaborate. So when it came to finding a home for an exhibit … Continued
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Inclusion and Diversity Climate Survey Begins This Month
Carolina is conducting a survey of the climate for inclusion and diversity on campus this spring. On April 11, staff and students will receive an email link to the Inclusion and Diversity Climate Survey. The staff survey takes approximately 20 … Continued
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UNC, Duke Students Talk Science & Turkey with Nobel Prize Winner Aziz Sancar
On a crisp night last month nearly all 22 students studying Turkish at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University took advantage of a unique opportunity to practice their language skills with Nobel prize winner Aziz … Continued
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Caroline Zullo ’15 Selected as 2015-16 Carnegie Junior Fellows Program Recipient
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumna Caroline Zullo ’15 has been selected for the elite Carnegie Junior Fellows Program. She is Carolina’s first recipient of the one-year award in 25 years of record keeping by the Carnegie Endowment … Continued
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Harriet Fulbright Institute Announces the Prof. Aziz Sancar Girls in STEM Project
Aziz Sancar, MD, PhD, a winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and the Harriet Fulbright Institute (HFI) have announced the creation of the Prof. Aziz Sancar Girls in STEM Project, a nationwide endeavor to engage 700 sixth-grade girls … Continued
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African Studies Center Hosts Delegation from University of Cheikh Anta Diop
The African Studies Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted a delegation Jan. 20 to 22, 2016, from University of Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Senegal, led by Rector Ibrahima Thioub. The delegation visited UNC to … Continued
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UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke to Examine Lasting Effects of WWI on Middle East
The Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies will host a conference on “World War I and the Transformation of the Middle East” on Feb. 19 and 20 in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium at the FedEx Global Education Center on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus, with a … Continued
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A Day of Remembrance — and Light
The untimely deaths of Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha in February 2015 shook the Carolina and N.C. State campuses, resulting in gatherings at both universities to mourn. But one year later, it was a day to look at … Continued
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Report Shows Record 81 Muslim-American Terrorism Cases in 2015
A new report by a professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill documents an unprecedented number of Muslim-Americans associated with violent extremism in 2015, with most of cases involving travel or attempted travel to join militants in Syria. … Continued
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Barakat and Abu-Salha Posthumously Given Unsung Hero Award
On Monday, January 18, the late Deah Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha were posthumously honored with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Unsung Hero Award (MLK Unsung Hero Award). The award was presented to the Barakat and Abu-Salha families at the annual … Continued
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Beyond the rhetoric: Bombing Daesh (ISIS)
By Wayne E. Lee, author of Waging War: Conflict, Culture, and Innovation in World History, Professor of History at the University of North Carolina, and currently the Harold K. Johnson Chair of Military History at the US Army War College. … Continued
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Islam is a Black American
By Sumayya Ahmed Islam is a Black American. How would this understanding complicate the discussion about Islam in America right now? How would it complicate our understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement? I am a Black American and I am a … Continued
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Ideological Violence Is Terrorism
“Violence like the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., raises an existential question: What are we most afraid of? Ideological killings, which occur relatively rarely, or “ordinary” violence — including school shootings, gang murders, domestic abuse and other forms of homicide … Continued
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In New YouTube Campaign, UNC Students Ask What People Know About Arab Americans
A group of students from UNC-Chapel Hill enrolled in a journalism class on diversity in media, were recently assigned to research the media coverage of Arab-Americans. Their assignment followed the Paris attacks and comments made by candidates campaigning for president. “What we discovered … Continued
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A Resolute Commitment to Coexistence — Now That Projects Strength
By Charles Kurzman Two years ago, al-Qaeda’s Iraqi franchise took Raqqa, Syria, from al-Qaeda’s Syrian franchise, and was promptly kicked out of al-Qaeda. Within the year, the rulers of Raqqa proclaimed themselves “the Islamic State” and embarked on a global campaign … Continued
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Expert Talks Iran-US Relations at UNC
While the U.S. and Iran might never be close friends, the two nations can at least share a playground thanks to President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal, according to an expert on Iranian-American relations. “The very idea that the United … Continued
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UNC Student Helps Syrians Seeking Asylum in France
My first experience working face to face with refugees was last fall in Durham, with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Injaz club. Meeting several Iraqi families and hearing their stories of survival and displacement inspired me to pursue a … Continued
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Global Heel Layla Quran ’15 Explores Geopolitical and Social Borders in the Middle East, US
Borders, both geopolitical and social, have always fascinated Layla Quran ’15. Originally from the West Bank, Quran herself has crossed many borders in her personal and academic life. Quran moved to Greenville, North Carolina, from East Jerusalem with her family … Continued
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A Nobel Win
“To be honest, my main goal in life was to play soccer for the Turkish National Team,” said Aziz Sancar, donning a red Turkey soccer jersey on the request of a Turkish media outlet recently. “But I was about four … Continued
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Gift Creates First Persian Studies Endowed Professorship
Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute has created a second endowment at UNC-Chapel Hill, bringing its total gifts to $1 million in support of the university’s growing Persian studies program. The new gift has established the Roshan Institute Professorship in Persian Studies … Continued
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Carolina Scientist Aziz Sancar Awarded Nobel Prize for Chemistry
Aziz Sancar, a biochemist who has exquisitely mapped part of the DNA repair system in cancer cells, has been honored this year with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm announced Oct. 7. Sancar, the Sarah Graham … Continued
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Delegation from University College London Visits UNC
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted Dame Nicola Brewer, vice-provost international of University College London (UCL), and colleagues on Sept. 15, 2015. Dame Brewer is responsible for the implementation of UCL’s global strategy, and the delegation visited … Continued
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Connecting the Middle East to the Southeast
Ideally, Emma Harver would have taken her group of K–12 teachers to the Middle East to immerse them in Muslim cultures. But she didn’t have the budget for an overseas trip. So she did the next best thing. She introduced … Continued
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Study: ‘Democratic Peace’ May Not Prevent International Conflict
Using a new technique to analyze 52 years of international conflict, researchers suggest that there may be no such thing as a “democratic peace.” In addition, a model developed with this new technique was found to predict international conflict five … Continued
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Study Explores Relationship of BMI, IQ and Socioeconomic Factors in Iranian Preschool Children
The negative impact of obesity upon children’s physical and psychological health has been established as an issue of concern in countries around the world. Studies also have shown that childhood intelligence is inversely related to negative health outcomes later in … Continued
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On Campus and Abroad: Global Area Studies Centers Offer Resources and Expertise on World Regions
Associate professor of women’s and gender studies Emily Burrill credited the African Studies Center with helping her further her research when she first came to UNC. Burrill is a gender historian focusing on 20th century Africa. Through Title VI funds, … Continued
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Carolina Global Photography Competition, 2015-2016
The submission period is now open for the 16th annual amateur Carolina Global Photography Competition. The competition is open to all students, faculty, alumni and staff of UNC-Chapel Hill. Photos may represent any world region. There is no restriction on … Continued
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PhD Candidate Sumayya Ahmed Receives AIMS Grant to Conduct Research in Morocco
Sumayya Ahmed, a doctoral candidate in the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is spending three months in Morocco this summer with support from an American Institute of Maghrib Studies … Continued
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Farida Badr hosted on Nile TV’s “Story of Success”
Farida Badr, was hosted on Nile TV’s International Channel on the program, “Story of Success,” to discuss her successes in the academic field as well as differences in academics between Egypt and the U.S. Badr has been a Lecturer of Arabic at UNC since … Continued
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5th-century Mosaics in Galilee are Unlike Any Found Elsewhere
Excavations directed by UNC-Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences professor Jodi Magness during summer 2015 have revealed stunning new mosaics that decorated the floor of the Late Roman (fifth century) synagogue in the ancient Jewish village of Huqoq. The … Continued
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University, Dental Foundation Establish Deah Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha Memorial Award
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Dental Foundation of North Carolina (DFNC) have established a new memorial award. The Deah Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha Memorial Award, in memory of the late Deah Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha, … Continued
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The Growing Right-Wing Terror Threat
UNC Professor and Center co-Director Charlie Kurzman and Duke Professor David Schanzer argue that “the main terrorist threat in the United States is not from violent Muslim extremists, but from right-wing extremists” in a new op-ed for the New York Times. Read the … Continued
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Six UNC Students Receive Critical Language Scholarships from U.S. Department of State
Six students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have been awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study critical needs languages during the summer of 2015. The UNC awardees are: Clayton Hackney ’15, … Continued
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Ammons Advises Public Management Programs in Pakistan
David Ammons is one of four US professors advising Pakistan’s Lahore University of Management Sciences as it develops undergraduate and graduate programs in public management. Ammons will participate in a conference on “Ethical Leadership in the Public Sector” in late … Continued
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Two UNC Graduate Students Receive Boren Fellowships
Carissa Landes and Mary Elizabeth Walters have each been awarded a David L. Boren Fellowship through the National Security Education Program, which supports fields of study, particularly languages, identified as critical to United States national security. A master of arts … Continued
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Between Idealism and Reality: Learning about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Washington, DC
Between April 5 and 7, UNC’s Palestinian Nationalism, Politics, and Diplomacy seminar offered students the opportunity to take a break from reading about one intractable conflict zone to visit another: Washington, D.C. Led by Shai Tamari, associate director of the … Continued
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Undergraduate Student Austin Cooper Wins Fulbright
Austin Cooper received a 2015-16 U.S. Fulbright Student grant to study the history of the Hôpital Franco-Musulman, opened in 1935 in Bobigny, a northern suburb of Paris, France. Entitled “Health and Community: The Social History of Paris’ Hôpital Franco-Musulman,” his … Continued
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Sullivan, Tufekci Named Andrew Carnegie Fellows
Two professors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have been honored as inaugural 2015 Andrew Carnegie Fellows by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Patricia Sullivan, an associate professor in the department of public policy and the … Continued
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Doctoral Candidate, US Army Major Works On Safer Water for Troops
When U.S. soldiers are fighting on the battlefield or behind enemy lines, they can encounter a challenge that’s almost as hazardous as enemy fire, air strikes or improvised explosive devices (IEDs): contaminated water. But a U.S. Army major is now … Continued
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J-school Students Launch Interactive Storytelling Project in Response to #ChapelHillShooting
UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication undergraduate and graduate students in assistant professor Chad A. Stevens‘ multimedia narratives class – with the assistance of fellow visual communication professor Steven King – have launched aftertheshooting.com in response to the Feb. 10, 2015, #ChapelHillShooting. “As students, members of … Continued
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Ismail Awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Indonesia
Safiyah Ismail, currently in her senior year in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, will travel to Indonesia later this year as a Fulbright Student. The Fulbright U.S. Student … Continued
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Intercultural Lunch Celebrates Diversity at Gillings School
On April 1, three graduate students from the UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health brought together other students, faculty and staff to honor the lives of Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha. The informal lunch offered an … Continued
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New Languages Help Students Cross Borders
Studying languages has taken Lily Herbert ’16 to places she never imagined she’d go. Herbert, who is from Raleigh, North Carolina, is majoring in global studies and geography. She’s studying Persian and Turkish on campus and has learned Tatar through … Continued
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Passion in Practice Exhibit : Muslims in the Community
“There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” -Rumi For the past month, journalist Layla Quran and writer/photographer Aisha Anwar have been traveling across North Carolina collecting stories from Muslim community members. They have turned those stories into … Continued
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The Arab Spring: Pathways of Repression and Reform
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill political science professor Andrew Reynolds has co-authored a book exploring the Arab Spring, a series of pro-democracy uprisings throughout the Arab world in 2011 and 2012. The Arab Spring: Pathways of Repression and … Continued
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Stories with a Heartbeat in Jordan, Palestine, and Turkey
UNC alumni Will McInerney ’11 and Mike Mallah ’09 are currently working with the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the Syrian American Medical Society on a creative storytelling project in Jordan, Palestine, and Turkey. Their initiative, Stories with a Heartbeat, … Continued
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Anderson Wins 2015 Eleanor Tufts Book Award
Glaire D. Anderson’s The Islamic Villa in Early Medieval Iberia: Architecture and Court Culture in Umayyad Córdoba has won the 2015 Eleanor Tufts Book Award. Anderson is an associate professor of art history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her … Continued
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A Call For Unity
Sometimes tragedy brings out the best in people. At a vigil Feb. 11 for three students slain the night before, community leaders, friends and family members expressed the hope this would be the case now. They called for unity and … Continued
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In Memory of Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad Barakat, and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha
It is with extreme sadness that we mourn the loss of three members of our community due to a tragic shooting in Chapel Hill Tuesday evening, February 10, 2015. The victims include Deah Shaddy Barakat, a second-year student in the … Continued
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Ignatius Talks Foreign Affairs, Global Insights
David Ignatius doesn’t know how to fix the world. But when he stepped to the podium to give the annual Weatherspoon Lecture at UNC Kenan-Flagler Jan. 29, the veteran journalist faced an audience that expected him to tell them how to … Continued
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Report Shows Most Muslim-American Terrorism Cases Last Year Involved Fighters Going to Syria
A new report issued this week by the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security shows that terrorist plots involving Muslim-Americans accounted for only a small fraction of the threats to public safety in the United States. The center publishes … Continued
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Duke Professor’s “Crude Extractions” Lecture Aims to Challenge and Inform
For many, movies can be a distraction. But film can offer more than mere entertainment value. Movies can challenge a viewer’s assumptions and morals, provoke critical thought and introduce novel ideas. For these reasons, movies are invaluable instructive devices, capable of … Continued
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Q&A with Asian Studies Chairwoman Nadia Yaqub
Gunmen attacked the headquarters of French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo on Jan. 7 after the magazine published cartoons satirizing the Prophet Mohammad, killing 12 people and injuring others. Daily Tar Heel staff writer Marisa Bakker interviewed Nadia Yaqub, chairwoman of … Continued
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Journalism School Deans Respond to the Charlie Hebdo Attack
Visit Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy site to read the Carnegie-Knight Consortium of journalism school deans’ (including UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication Dean Susan King) response to the Charlie Hebdo attack.
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PlayMakers Continues PRC2 Season with ‘Wrestling Jerusalem’
PlayMakers Repertory Company will present the regional premiere of “Wrestling Jerusalem,” written and performed by Aaron Davidman, Jan. 7-11. PlayMakers is the professional theater in residence at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. PlayMakers brings Davidman’s acclaimed one-man … Continued
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UNC Hosts Visitors from the Embassy of Israel
Visitors from the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. and the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta met with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill representatives on Nov. 19 to discuss opportunities to develop deeper relationships with Israeli universities. Oren Marmorstein, … Continued
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Doing Better: UNC, Duke Team Up to Enhance Understanding of Middle East
By Christopher Gergen and Stephen Martin Winter’s coming, and the Duke-UNC rivalry is heating up. The schools’ football teams battled Thursday night in a nationally televised game. Their men’s basketball teams are both ranked in the Top 10, and their … Continued
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UNC Hosts International Journalists As Part of Edward R. Murrow Program
The UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication hosted 20 journalists from the Near East and North Africa from Oct. 30 – Nov. 4 as part of the 2014 Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists. The journalists’ visit was part of … Continued
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Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies Awarded Title VI Grant
A recent award from the U.S. Department of Education firmly positions the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East studies as the principal National Resource Center for Middle East studies in the southeastern United States. The Consortium is a collaborative project of … Continued
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UNC Global and Area Studies Centers Awarded $9.1 Million in Federal Education Grants
Six global and area studies centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will receive approximately $9.1 million in competitive federal Title VI grants over the next four years. Through two programs administered by the U.S. Department of … Continued
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carnegie Fellowships in Support of Arab Region Social Science
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications from early-career social scientists affiliated with universities in the Arab world for semester-long fellowships in Fall 2015. With support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the fellowship offers advanced … Continued
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Dispatches from India: The Practice, Performance, and Politics of Sufi Shrines in South Asia and Beyond
UNC-Chapel Hill Islamic Studies Professor Carl Ernst was in India this summer as principal academic organizer of an international workshop on “Practice, Performance, and Politics of Sufi Shrines in South Asia and Beyond,” held August 1-4, 2014 in Ellora-Khuldabad, Maharashtra … Continued
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Kadivar Earns Keohane Distinguished Professorship
Since he began working at Duke, Mohsen Kadivar has worked closely with faculty and students both on campus and down the road a bit at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both campuses boast small but well-regarded religious … Continued
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Building Up Medical Education in Baghdad
This week, as first-year students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine engage in a new and different curriculum, a delegation of doctors from Iraq’s University of Baghdad is on campus meeting professors, doctors, administrators … Continued
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Student Awarded Roshan Institute Fellowship to Pursue Persian Studies in Iran Reflects on Experiences
By Candace Mixon From May 23, 2014 until July 12, 2014, I travelled to Istanbul, Turkey and from there to Iran to study visual and material culture related to modern religious practices and the Ahl al-bayt, or the Family of … Continued
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Facing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Washington
“Students in Shai Tamari’s PWAD 670 course, Challenges to Peace-Making in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, have grappled throughout the spring semester with some of the complex, intractable issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Discussions have ranged from the importance of narrative and … Continued
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UNC Professor Zeynep Tufekci on the Protest Spurred by Social Media in Istanbul
In a New York Times op-ed, UNC Professor Zeynep Tufekci analyzes the dynamics of large-scale protests spurred by social media, such as the mass funeral held last week in Istanbul, Turkey. Tufekci argues that “Protests like this one, fueled by … Continued
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Small Threat of Terrorism, Yet Rising Negative Attitudes Towards Muslims in US
In a report issued this month by the Triangle Institute on Terrorism and Homeland Security, UNC Professor of Sociology Charles Kurzman traces the upward trend of negative feelings towards Muslims in the US despite the small number of Muslim suspects … Continued
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New Library Guide to Middle East Studies
Middle Eastern Librarian Mohamed Abou El Seoud recently introduced the Center’s faculty and graduate students to a new online resource, the Middle East Studies Guide. Part of the UNC University Libraries site, the guide provides links to collections of films, … Continued
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Underground Music and the Arab Uprisings
On September 17, 2013, Dr. Zeina G. Halabi (Department of Asian Studies at UNC-CH) appeared on the Global Music Show on WXYC 89.3FM. The show explored contemporary indie and underground bands in the context of the Arab uprisings. Different in … Continued
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Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute Creates Fellowships for Graduate Students in Persian Studies
By Carl W. Ernst Persian art, language and culture, which is identified with modern Iran and adjoining regions, is one of the most formidable cultural traditions in the world, going back more than 2,500 years to the ancient Persian empire … Continued
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Carnegie Fellowships to Support Visiting Arab Social Scientists at UNC-Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications from early-career social scientists affiliated with universities in the Arab world for semester-long fellowships in Fall 2015. With support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the fellowship offers advanced doctoral … Continued
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Persian Culture Collections Receive New Endowment
A $25,000 donation has doubled the Library’s endowment for Persian studies and will help to build collections that support this rapidly growing area of research and teaching at UNC. An anonymous donor has established the Pars Endowment for Persian Study. … Continued
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Roundtable Discussion: “Intervention in Syria? Problems, Prospects, and Contexts”
On September 3, 2013, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense and the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations hosted the roundtable discussion “Intervention in Syria?: Problems, … Continued
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UNC FLAS student recounts witnessing Egypt’s revolution this summer
“RALEIGH — Caroline Zullo will always remember where she was when the Egyptian Army announced it had ousted President Mohammed Morsi. The UNC-Chapel Hill junior was sitting in front of a television set in the common area of her dorm – in … Continued
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“At a Moment, You Could Collapse”: Raising Children with Autism in the West Bank
In the October 2013 issue of Children and Youth Services Review, Sarah Dababnah, a doctoral student at UNC’s School of Social Work, and Prof. Susan Parish from Brandeis University explore the issue of autism in the West Bank. “ . … Continued
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Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute Creates Fellowships for Graduate Students in Persian Studies
Already appealing to top graduate students worldwide, UNC’s allure will only increase thanks to the creation of Roshan Institute Fellowships for Excellence in Persian Studies. These new fellowships, made possible through Roshan Institute Fund for Excellence in Persian Studies established … Continued
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In Tahrir Square, Demanding More Changes
Doria El Kerdany, a writer, a translator, and an Arabic language instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill, has been volunteering in Cairo’s Tahrir Square with a group looking to prevent the sexual harassment of women during protests. She is one of the … Continued
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On the Ground at Gezi Park and Taksim Demonstrations by Omid Safi
“We had not meant to find ourselves in the midst of the Istanbul demonstrations, or thinking about tear gas. It just kind of happened. I had come Turkey to lead twoeducational tours focused on the historical and spiritual dimensions of Turkey, when … Continued
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Center Partnering Strengthens K-12 and Community College Outreach
As one of seven National Resource Centers at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Center joins in partnership with World View, a UNC program to support international education in North Carolina schools and community colleges. Through World View, the Center reaches thousands of educators, … Continued
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Think Fast Forum: The Boston Marathon Bombing
The Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath—the week that started with deadly explosions and ended with a manhunt— left us with unanswered questions about home-grown terrorism, religious extremism, the pressures of the 24-hour news cycle, the legal system, and political … Continued
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Veiling, Islam, and Fashion
This February (2013), the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies took on the politically charged topic of veiling at its annual conference with several goals in mind: to examine the persistence of stereotypical representations of the veil; to understand the … Continued
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Center Member Awarded Prestigious Dissertation Fellowship
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is pleased to announce that Natalia Suit, a student member of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, has been named a 2013 Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation … Continued
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Online Summer Course RELI 180: Introduction to Islamic Civilizations
Gain Knowledge about Islamic civilizations, including religion, history, politics, culture, and society, from 7th century Mecca to Islam in 21st century America; Learn about the diversity of interpretations and expressions of Islam that exist among Muslims; Be exposed to Muslim cultures from … Continued
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Honors colloquium on the Arab spring
In the UNC Honors program, each semester students meet in the Dunlevie Honors Colloquium to discuss a broad interdisciplinary topic of their own choosing. The Spring 2013 topic is “Perspectives on the Arab Spring [link to site].” Faculty presenters from Duke … Continued
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ReOrienting the Veil
On February 22-23, the 2013 Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies conference was held at the FedEx Global Education Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. “ReOrienting the Veil” focused on Muslim women’s veiling practices in transnational contexts, and featured lively, interdisciplinary discussion of … Continued
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Spring 2013 Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies Conference, Feb. 22-23, 2013 – “ReOrienting the Veil”
The 2013 Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies conference will be held at the FedEx Global Education Center, UNC-Chapel Hill, Feb. 22-13, 2013, and will focus on Muslim women’s veiling practices in transnational contexts. The one and a half day … Continued
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(De-)Centering Islam and the Question of Authenticity
The 10th annual Duke-UNC Islamic Studies Graduate Conference will be held on February 16-17, 2013, at Duke University (The Franklin Center). We have 15 papers this year, with participants attending from all over the country and a few international students as well. The … Continued
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WRAL Documentary: Faith, Fear and Freedom
The new WRAL Documentary “Faith, Fear and Freedom” explores the lives of Muslims living in our state and examines the anti-Islamic prejudice and discrimination that is fueled by the actions of Islamic extremists. “Faith, Fear and Freedom,” hosted by WRAL … Continued
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Fringe Discourses Going Mainstream, Research Finds
Organizations using fear and anger to spread negative messages about Muslims have moved from the fringes of public discourse into the mainstream media since the Sept. 11 attacks, according to new research by Christopher Bail, a University of North Carolina … Continued
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A Gift of Film
Students and faculty from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, can now watch 32 outstanding films that offer entertainment and insights on Persian Culture for free, thanks to a grant from the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute. The 32 films … Continued
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UNC Faculty speak out on anti-Muslim film and protests
In the past week, UNC faculty have been offering their views on protests in the Middle East against the online video mocking the Prophet Muhammad. In an interview with Radio Free Europe, sociology professor Charles Kurzman maintained that the film and some reactions … Continued
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Cinema of the Global Middle East
In collaboration with the Ackland Museum, and with funding from ART/Islam, the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations and the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies presents Cinema of the Global Middle East, a series of … Continued
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People of the Book
For centuries scholars and theologians have debated the Qur’an’s confusing passages. But Carl Ernst says they’ve missed out on a key method for unlocking the book’s secrets. Read more about Carl Ernst and his book, How to Read the Qur’an, by clicking … Continued
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Revisit Our Omar Offendum Event on Facebook
On April 19, 2012, Syrian-American Hip-Hop artist and activist Omar Offendum visited UNC-Chapel Hill. Mr. Offendum participated in a panel that afternoon on “Transnational Muslim Youth, Politics, and Art” with local faculty, students, and activists. Later that evening, Mr. Offendum … Continued
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“Syria’s Revolution and Egypt’s Elections”
Listen to “Syria’s Revolution and Egypt’s Elections“, a recent discussion on WUNC’s “The State of Things” with Audrey Anne Lavallee-Berlanger, a rising senior at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who spent this past school year at Damascus … Continued
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“Race for Egypt: Inside the 3-Way Fight for the Presidency”
Thanassis Cambanis (UNC ’96), journalist and author of A Privilege to Die: Inside Hezbollah’s Legions and Their Endless War Against Israel (2011), reports on the Egyptian presidential campaign. “Egypt’s first real presidential contest ever, for which the candidates met last … Continued
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G.A. Lipton receives Newcombe fellowship
Religious Studies doctoral candidate Gregory “G.A.” Lipton, a doctoral candidate was one of 21 recipients of the prestigious Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships. His dissertation, “Making Islam Fit: Ibn ‘Arabi and the Idea of Sufism in the Secular Age,” … Continued
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Nasser Isleem wins Tanner Award
Nasser Isleem, Arabic lecturer in the Department of Asian Studies, has been awarded the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. His teaching philosophy states: “I believe in filling the educational experience in class with energy, humor and variety, thus … Continued
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Fall 2012 course list now available!
Download the Center’s list of courses related to the Middle East and Muslim civilizations to guide your registration for Fall 2012!
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“Safi urges broad look at social justice”
As part of Duke University’s Islamic Awareness Week, UNC professor of Islamic Studies Omid Safi spoke about social justice and Islam. Safi noted how “national Muslim organizations primarily exist to broadcast injustices and prejudice affecting Muslims equally emphasizing the positive … Continued
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Faculty Feature: Carl Ernst on the global significance of Arabic
The First Annual Arabic Majors Distinguished Lecture was sponsored by the Duke Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Duke Islamic Studies Center on March 22. The lecture was given by Professor Carl Ernst of UNC on “The Global … Continued
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Faculty Feature: Carl Ernst discusses Sufism
[vimeo width=”300″ height=”200″]http://vimeo.com/38114370[/vimeo] This video is a recording of UNC Professor Carl Ernst and Columbia Professor Muhsin al-Musawi discussing Sufism. Prof. Ernst was at Columbia to lead a discussion on “Authorial Persona in the Poetry of al-Hallaj” organized on March … Continued
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View photos from the recent lecture by Dr. Trita Parsi
View photos from Dr. Trita Parsi’s recent lecture on U.S.-Iranian relations, or read about the event here. Article (Katy Kosey) and photos (Alex Loizias) courtesy of UNC Global.
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Jarrahi Family Library Fund for Persian Studies
UNC Libraries and the Persian Studies Program are pleased to announce the Jarrahi Family Library Fund for Persian Studies. The $25,000 contribution will be the cornerstone of an endowment that Middle East and African Studies Librarian Mohamed Abou El Seoud … Continued
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Muslim-American Terrorism “A Miniscule Threat” to Public Safety in 2011
UNC sociology professor Charles Kurzman has authored a study revealing that acts of terrorism by Muslim-Americans have decreased in the past two years, in sharp contrast to the expectation of counterterrorism officials. The report, “Muslim-American Terrorism in the Decade Since … Continued
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Register for the Upcoming SERMEISS Spring Meeting at UNC
UNC’s Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations is proud to be hosting the SERMEISS Spring Meeting, March 16-18, 2012. All sessions will be held in the FedEx Global Education Center on the UNC campus … Continued
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Faculty Feature: Carl Ernst at the 2012 Jaipur Literature Festival
Video footage from the 2012 Jaipur Literature Festival featuring UNC’s Carl Ernst is now available online. The first panel, ‘Reconstructing Rumi‘, also features Farrukh Dhondy and was chaired by Sunil Kumar. ‘Violent Mystics‘ features James Mallinson and Carl Ernst in … Continued
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Faculty Feature: Carl Ernst on “The State of Things”
Professor of Religious Studies Carl Ernst discusses his new book, How to Read the Qur’an, with Frank Stasio on WUNC’s “The State of Things.” Click here listen to an audio recording of their discussion. Another audio interview on the new … Continued
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“Egypt’s Doomed Election”
Andrew Reynolds, Professor of Political Science, contributes an op-ed to the New York Times on the subject of upcoming elections in Egypt. EGYPT, the largest and most important country to overthrow its government during the Arab Spring, is careening toward … Continued
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“Revolution 101”
UNC undergraduate Mariem Masmoudi is featured on American Public Radio’s “The Story” as she heads to Tunisia to help rebuild the country in the wake of the Arab Spring.
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Spring 2012 course list available
The Center’s comprehensive list of courses related to the Middle East and Muslim civilizations is now available. The list includes relevant courses from every department at UNC as well as courses at Duke.
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“Convert Straddles Worlds of Islam and Hip-Hop”
Michael Muhammad Knight, UNC graduate student in religious studies and a prolific author, is profiled in the New York Times for his research and engagement with Islam, hip-hop, and the Five Percenters, a small but culturally influential offshoot of the … Continued
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“Jerusalem Day, 2011”
UNC professor of history Christopher J. Lee explores a contentious Israeli holiday through a photo essay published in Jerusalem Quarterly.
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Concert and Workshop: “Iraq Beyond Conflict”
November 11-12, 2011 Today war, conflict, and oil dominate our conception of Iraq. This workshop and concert will explore the Iraq that exists beyond war, focusing on the traditions, culture, and history that define Iraqi people today. Concert: Saadoun al-Bayati … Continued
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Furlow Fund Dinner Fundraiser
October 17th, 6:00-8:00 pm, FedEx Global Education Center Join us for dinner and help raise money to care for Palestinian children with craniofacial anomalies: $10 dinner ticket purchased online until event day, $20 dinner ticket at door or on event … Continued
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“Educating Librarians in the Middle East” fellowship openings
The School of Information and Library Science (SILS) at UNC-CH is seeking doctoral student applicants interested in Middle Eastern Studies and librarianship. These Fellowships are funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The two‐year Fellowships offers: A 20 hour a … Continued
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FLAS applications now available
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) grants help support language study, especially for less commonly taught languages. This year’s application for Middle Eastern languages, including Arabic, modern Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu, will be due to the Center by 5:00 … Continued
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View photos from the recent “9-11 Ten Years Later” event
View photos from this recent Center-sponsored event. Photos by Spencer Bakalar, courtesy UNC Global. Students, faculty and locals heard from Arif Alikhan, the former assistant secretary for policy development at the Department of Homeland Security. This talk was in conjunction … Continued
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“UNC Expert Advises on Democratic Developments in Libya”
UNC Professor and Center member Andrew Reynolds is among the first experts called on to speak with the Transitional National Council of Libya concerning plans for an interim government, constitutional assembly elections and the constitutional design process they will evolve. … Continued
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“Talks, panels to mark 10th anniversary of 9/11”
In a program marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11, a former member of the federal Department of Homeland Security will speak on Sept. 12 at UNC-Chapel Hill. The free public program will be one of numerous events at UNC and … Continued
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Malaysian visiting professor Ahmad Hidayat Buang to give talk on Islamic finance
This academic year Professor Ahmad Hidayat Buang from the Academy of Islamic Studies at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur is a visiting scholar at UNC. His first public talk”What Is a Fatwa? Islamic Finance in the Malaysian Legal System” … Continued
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Library expands Islamic titles
During the summer, the Library was able to collect a good number of English translations of the major reference Islamic titles. Most of these translations are authorized by the Islamic authorities in Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries. The collection … Continued
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“Why I Do Ramadan”
Leann Bankoski, the Executive Director of Carolina for Kibera, writes about fasting during Ramadan: “But you’re not Muslim” is the response I often get when I tell people that I’m fasting for Ramadan. It’s true. I’m not Muslim, but my … Continued
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Upcoming Webinar on Middle East and Islamic Library Resources
On Wednesday, August 24th from 3:00 to 4:00 PM the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) will host a webinar on Middle East and Islamic Resources. In this webinar, CRL staff will highlight significant Middle East and Islamic source material from … Continued
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“Tolerance”
In an op-ed for the Chronicle of Higher Education, UNC professor of religious studies Omid Safi reflects on the idea of tolerance in current discourses about Islam and Muslims. [H]ere is where the question of tolerance in a post-9/11 world comes to … Continued
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“Where Are All the Islamic Terrorists?”
UNC sociology professor Charles Kurzman’s article in the Chronicle of Higher Education discusses conflicting perceptions and realities of the Islamic terrorism threat in light of the recent tragic attacks in Norway. Kurzman’s book on the subject, The Missing Martyrs: Why There … Continued
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“Poetic Portraits of a Revolution”
This summer Morning Edition is keeping tabs on three young poets and a photographer as they travel through North Africa. Visit the WUNC 91.5 website to view their reports and poems.
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Alumnus anchors Turkish news show
UNC grad Clint Deloatch ’78 anchors a television news program in Istanbul, Turkey, making him the “first African-American to anchor a regular newscast in Istanbul.” Deloatch’s spot at 6News has given him a front-row seat as turmoil rolls through the … Continued
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Featured Faculty | Andrew Reynolds in the Washington Post
UNC political science professor Andrew Reynolds warns of the dangers of an “opaque process” in upcoming Egyptian elections in this Washington Post article, “Egypt unprepared for September elections.”
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“Beyond the Madrassa Paradigm”
UNC history professor Christopher Lee examines the Palestinian university system in an article for Foreign Policy magazine’s on-line “Middle East Channel.” [T]he expression “madrassa” has become synonymous with terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism. More acutely, it has come to characterize education … Continued
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“Erasing the Face of History”
Sarah Bond, who just earned her doctorate in history at UNC, published an op-ed in the New York Times on ancient precedents for the erasure of images of former president Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
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“Muslim-American Terrorism Since 9/11: An Accounting”
UNC sociology Professor Charles Kurzman’s work has been featured in the University Gazette. The article details Kurzman’s research on terrorism in an effort to “add the missing context that could help enhance public understanding and reduce public anxiety.”
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Featured Faculty | Sahar Amer on CNN
UNC professor Sahar Amer was interviewed by CNN about the recent burka ban in France.
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“Counting Terrorists”
The UNC Endeavors magazine features an article “Counting Terrorists” about undergraduate Jake Filip’s research with sociology professor Charles Kurzman on homegrown terrorism.
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Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf delivers lecture
The Institute for the Arts and Humanities invited Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who has led an effort to build a controversial inter-faith cultural center in lower Manhattan, to deliver the 2011 Weil Lecture on American Citizenship. Watch the video of … Continued
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Featured Faculty | Charles Kurzman on the Diane Rehm Show
UNC Sociology Professor Charles Kurzman on NPR’s Diane Rehm Show discusses Congressional hearings on Muslims in the U.S.
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UNC Press book “Modernism and the Art of Muslim South Asia” wins award
The “Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks” series at UNC Press has won an award from the American Institute of Pakistan Studies for its 2010 title Modernism and the Art of Muslim South Asia by Iftikhar Dadi. Read more about the … Continued
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Photos from “Budrus” screening posted to Facebook
View pictures from the Center’s screening of the film “Budrus” on our Facebook page. Thanks to UNC student Spencer Bakalar for the wonderful photographs.
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“Human Rights in Islam” conference kicks off
Annual Duke-UNC Conference: “Human Rights in Islam: The Politics of Cultural Translation,” February 24, 2011. Click here to watch footage.
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News Archive
February 2011 UNC professor Andrew Reynolds to advise Egypt and Tunisia. “Egypt After the Uprising” — WUNC’s Frank Stasio interviews Carl Ernst and Nadia Yaqub on “The State of Things.” Think Fast Forum: UNC Faculty on Egypt in Crisis – … Continued