News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 >>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

“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

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

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

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!

“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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

“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

“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.

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.

“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

“Jerusalem Day, 2011”

UNC professor of history Christopher J. Lee explores a contentious Israeli holiday through a photo essay published in Jerusalem Quarterly.

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

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

“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

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

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

“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

“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

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

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

“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

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

“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

“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

“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.

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

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.”

“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

“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.

“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.”

Featured Faculty | Sahar Amer on CNN

UNC professor Sahar Amer was interviewed by CNN about the recent burka ban in France.

“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.

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

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.

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

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.

“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.

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