News

Dear Colleagues, As I begin my new role as the Center for the Middle East & Islamic Studies director, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for providing me with the opportunity to serve. Thanks to Carl (Ernst) and Charlie (Kurzman)’s efforts over the past two [...]

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill area studies centers will receive approximately $12 million in competitive federal Title VI funding over the next four years to support language and area studies coursework, global programming and events, and outreach and opportunities for educators across the southeastern U.S. UNC-Chapel Hill [...]

The intricate panels, nearly 1,600 years old, include the first known depictions of two biblical heroines and an episode in ancient Jewish art. Left: The Israelite commander Barak depicted in the Huqoq synagogue mosaic. Right: Fox eating grapes depicted in Huqoq synagogue mosaic. (Photos by Jim Haberman) A [...]

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 with a camera in the foreground and his computer in the background. [...]

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 members as online tutors, teachers, translators & cultural exchange partners. [...]

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 PDF copy. Thank you for your continued support of the [...]

Mosul, Iraq, 2018; Donation by Noor Ghazi, 2022 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, [...]

  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 Jerusalem: Behind the Headlines”. This virtual discussion with Estrin highlighted [...]

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 Hill students through on-campus curriculum. Partnering with and supporting UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, Udyavar will be [...]

  The Learning Through Languages High School Research Symposium is coordinated by the UNC Area Studies Centers. (Graphic by Rawan Abbasi) 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 [...]

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 in celebration of International Education Week (IEW). Held annually in [...]

Attendees received a conference program, NCATC sticker, and tote bag from the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies. 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 [...]