The Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania

The Middle East Center is excited to announce the launch of its new four-course Certificate in Modern Middle East Studies, offered through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies. Just like all of our events, these courses are open to the public! We encourage MEC community members from all walks of life to sign up. All four courses must be taken in order to earn the LPS Certificate. However, you do have the option to enroll in an individual course without committing ...to the entire certificate. MODM 200: Women and Gender in the Middle East Fall 2 (Accelerated): October 25 to December 19, 2019 MODM 260: Oil and Politics in the Middle East Spring 1 (Accelerated): January 15 to March 12, 2020 MODM 300: Religious Traditions of the Middle East Spring 2 (Accelerated): March 16 to May 12, 2020 MODM 100: The Middle East and the West Summer 1 (Accelerated): May 26 to July 20, 2020 (Not open to Penn Undergraduates) For more information, visit https://lpsonline.sas.upenn.edu//modern-middle-east-studies

Join us for a talk with Dr. Amr Al-Azm, Professor of Middle East History and Anthropology at Shawnee State University in Ohio. Whilst working in Syria, Amr Al- Azm was a first hand observer and sometime participant of the reform processes instigated by Bashar Al-Assad, thus gaining insights into how they were enacted and why more often than not they failed. Furthermore, he is a keen follower and commentator on current events in Syria and the Middle East in general and has written articles in numerous journals, and major media outlets including guest editorials for the New York Times, Time Magazine and Foreign Policy. For more information: https://mec.sas.upenn.edu//non-state-actors-and-preservati REGISTRATION REQUIRED -- CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/non-state-actors-and-the-prese

Attention schoolteachers....

All levels of Arabic are welcome!

The Middle East Center is excited to be hosting Dr. Djene Rhys Bajalan, who will be discussing Kurdish political activism and the question of why Kurds failed to acquire nation-state at a time when the Middle East was being redrawn among 'national' lines. This talk will examine the existing historiographical debate pertaining to this issue and call into question some of the underlying assumptions that have framed the debate over the last century. He will be joined by Penn's own Professor Brendan O'Leary. Registration required: click here to learn more! https://mec.sas.upenn.edu///10/29/origins-kurdish-question

Dear MEC Community, this is a critical time in Lebanon, MENA, and the US. Please join us for this discussion on Monday, and please help us spread the word about... this discussion with Lebanese-Americans, Arab-Americans, Americans in Lebanon, and friends. Building Hope in Times of Turmoil: US Elections and Lebanon-US Relations A discussion with Jim Zogby of the Arab-American Institute and former Ambassador to Morocco Ed Gabriel, who is also current head of the American Task Force on Lebanon. October 12th, 7-8:30pm Lebanon time, noon-1:30pm US East Coast time, on Zoom. Please register here: https://forms.gle/rQ9u9jmYrFXjNQa6A (or share on Facebook here: https://fb.me/e/3jVDYx9Us). Please share with other relevant people and groups.

We are very proud to have been able to support this effort. Hats off to Leila and Zeynep

The Middle East Center is privileged to host an esteemed panel of experts who will explain both the history and on-the-ground reality of the recent conflict that has erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Please join us on October 14, 2020 at 12:00 PM EST. For more information, click here: https://mec.sas.upenn.edu/events/2020/10/14/crisis-caucasus... NOTE: REGISTRATION REQUIRED https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crisis-in-the-caucasus-underst

Very excited for this! Penn Religious Studies PhD Student Abdul Manan Bhat will be participating, reading Urdu poetry alongside senior Uyghur poet Tahir Hamut Izgil.

Join us on Wednesday, September 23rd for a fascinating conversation on ethnicity and conflict in Iraq's oil city of Kirkuk with Arbella Bet-Shlimon. Moderated by Penn's Professor Bob Vitalis!

DO NOT MISS: Blackness in the Middle East: A Panel Discussion TOMORROW, 4:30 PM EST... Zoom link posted on MEC website Join the Middle East Center of the University of Pennsylvania for an important conversation on blackness in the Middle East. Panelists will address themes including the greater history of blackness in the region, anti-Black sentiments that persist to this day, the question of identity and race in the region, and more.

For anyone who missed it, the full recording of our historic conversation last week between Iranian and US officials and experts on coronavirus is now available! https://mec.sas.upenn.edu//event-recording-coronavirus-cri

The Middle East Center is saddened to hear of the passing of our affiliate faculty member, Professor Amy Kaplan. Our deepest condolences to Penn English Department and to all who were touched by her intellect, her passion and her humanity

Check out Al-Bustan's event below! It is the third of a series of virtual conversations intended to inspire change towards a more just and equitable America by addressing the structures of systemic racism. Be sure to pre-register!