Featured Middle East Resources

Just looked around and noticed that the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies and the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations have put together some impressive resources for teachers and the public. Here's a sampling. Explore and enjoy!

The Consortium’s ReOrienting the Veil conference in February, 2013, gathered presenters for discussion of one of the most visible symbols of Islam, the veil or hijab. Video of the presentations will be available soon. The ReOrienting the Veil web site offers educators and the public resources for learning and teaching about the veil

and its many meanings.

 

 

In her blog, Teaching the Modern Middle East, UNC Professor Sarah Shields reports on her teaching of a large (200+) lecture class.  Over the course of months, she shares her collaboration with students in a truly interactive exploration of Middle East history, and reflects on changing teaching practices in a digital age.

 

 

The Daily Life in Cairo Culture Kit was collected in Egypt's capital by UNC Middle East librarian Mohamed Abou El Seoud.  It offers toys, games, books, DVDs, clothes, and school supplies Cairene children use in their daily lives.  Borrowing the kit is free for North Carolina teachers, and the Consortium will pay the shipping both ways.  For more information, contact Outreach Director Regina Higgins at regina underscore higgins at unc dot edu

 

 

The Consortium is proud to have sponsored a screening of Cedars in the Pines, a documentary on the Lebanese in North Carolina produced by Professor Akram Khater of NC State University.  The Khayrallah Program for Lebanese-American Studies offers more information about the production and the continuing project on the Lebanese in North Carolina.  Teachers can find lesson plans to accompany the film here

 

More to come  . . . .

"Cedars in the Pines" Lesson Plans

You remember the documentary, "Cedars in the Pines," celebrating the history of the Lebanese in North Carolina. Now we've got some very exciting new curriculum to accompany the film from Prof. Akram Khater and his Khayrallah Program for Lebanese-American Studies team at NC State. 

Cedars in the Pines: A Global, Differentiated Curriculum that Engages All Learners

"This site hosts a curriculum that teaches students about North Carolina while raising their awareness of the global nature of our state. The curriculum will accompany a DVD entitled "Cedars in the Pines" that is available now, and an exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of History that opens in 2014. Tiered lessons, problem-based learning, Paideia seminars, learning contracts, and documentary film study providemotivation for examining North Carolina through global eyes. The curriculum addresses both Common Core Standards and the Essential Standards of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, particularly for 4th and 8th grade social studies."

View "Cedars in the Pines" here.  And please check out the resources and share them with colleagues, especially those teaching North Carolina!

"ReOrienting the Veil" and the Media

Does this look menacing to you?

So thrilled with the success of our ReOrienting the Veil conference!  Great presentations and conversations about the complex issues of covering by Muslim women.  And we were featured in all kinds of media. Here's a sampling of our clips:

UNC professors Sahar Amer and Banu Gökariksel, “Muslim Women Speak Up About the Veil,”  “The State of Things,” NPR, 2/22/13

"Lifting the Veil: UNC conference focuses on understanding the Muslim veil,” The Herald-Sun, 2/24/13

And a follow-up opinion piece in the same paper:

"Tolerate the Veil," Opinion, The Herald-Sun, 2/26/13 

Our UNC students were in the media mix as well.  Here's a story filed by Sefe Emokpae of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.  The feature begins at 13:15

And of course the Daily Tar Heel covered the conference with their trademark professionalism.

Our live tweeting at #Veil2013 even trended on Twitter. Quite an experience. 

And the best part is that the ReOrienting the Veil web site will remain, offering resources, information, images, music, lesson plans, and even a fun quiz.  Please explore and let us know your responses and suggestions. Contact information is on the web site.

#Veil2013 trends on Twitter!
(Click to enlarge)