Faculty Development Groups
Exploring Issues of the Middle East
Anthony Alessandrini
The recent events in Tunisia, Egypt, and elsewhere in the region, dubbed “the Arab
Spring,” have sparked a renewed interest in contemporary issues related to the culture,
history, and politics of the Middle East and North Africa. The goal of this reading
and discussion group is to explore new approaches to understanding these issues, both
among faculty and in the classroom. We will start with a few core readings, but the
majority of the readings will be chosen through discussions among the participants,
and could include film, video, and visual art as well as books, articles, and online
resources. The hope is that this group will bring together those who are already involved
in teaching some of these issues, those with a more general interest, and those who
would like to bring some of these places and issues into their teaching and who may
be looking for resources and readings to help them with this. For more information
or to join, please contact Tony at Anthony.Alessandrini@kbcc.cuny.edu.