Introduction This series seeks to map shifting levels of language dominance in Moroccan history in order to investigate contemporary developments in government policy. The debate over language policy is closely connected to Moroccan history. Language represents an important site of contestation in most modern states, and especially in post-colonial nations. In Morocco, the nationalist project…
This post presents a new translation of an old poem, a qaṣῑda from classical Arabic literature. The poet is Abu Nuwas (who lived c. 757-814), but this is not a typical Abu Nuwas poem. Instead, it provides a nice example of a standard and celebrated praise poem (essential for poets to make a living in…
If you teach anything related to the region of Middle East/Southwest Asia and North Africa or you want to learn more yourself, this post is for you! My colleague Christine Baker assisted with the design of the course outline provided here. Intended for an Introduction to the Middle East course, it provides many sources for…
In this chilly winter season, here’s a list of Arabic shows and movies with something for everyone to enjoy… Justice | Netflix | UAE | Crime / Courtroom TV Show | about a young woman lawyer (I liked it!) Secret of the Nile | Egypt | Netflix | Mystery, Drama, Romance | a beautiful reinvention…
This post is inspired by the many people I hear from who want to begin learning Arabic. If you’re interested in finding a program, check out my earlier post on Arabic Study Options. It includes a collection of resources. For those who just want to get their feet wet, so to speak, just taking baby…
Ghada Abdel Aal’s hilarious blog, عايزة أتجوز / I Want to Get Married was turned into a book, which has been translated into several languages. It was also adapted to an Egyptian musalsal / TV show. You can see it here. There are reviews of the book in The National here and on Muslimah Media…
Mikhail Naimy (1889-1998), an Arab-American who served in the U.S. army in WWI, wrote the following poem in 1924 to provide hope and support to fellow immigrants. I include it here today as a reminder to all of us to pause when we are faced with challenges. I understand “close your eyes” here as a…
I write this from Rhode Island, which lays claim to numerous historical pirates such as Thomas Tew. Piracy was part of the historical international economy that was powered by sea transport. Yet it came to color stereotypes of particular nations. Such misperceptions and their effects are long-lived. This post offers a quick look at how…
UPDATE JAN. 2023: The MLE collection of Arabic study opportunities will no longer be updated. Please continue to use it as a reference, but refer to the contact information of the various programs for updated information. Thank you! With summer stretching before us, it’s time to take an updated look at Arabic study options. For…
Here is my latest list of book recommendations for children and young adults, whether for libraries, schools, or homes. These focus on Arabic language and culture (my specialty), but I’ve included bonus Spanish selections at the end. I have read all these books and hope you will enjoy them too! Kids: Salma the Syrian Chef…
