Tag: middle_east

Have you seen our new Egypt Literature Guide?

So I imagine you’ve heard about this little piece of news to have come out of Egypt recently… Their president Mubarak was in power for 30 years. In that time, there have been many generations of Egyptians who have felt the impact of that regime, and plenty of authors who’ve created works about their experiences.

Leave it to Professor Emeritus and Librarian Andrea Kempf to put together a guide to help you find some of these works. We highly recommend you check out her LibGuide, Egyptian Fiction from in the 20th and Early 21st Century.

The Breaking Up of India

Some of the most long-term effects of British colonization can be seen in India.  The book, The Partition of India by Ian Talbot and Gurharpal Singh, looks at the separation of India that occurred in 1941, as the British relocated many communities and created, among other things, what has become Pakistan.  The book tells of the events leading up to it, the effects it had, and the long term violence, political, and identity problems that have resulted from it.

Hope in Unlikely Places

The perception of the Middle East does not always include a hopeful outlook towards peace. Even less likely, one could assume, is the widow of an assassinated leader in the Middle East to believe that peace is near and attainable.  Yet, My Hope for Peace, written by Jehan Sadat, widow of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, does just that.  In it, she discusses what she believes is necessary to reach that goal, tries to diminish stereotypes about the roles women can play, and comes out of a terrible tragedy incredibly optimistic. Whether or not lofty, nor whether or not her plans are ever carried out, this memoir contains several points of inspiration, if not for just simply existing.

Book of the Day Goes Back to the Middle East

One argument you here about certain Middle Eastern countries is that their citizens have no influence due to their authoritarian government.  Political Participation in the Middle East hopes to change your perspective by showing how participating through trade organizations, through activism, or a number of other organized or informal ways has actually allowed members of these countries to play an active part in government, despite perceptions of their structure.  It isn’t a pro- or anti- authoritarian argument, but rather a way to see things a bit closer than we may be used to viewing them.

We Return: Book of the Day

As you’re all busy, for sure, with new activities in a new year, I’m sure we haven’t been too awfully missed.  But! we are back, and the first Book of the Day for 2009 is: After the Taliban: Nation-Building in Afghanistan by James F. Dobbins, a former ambassador for the USA to the European Union.

I don’t think its much of a secret that the United States isn’t all that popular in a lot of places due to the last 8 years and decisions the government has made in regards to war in other nations.  Dobbins discusses his role in re-establishing a government once the Taliban was taken out of power in Afghanistan.  Why is the opinion of Dobbins important?  He’s a guy who has helped rebuild Haiti, Bosnia, and Kosovo, and he’s not afraid to tell you how the U.S. War cabinet shot itself in the foot (figuratively, not like Plaxico Burress) and broke down over Afghan issues. It is a straight forward account of a man doing his job.  It just so happens that his job affects at least two nations and all of their members.

Book of the Day

Muhajababes: Meet the New Middle East – Young, Sexy, and Devout may tell you something you already know.  It may also change your mind about things you thought you knew.  One thing is certain:  Allegra Stratton, who went into her project admittedly ignorant, found out that youth culture in many Middle Eastern nations has found an interesting balance between secular and religious that the West doesn’t always get to see.  For whatever reason this book is picked up, or however you may feel about Stratton’s findings, it is certainly an avenue to open discussions.  JCCC has other books like Heavy Metal Islam, as well as this fiction bibliography, both of which contain interesting perspectives on the Middle East and beyond. Check it out.