BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Center for International and Regional Studies - ECPv6.15.15//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Center for International and Regional Studies REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/Moscow BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0300 TZOFFSETTO:+0300 TZNAME:MSK DTSTART:20220101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Asia/Qatar BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0300 TZOFFSETTO:+0300 TZNAME:+03 DTSTART:20220101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230129T080000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230130T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230212T115140Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230312T094848Z UID:10001497-1674979200-1675098000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:The Evolution of African Regional Organizations Working Group I DESCRIPTION:On January 29 and 30\, 2023\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University Qatar held a book manuscript workshop under its project\, “The Evolution of African Regional Organizations.” Several international and regional scholars were invited to present their papers on various African Regional Organizations (ROs) operational on the African continent. During the meeting\, they discussed various issues such as regionalism\, African voices\, and problems\, gender\, colonial legacies\, Pan-Arabism\, and Pan-Africanism and received extensive and in-depth commentary from the group. \n\nThe initial discussion was initiated by Lynda Iroulo\, with her paper\, “From the Organization of African Unity to the African Union.” She outlined the transition of the African Union (AU) from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and argued that the Pan-African solidarity norm is a double-edged for the AU. Iroulo highlighted that while solidarity norms were at the heart and center of AU and bound the members together\, it was also detrimental to them. Thus\, she argued it is important for the organization’s future to not only continue on the solidarity path but to strengthen and advance it to other levels of interaction that would bridge the gap between talk and action. \n\nDensua Mumford\, then discussed the issues related to the “Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).” Providing a comprehensive analysis of ECOWAS\, she argued that since its establishment in 1975\, the regional organization has had a complex history of innovation and triumph\, inertia and tragedy. She examined the primary aims of the political leaders and bureaucrats steering the ECOWAS\, the regional organization’s fragile relationship with West African citizens\, and its inventive institutional changes over time. Her paper aims to study these various interactions in light of the shifting global and regional political-economic landscapes. \n\nThe focus of the discussion was then shifted to Afro-Arab relations\, with a paper on “Evolution of the Afro-Arab Region and the Creation of the Arab League\,” by Ahmed Salem & Mohamed Ashour. They began by explaining the inclusion of the Arab League and its importance within the African ROs. Outlining the relevance of the Arab League to the African continent they argued that Afrabia is an integral part of Africa and the pan-African concept of unity. They discussed the league’s history\, background\, and functions and analyzed the league’s past and present contributions to African-Arab cooperation on the continent and on the global scale. \n\nShifting the focus back to regional ROs Donnet-Rose Odhiambo and Christopher Otieno presented their paper on “Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).” Established in 1996 as a successor to Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)\, IGAD changed its mandate from focusing on droughts and other natural disasters to promoting and maintaining peace and security in the region. Tracing this transformation\, they looked at IGAD’s political role in conflict management and examined the international community’s role in its establishment. They argue that this change in its mandate enabled its robust reemergence as a legitimate regional actor in Eastern Africa. \n\nWilliam Arrey then presented his chapter on “Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).” Tracing the historical development and the goals and functions of the RO\, Arrey stated that ECCAS was created to promote and strengthen harmonious cooperation and self-sustained economic development of the Central African Sub-region. These economic objectives were revitalized and expanded to include the promotion of cooperation\, peace\, and security in Central Africa.  However\, the organization is still struggling to achieve its ambitious objectives which he argued is a result of many structural and operational challenges. The chapter provides certain policy recommendations to overcome these challenges by suggesting a strategic use of its opportunities and strengths.  \n\nNorman Sempijja and Houyame Hakmi then discussed their chapter on “Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).” Detailing the creation of the organization\, they stated that the Union was created to address several internal and external challenges that had marginalized the Maghreb countries. UMA’s main objectives were establishing cooperation\, good governance\, and peace and security. However\, to the present day\, the organization has failed to achieve true political or economic integration and is riddled with many challenges and intra-regional crises. Building on existing literature\, the chapter aims to highlight the role of UMA\, and its geostrategic importance and reconsider its institutional blockage and asymmetric functioning. \n\nHenry Berrian led the discussion on his chapter titled “Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).” Documenting the historical developments of COMESA\, he analyzed the economic and political developments that have occurred within the organization since its inception in 1994. Using a comprehensive examination Berrian questioned how COMESA had played a role of a transformative institution in Africa to promote regional trade and investment in areas of customs management\, trade facilitation\, project finance\, and technical cooperation. He argued that despite many achievements\, COMESA has faced numerous challenges and finds itself in a unique position as one of the key institutions in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. \n\nThe next session was led by Jacob Lisakafu and looked at the role and development of “East African Community (EAC).” Analyzing the evolution of EAC from the colonial period with a focus on its political and economic integration agenda Lisakafu questioned its key roles and responsibilities in the region. Using the theory of liberal institutionalism\, he argued that EAC is a unique RO in terms of its set-up\, historical background\, and mode of functioning. He stated that EAC’s fundamental principles of social\, cultural\, and economic integration and prosperity can be used as a model for other ROs in Africa for establishing foundations for effective integration. \n\nJohn Paul Banchani & Sebastian Pablo then discussed their paper on “Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).” Addressing the question of security in the region the paper traced the history\, goals\, general mandate\, and operations of CEN-SAD. The authors explained that in recent times the Sahel region has become a hotspot for incidents of terrorism\, Islamic radicalization\, illicit drug traffic\, and fragile states. Tackling these security challenges in the region has shaped the evolution of CEN-SAD. The paper aims to analyze the successes and challenges of CEN-SAD as a regional organization within the context of regionalism in Africa in an era of de-globalization and tries to answer questions regarding the CEN-SAD’s navigation of the challenging security situation in Sahel and its current organizational form. \n\nThe discussion then focused on African ROs and International Organizations (IO) with Oheneba Boateng’s chapter\, “Relationship between African regional orgnaizations in international organizations.” Examining the mandates of African ROs and how they cope with changing regional and global political and economic environments\, Oheneba reflected on the African ROs global presence. He stated that African ROs have acted as mobilizing forces in international affairs on behalf of their member states\, however despite their efforts\, their role in international affairs often causes tensions with member states\, individual bureaucrats\, as well as global actors. The paper seeks to reflect on ways regional ROs can maximize their global presence in a manner that benefits member states and the wider African diaspora.  \n\nThe discussion was brought to a close with Lidet Tilahun’s chapter titled\, “Voices of the Pioneers: The Vision of African Integration.” Tilahun’s piece contextualizes the interviews she conducted with two pioneers of the African Union\, Dr. Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma and Ambassador Konjit Sinegiorgis. The paper looks at OAU’s inception\, OAU’s transformation into the AU\, and both their roles and efforts in shaping Agenda 2063. \n\nThe authors will revise their chapters based on the feedback received. CIRS will collect the chapters and publish the outcome of the project as an edited volume. \n\n\nTo view the working group agenda\, click here\n\n\n\nTo read the participants’ biographies\, click here\n\n\n\nRead more about this research initiative\n\n\nParticipants and Discussants:  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRogaia Abusharaf\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nWilliam Hermann Arrey\, Protestant University of Central Africa\, Cameroon\n\n\n\nMohamed Ashour\, Zayed University\, UAE\n\n\n\nZahra Babar\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nJohn-Paul Banchani\, Kwame Nkwame University of Science and Technology\, Ghana\n\n\n\nHenry Berrian\, development consultant\, South Africa\n\n\n\nMisba Bhatti\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nOheneba Boateng\, Bucknell University\, USA\n\n\n\nHouyame Hakmi\, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)\, Morocco\n\n\n\nLynda Cinenye Iroulo\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nJacob Lisakafu\, Open University in Tanzania\n\n\n\nSuzi Mirgani\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nYehia Mohamed\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nDensua Mumford\, Leiden University\n\n\n\nDonnet-Rose Adhiambo Odhiambo\, Technical University of Kenya\n\n\n\nChristopher Otieno Omolo\, Eberhard Karls University Tubingen\, Germany \n\n\n\nSebastian Angzoorokuu Paalo\, Kwame Nkwame University of Science and Technology\, Ghana\n\n\n\nDalva Raposo\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nAhmed Ali Salem\, Rhodes University in South Africa\n\n\n\nNorman Sempijja\, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)\, Morocco\n\n\n\nLidet Tilahun\n\n\n\nElizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS – Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nArticle by Misba Bhatti\, Research Analyst at CIRS URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/the-evolution-of-african-regional-organizations-working-group-i/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Focused Discussions,Race & Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/02/Working_Group_Africa_ROs_January292023_1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230129T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230129T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230117T082128Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230326T085420Z UID:10001493-1675015200-1675018800@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:African Regionalism: Achievements\, Challenges\, and Prospects DESCRIPTION:This CIRS panel offers a discussion of the history and politics of African Regional Organizations. \n\nModerator: Lynda Iroulo (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nPanelists: Norman Sempiija (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University)\, Oheneba Boateng (Bucknell University)\, Densua Mumford (Leiden University)\, and Dalva Raposo (Georgetown University in Qatar\, Class of 2024). \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar). URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/african-regionalism-achievements-challenges-and-prospectsafrican-regionalism/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Panels,Race & Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/EH2_0664-min.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230131T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230131T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230118T085523Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230322T104130Z UID:10001494-1675188000-1675191600@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Mapping the Mongol Steppe: Indigenous Cartography and Statecraft in 19th Century Qing China DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Anne-Sophie Pratte\, Georgetown University in Qatar \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar \n\nOn January 31\, 2023\, Anne-Sophie Pratte\, Assistant Professor of History at Georgetown University in Qatar\, delivered a CIRS Dialogue titled “Mapping the Mongol Steppe: Indigenous Cartography and Statecraft in 19th Century Qing China.” Pratte argued that multiple historically meaningful “exchanges between various populations of Eurasia took place thanks to a specific ecological zone: the Steppe belt of Eurasia. The steppe belt makes long distance travels the easiest\,” and so Mongolia became a vast contact zone for all kinds of trade\, cultures\, religions\, ideas\, but also conflicts\, between networks of people from the Qing Empire to Eurasia. \n\nIn eighteenth-century imperial cartography\, “despite their size and strategic geographical location at the crossroads of two major early modern empires\, the Mongol lands remained mostly blank on these world maps\, reflecting how little geographical knowledge flowed out of Qing Mongolia to be incorporated into the imperial cartography of the early modern world\,” Pratte noted. \n\nInstead\, “local Mongol maps followed an indigenous system of geographical correspondence” and an intimate local knowledge of the terrain was exhibited by both nomadic and pastoral communities as an important means of navigating the broad expanses of the Mongolian Steppe. These were sketched for past and future generations in a series of sophisticated hand-drawn maps\, which Pratte discussed in detail during her talk. She argued that “from the perspective of Mongol mapmakers\, the maps of their land\, just like their history\, was not blank at all. The maps they drew in the Qing era were rich\, detailed\, artistic\, and diverse\,” and numbered in the thousands. Importantly\, indigenous Mongols “envision their land differently. And the maps they produce give us a unique window into this worldview\,” which does not distinguish between the natural and political geography of the region. \n\nPratte discussed a central dilemma: “Mongol officials drew maps of their land\, and submitted them to the central state in Beijing. And yet\, this layer of geographical knowledge never featured in imperial atlases. Why that was is the question that began this research project.” She answered this question by noting that the complex sophistication of Mongol mapping\, and its relationship to the lived experience of the land\, made it alien to normative imperial cartography\, which discounted such local knowledge\, no matter how rich and informative\, if it did not fit the abstract\, geometric\, simplified\, and standardized maps of the imperial age. \n\nPratte concluded by noting that the National Archives of Mongolia and the Central Library in Ulaanbaatar contain millions of materials documenting pastoralist society in world history\, and so “there remains lots of work to be done to incorporate these voices into our understanding of Eurasian History.” \n\nAnne-Sophie Pratte is an assistant professor of history at Georgetown University in Qatar. She specializes in the early modern history of China and Inner Asia\, with a focus on historical cartography\, China-Mongolia relations\, and environmental history. She previously held a postdoctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Research Council of Canada and was a visiting scholar at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. She completed her PhD in Inner Asian and Altaic Studies at Harvard University and her M.A. in East Asian Studies at McGill University. Her research was published in Late Imperial China (Dec. 2022) and in Études Mongoles et Sibériennes (2022). She also directed the making of an interactive Manchu historical map for the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library (2021). URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/mapping-the-mongol-steppe-indigenous-cartography-and-statecraft-in-19th-century-qing-china/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:CIRS Faculty Lectures,Dialogue Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/2W7A3789.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230204T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230205T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230315T073606Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081508Z UID:10001504-1675497600-1675616400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:MENA Think Tank Roundtable: Improving Relevance and Impact at a Time of Mounting Global Uncertainty DESCRIPTION:On February 4-5\, 2023\, CIRS hosted a roundtable discussion for a group of think tank representatives that operate in and produce policy research on the Middle East and North Africa region. Over the course of two days\, representatives around the table discussed challenges\, opportunities and possible areas for collaboration as a way forward. The roundtable was convened by the Middle East Council for Foreign Affairs (Qatar) and the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/mena-think-tank-roundtable-improving-relevance-and-impact-at-a-time-of-mounting-global-uncertainty/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/Photo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230209T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230209T160000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230326T102547Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230813T125952Z UID:10001506-1675947600-1675958400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:CURA Research Skills Workshop: Designing a Research Question DESCRIPTION:On February 9\, 2023\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted a research skills workshop titled “Designing a Research Question.” The workshop was presented in collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South (#IAS_NUQ) at Northwestern University in Qatar (NUQ)\, under the auspices of the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) program. Twenty-three undergraduate students from GU-Q and NU-Q attended the workshop\, which was led by Dr. Clovis Bergère\, Assistant Director for Research at #IAS_NUQ. \n\n\n\n\n“The biggest takeaway I had from this workshop is how to always include the biographical context in my research and how it goes a long way in helping me structure my questions.” \n– Workshop participant\n\n\n\nBergère opened the workshop by posing a question about the idea of “designing” a research question. When talking about research questions\, it is difficult to articulate exactly what one does to arrive at an effective research question – do you build\, create\, develop\, write\, craft\, stumble upon? Bergère compared the process of arriving at a research question to that of cooking. You may be able to follow a recipe\, but there is also a craft that two different chefs may bring to creating the dish that will result in two very different dishes\, despite them being based on the same recipe. Similarly\, Bergère stated that there is an element of recipe-following when devising a research question\, but there is another less tangible element that can’t be captured in a “recipe.” It is this less tangible element that the workshop meant to address\, and to give students the opportunity to work through the process with their peers. \n\nAs if following a recipe\, a research question should be all the following: clear; focused; concise; complex; arguable; not too broad\, not too narrow; not too easy to answer\, not too difficult to answer; researchable; and analytical rather than descriptive. Bergère points out that while the above criteria seem straight-forward\, it is difficult to find guidance on how to arrive at a research question with these criteria. Bergère shared excerpts from two books that have helped him to approach research: The Sociological Imagination\, by C. Wright Mills (1959) and The Art of Listening\, by Les Back (2007). Bergère explained that the prior book helps us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two in society. The latter book shaped Bergère’s understanding of the work or the craft of research\, and that it involves imagination. Bergère argues that both are needed in order to develop a research question that is meaningful to the researcher\, and to others. \n\nTaking this idea further\, Bergère suggests three sorts of questions that can help researchers get to their question: what is the structure of this particular society as a whole?; Where does this society stand in human history?; and\, What varieties of people now prevail in this society and in this period? Any of these three questions can be a starting point for thinking about a particular research topic and determining the perspective with which to approach it. \n\nFinally\, Bergère encouraged students to bring their personal experiences into the process and offered the frames of “troubles” and “issues” to relate their personal experiences to a research topic. Bergère explains that “troubles” occur within the character of the individual and within the range of their immediate relations with others. “Issues” then have to do with matters that transcend the local environment of the individual and the range of their inner life. With these two frames in mind\, one can approach a research topic and begin the work of imagining a research question. \n\n\n\n“…going forward I will think a lot about the historical and biographical” components of a research question. \n– Workshop participant\n\n\nThe last half of the workshop was devoted to hands-on activities and group work. Students were asked to think of a research topic that was interesting to them. In the first activity\, students described the topic\, what brought them to the topic (their own “trouble” with it)\, and some key words about the topic. Students shared their work with their peers\, and with feedback honed their ideas. \n\nIn the second activity\, students used their imagination to write several questions related to the topic\, considering the three types of questions Bergère suggested during the presentation. Students shared their questions\, and also ordered them from broadest to narrowest. Working with their group\, students provided feedback on their questions based on the criteria discussed at the beginning of the workshop. The workshop concluded with a reflection activity. \n\nArticle by Elizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS Operations Manager URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cura-research-skills-workshop-designing-a-research-question/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Student Engagement ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/AW5Y9665.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230212T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Moscow:20230212T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230201T081207Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081207Z UID:10001496-1676224800-1676228400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Strategic Timing in the Appearance of News: Evidences from Scandals on U.S.Politicians DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Lamis Kattan\, Georgetown University in Qatar \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar \n\nDr. Lamis Kattan received her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Ottawa in Canada. She is an applied micro-economist and her fields of research broadly fall under labor economics\, political economy\, public economics\, and population economics. She joined Georgetown University in Qatar as an assistant professor of Economics in Fall 2022 where she has been teaching various courses including statistics\, econometrics\, and research methodologies. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/strategic-timing-in-the-appearance-of-news-evidences-from-scandals-on-u-s-politicians/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,CIRS Faculty Lectures,Dialogue Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/02/SW_17800-min-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230219T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230219T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230322T112000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081140Z UID:10001505-1676793600-1676826000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Narratives of Language Landscapes in Qatar: The Language Landscape in Qatar - Workshop I DESCRIPTION:On February 19–20\, 2023\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted a roundtable workshop titled “Language Landscapes of Qatar.” The two-day workshop was the first meeting under the “Narratives of Language Landscapes in Qatar” research initiative led by GU-Q faculty member\, Yehia A. Mohamed. The aim of the workshop was to identify understudied areas of research in the field of linguistics of the Arabic language\, particularly pertaining to spoken Arabic in Qatar. \n\nThe first session was moderated by Dr. Hadeel Al-Khatib\, Associate Professor of Educational Sciences at Qatar University. In this session\, scholars gave three presentations: “A Non-Najdi Element in Qatari Arabic\,” “Historical Linguistic Trends in Gulf Arabic\,” and “Mapping the Scholarship on Qatari Arabic and the Language Situation in Qatar.” \n\nDr. Eiman Mustafawi\, Associate Professor of English Literature and Linguistics\, and Vice President for Student Affairs at Qatar University\, presented one of the features of the Qatari spoken Arabic dialect\, noting that it could be considered a trace of a non-Najdi substrate dialect. Qatari Arabic belongs to the group of northeast Arabian dialects\, which originated in Najd. However\, there is a feature unique to Qatari Arabic—singular demonstrative terms for “this” do not distinguish gender\, whereas other northeast Arabian dialects do distinguish between the grammatical masculine and feminine form of “this.” Mustafawi calls this feature gender neutralization of the singular demonstrative in Qatari Arabic. In particular\, she has observed that the feminine form of the word is used\, regardless of the grammatical gender of the word it refers to. The participants discussed the possible causes of such a dialectical feature\, which is the subject of Mustafawi’s research as the initiative moves forward. \n\nDr. David Wilmsen\, a Professor at the American University of Sharjah\, presented on the historical linguistic trends in Gulf Arabic. Scholars have “bundled” unique features of Arabic dialects and mapped them geographically in a “broken chain” along the periphery of the Arabian Peninsula. Wilmsen’s presentation focused on the gaps along the “broken chain\,” one of them being Qatar as a geographic area\, and highlighted where his research may fill those gaps for Qatari Arabic. In the group discussion\, the scholars provided examples from their own experiences\, noting differences between Arabic speakers in different countries\, in proximity to populations speaking another dialect\, and also within the same country but of different tribal backgrounds. \n\nIn the final presentation of session one\, Dr. Yehia Mohamed\, Associate Professor of Arabic at GU-Q\, and Dr. Muntasir Al Hamad\, Associate Professor of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers at Qatar University\, exhibited their extensive work compiling scholarship on Qatari Arabic. A tremendous feat\, the compilation will serve as an incredibly useful tool for any scholar conducting research on Arabic dialects. In the group discussion\, scholars traded ideas and suggestions on how the corpus of data could be presented in physical and digital formats for maximum utility. \n\n\n\nDr. Yehia Mohamed talking about the Workshop on Alarabi TV\n\nSession two was moderated by Elizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS Operations Manager. In this session\, two presentations\, “Qatari Arabic Vowel Systems\,” and “Sound Changes in Qatari Arabic\,” provided an in-depth analysis of sounds unique to Qatari Arabic dialects. \n\nMark Shockley\, a Ph.D. candidate at Leiden University\, presented his in-depth work studying Qatari Arabic vowel systems. His study examined if and how Qatari Arabic speakers distinguished between certain vowel sounds appearing in specific contexts. One instance he studied is vowels that are paired with certain Arabic letters pronounced in the back of the throat. In spoken Arabic\, this “backness” is reflected in the accompanying vowel. In some Arabic dialects\, the consonant determines the vowel to some extent\, and certain vowels only occur with certain consonants. If appearing outside of this context\, a listener might have issues distinguishing the word. The other instance he studied is the pronunciation of the final vowel in specific contexts. Shockley argues that these vowel sound features seem to be unique to the Qatari dialect of Arabic\, which points to further areas of research as this project continues. \n\nThe final presentation of the day also examined sound changes in Qatari Arabic. Dr. Vladimir Kulikov\, Associate Professor of Linguistics at Qatar University\, presented other features unique to Qatari Arabic dialects. His study complements that of Shockley\, in that he also looks at the “backness” of vowels. However\, he also made an important note of sound differences with the consonants that are pronounced at the back of the throat. In addition to the “backness” of these consonants\, they are also characterized by the degree to which the speaker emits a puff of air when pronouncing the consonant sounds. This is called aspiration. Kulikov argues that Qatari Arabic dialects have two unique features related to aspiration and “backness” of these vowels and consonants. For the vowels\, Qatari Arabic dialect speakers pronounce the long vowel “a” in a more “back” way than in other dialects. When paired with these “backed” consonants\, the vowels are “more backed” than in other contexts. For the “backed” consonants\, in most other dialects\, “backed” consonants are spoken with very little air emission (aspiration). In the Qatari Arabic dialect\, speakers seem to emit more air when pronouncing the “backed” consonants than in other dialects. \n\nKulikov argues that for Qatari Arabic\, the level of aspiration on the consonant in this context is more important than the “backness” of the vowel\, which is not the case in other dialects. For example\, if a Qatari Arabic speaker hears two similar words\, one with a backed vowel and aspirated consonant\, and one with a backed vowel and not-so-aspirated consonant\, the listener will determine those to be the same word. Whereas in other dialects\, those two words would be considered different words due to the difference in aspiration and the difference in the “backness” of the vowel. In the group discussion\, scholars debated potential reasons these features developed\, and in which population of Qatari Arabic speakers these features are more prominent. \n\nThe third session\, on day two of the workshop\, was moderated by Dr. Christine Schiwietz\, Assistant Dean for Curricular and Academic Advising at GU-Q. In this session\, presentations covered the topics “Beyond the Question of ‘Arabic or English?’ in Qatar\,” “Helping Students Respond to the Linguistic Expectations of Analytical and Argumentative Writing in the Disciplines\,” and “The Narrative of Qatari Global Identity as Civic Epistemology: Hospitality\, Arts\, and Interculturalism.” \n\nDr. Dudley Reynolds\, Senior Associate Dean of Education and Full Teaching Professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar\, presented on “Beyond the Question of ‘Arabic or English?’ in Qatar.” His presentation centered around two ideas: the way we speak relates to where we come from in society; and\, how we look at language is a product of where we come from. Qatar has experienced a range of policies related to use of English and Arabic in schools\, public signage\, and elsewhere. Reynolds explained how in multilingual societies\, such as Qatar\, language choice often becomes a competition\, with one language “winning.” This can be seen playing out in media\, on government websites\, in schools\, and even on public signs. In the field of linguistics\, this environment taken as a whole is known as a “linguistic landscape\,” which\, in a diverse society such as Qatar\, can be quite complex. \n\nThe Scaffolding Literacy in Academic and Tertiary Environments Qatar (SLATEQ) project team presented on their work helping undergraduate students meet the writing expectations for their coursework. The team includes three faculty members at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q): Dr. Silvia Pessoa\, Teaching Professor of English; Dr. Thomas D. Mitchell\, Associate Teaching Professor of English; and\, Dr. Pia Gomez-Laich\, Assistant Teaching Professor of English. With funding from the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF)\, the team has spent four years collecting student writing and used the material to adapt the “3×3 Learning Toolkit” (Humphrey et al.\, 2010) to the fields of study at CMU-Q. The 3×3 model considers a written text’s ideational meanings (representing knowledge)\, interpersonal meanings (aligning readers)\, and textual meanings (organizing texts) within the whole text\, parts of the text\, and sentences/clauses within the text. The team has used this model in writing workshops they offer to students\, and they also embed themselves in courses with faculty partners. \n\nThe final presentation of this session was given by Dr. Wisam Abdul-Jabbar\, Visiting Professor at Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU). Abdul-Jabbar’s presentation covered “The Narrative of Qatari Global Identity as Civic Epistemology: Hospitality\, Arts\, and Interculturalism.” He started by reviewing the state of citizenship education in Qatar at present. In Qatar’s highly multicultural setting\, even local Qatari citizenship as an identity has taken on internationalized and globalized facets. Abdul-Jabbar explored this through three components: hospitality\, arts\, and interculturalism. As the project moves forward\, Abdul-Jabbar will examine the following research questions: to what extent and under what conditions does hospitality to foreigners define the responsibilities of Qatari citizens? Is there a Qatari architectural global identity\, and what does it tell us about Qatari civics? Which Qatari and Islamic ethics\, customs\, values\, and practices qualify as intercultural? \n\nThe final session of the two-day workshop covered “Other Languages in Qatar and their Relationship with Arabic\,” and “The Linguistic Landscape of Public Signage in Qatar.” Dr. Irene Theodoropoulou\, Associate Professor of Linguistics at Qatar University\, moderated the session. \n\nDr. Andrei Avram\, Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Bucharest\, Romania\, presented on other languages in Qatar\, and suggested potential areas of further study. According to Avram\, Qatari Arabic and other Arabic dialects only constitute approximately twenty-eight percent of the languages spoken in Qatar. The majority of other languages are Asian\, including Bengali\, Farsi\, Hindi\, Indonesian\, Malayalam\, Nepalese\, Urdu\, and others. The other non-Arabic\, non-Asian languages spoken in Qatar\, including English\, constitute only twelve percent of the languages spoken in Qatar. Farsi\, Urdu\, and Hindi have even contributed words to the Gulf Arabic lexicon. Another interesting component of the Qatari language landscape is what is termed Gulf Pidgin Arabic and Arabic Foreigner Talk\, which are often spoken among communities that do not share a common language. With the spread of English to Gulf countries\, Avram also suggested the areas of Arabic-English code-switching\, New Englishes\, and Pidgin English as further areas of research. \n\nDr. Rizwan Ahmad\, Associate Professor of Linguistics at Qatar University\, and Dr. Sara Hillman\, Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University in Qatar\, gave the final presentation on the use of language on public signs in Qatar. Following a screening of his 20-minute documentary\, Ahmad described the sociolinguistic context within which Qatari dialect spellings were used on street signs. Notably\, many street signs in Qatar are written in Arabic script\, which mirrors Qatari Arabic dialect pronunciations instead of the expected Standard Arabic ones. Ahmad highlighted how the use of nonstandard Arabic spelling displays a complex interplay of language\, script\, identity\, and migration. The documentary shows how supposedly “incorrect” spellings on street signs serve as visual icons that mark public spaces as Qatari. They showcase Qatari identity and heritage as distinct from other Arabic-speaking societies. Ahmad and Hillman’s presentation complemented that of Dudley Reynolds\, and also touched on language policy for public signs. How shopkeepers choose to display Arabic and English on their signs forms an important part of the language landscape for the populations living in that area. \n\nIn the wrap-up session\, Dr. Yehia Mohamed led a group discussion to explore the next steps for the project. As part of the research initiative\, the group aims to compile at least one written publication\, with further digital components published online. A second workshop will take place in fall 2023 to study the sociolinguistic narratives in Qatar. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n\nArticle by Elizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS Operations Manager \n\n\nTo view the working group agenda\, click here\n\n\n\nTo read the participants’ biographies\, click here\n\n\n\nRead more about this research initiative\n\n\nParticipants and Discussants:  \n\n\nWisam Kh. Abdul-Jabbar\, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).\n\n\n\nRizwan Ahmad\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nMuntasir Fayez Al Hamad\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nHadeel Al-Khatib\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nAndrei Avram\, University of Bucharest\n\n\n\nZahra Babar\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nRobert Bianchi\, VCUarts Qatar\n\n\n\nJulie Boéri\, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).\n\n\n\nAbdelrahman Elsharqawy\, Osaka University\n\n\n\nDeborah Giustini\, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).\n\n\n\nPia Gomez-Laich\, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar\n\n\n\nSara Hillman\, Texas A&M University at Qatar.\n\n\n\nVladimir Kulikov\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nSuzi Mirgani\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nThomas D. Mitchell\, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar\n\n\n\nYehia A. Mohamed\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nEiman Mustafawi\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nSilvia Pessoa\, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar\n\n\n\nDudley Reynolds\, Carnegie Mellon Unive\,rsity in Qatar\n\n\n\nChristine Schiwietz\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nMark Shockley\, American University of Sharjah\n\n\n\nIrene Theodoropoulou\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nElizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nDavid Wilmsen\, American University of Sharjah\n\n\n\nWajdi Zaghouani\, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/narratives-of-language-landscapes-in-qatar-the-language-landscape-in-qatar-workshop-i/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/AW5Y2610.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230305T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230305T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230810T112421Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081116Z UID:10001274-1678021200-1678024800@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:CURA Spotlight: Kyoko Matsukawa DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Kyoko Matsukawa (Konan University) \n\nModerator: Aashish Karn (Georgetown University in Qatar\, Class of 2023) \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar \n\nOn March 5th 2023\, CIRS organized its first CURA Spotlight roundtable event of the semester with Dr. Kyoko Matsukawa\, Professor in the faculty of Letters and the Director in General of the Konan International Exchange Center at Konan University in Kobe\, Japan. The workshop was offered under the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) Program\, and was moderated by a CURA Student Assistant\, Aashish Karn. Elizabeth Wanucha\, the Operations Manager of CIRS\, opened the event with a description of the CURA Spotlight initiative and introduced the moderator. The session\, then\, progressed into a brief introduction of the guest speaker\, Dr. Matsukawa and the structure of the event by Aashish. The moderator and the guest speaker had a discussion for the first half of the session and then moved on to taking questions from the audience. The moderator initiated the discussion by inquiring about the graduate education experience of Dr. Matsukawa. Aashish began by asking Dr. Matsukawa about her research interests and how she became interested in anthropology. Given the expertise of the guest speaker in anthropological research in South Asia and the Gulf\, the discussion was directed by a series of questions from the moderator which focused on Dr. Matsukawa’s experience in conducting ethnographic fieldwork in the region. The discussion also focused on Dr. Matsukawa’s experience in conducting ethnographic research among the Goan population in India and gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities of conducting fieldwork in a cross-cultural context. During the event\, Dr. Matsukawa shared some of her key findings and reflections on the research process\, including the methods she used to build arapport with the local community\, navigate cultural differences\, and document her participant observations. Dr. Matsukawa also answered a set of questions on her research interests on the transnational community and citizenship of Indian expatriates. The Spotlight event concluded with a question about Dr. Matsukawa’s future research plans. Finally\, the event progressed into a Q&A session where the moderator took questions from the audience for the guest speaker which were centered around the research of the speaker. In the engaging Q&A session with Dr. Matsukawa\, students asked various questions about her research\, the broader scholarship her research deals with\, and her own experience on the role ofethnography in contemporary anthropological studies. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cura-spotlight-kyoko-matsukawa/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Regional Studies,Student Engagement ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/SW_33716.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230306T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230306T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203439 CREATED:20230312T120431Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081044Z UID:10001501-1678089600-1678122000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Reflections on the World Cup 2022 and the Role of Sport in Qatar's Future Development DESCRIPTION:In this panel\, we reflect on how the World Cup impacted Qatar’s politics and society and its relations with other nations in the region and internationally. We also discuss the role of sport in Qatar’s future development. \n\nModerator: Suzi Mirgani (Center for International and Regional Studies\, Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nPanelists: Danyel Reiche (Georgetown University in Qatar)\, Alexandra Chalat (Qatar Foundation)\, and Zaid Mosawy (Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy). \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/reflections-on-the-world-cup-2022-and-the-role-of-sport-in-qatars-future-development/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,FIFA World Cup Series,Panels,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/GUQ_Reflections-of-WC-2022-4811-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230308T123940 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230308T123940 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20220904T111746Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220904T111746Z UID:10001471-1678279180-1678279180@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY: DESCRIPTION:مجموعة العمل 1عن تاريخ العالم وممارسات الاسلاموفوبيا \n\n 08 AUG 2022 – 09 AUG 2022 17:00 – 19:30 \n\n\n\n في 8 و 9 أغسطس 2022، نظم مركز الدراسات الدولية والإقليمية أول اجتماع بحثي في ​​إطار مبادرته حول تاريخ العالم وممارسات الإسلاموفوبيا. عقد الاجتماع كحدث افتراضي عبر الإنترنت، بمشاركة علماء من مختلف المواقع الجغرافية. يهدف الاجتماع إلى مناقشة مقترحات الملخصات المقدمة، والتي تم التماسها من خلال دعوة لتقديم الأوراق وتقديمها من قبل العلماء المدعوين. ناقش الأكاديميون والخبراء المجتمعون من خلفيات متعددة التخصصات القضايا المتعلقة بالتحامل العالمي على الإسلام بما يتجاوز مسألة الحرب على الإرهاب والخوف والكراهية للإسلام والمسلمين بعد 11 سبتمبر. \n\n \n\nبدأت المحادثة من قبل “آن نورتون”، التي جادلت أنه على الرغم من اعتماد الفكر السياسي الغربي على الفلسفة الإسلامية، إلا أنه غالبًا ما كان يُنظر إليه على أنه محو للملامح في تصوير شخصي متراكم تشكله طبقات التأثيرات والمحو هذه يخفي ويكشف عن مكانة الفكر الإسلامي، الفلسفي والديني، في الدين والفلسفة الغربية. الهدف من هذه الورقة هو العمل على توضيح الآثار التأسيسية لهذا النص. إلى جانب عزل الفكر الإسلامي في السياسة والفلسفة، ستوضح الورقة كيف قام الغرب بتقييد جوانب تحقيقاته الفكرية الخاصة. تقوم نورتون بتشخيص آثار استقرار التنوير التي منعت كلا من المشاركة الكاملة في التفكير في الإلوهية في الغرب. \n\n حوّل سلمان سيد المناقشة إلى مسألة ظهور دولة الإسلاموفوبيا. وقال إن هناك حاجة لتوسيع أطر الجغرافيا وتعميق مجال التاريخ لفهم الإسلاموفوبيا. غالبًا ما يُفهم المصطلح على أنه مشكلة تنطبق على الأقليات المسلمة ولكن ليس على الدول ذات الأغلبية المسلمة. نشوء دولة معادية للإسلام، وهي شكل محدد من أشكال الدولة، لها مجموعة مميزة من المؤسسات والعمليات الإدارية وتغطي نطاقا متسعا من الأشكال السياسية. فالدولة المعادية للإسلام لا تستهدف فقط التعبيرات عن الإسلام ولكن في جهودها لتأديب المسلمين، تبني نظامًا دوليًا للمراقبة والتقييد، والذي يمكن تطبيقه بسهولة على الفاعلين الاجتماعيين الآخرين. تهدف الورقة إلى شرح ظهور الدولة المعادية للإسلام كمشروع لإعادة صياغة العقود الاجتماعية وإعادة تشكيل العلاقات بين المحكومين والحكام. أثارت حفصة كانجوال مسألة تقرير المصير فيما يتعلق بالاسلاموفبيا في كشمير التي تحتلها الهند. وذكرت أن تطور الإسلاموفوبيا في الهند هو نتيجة مشتركة لكل من الأيديولوجيات العلمانية الليبرالية والهندوسية. فبينما تُستخدم العلمانية في الهند لنزع الطابع السياسي عن الهوية الإسلامية بالقوة، يرى داعمو دولة الهندوس المسلمين على أنهم تابعون للهوية الهندوسية للأمة. باستخدام كشمير المحتلة كمثال، تبحث الورقة في كيفية استبعاد أهمية الإسلام من بين فئات الدولة الحديثة وكيف تحاول الدولة تقويض النشاطات الإسلامية وتقرير المصير. كانت الحجة الرئيسية هي أن الطابع الأساسي للقومية الهندية هو معاداة الإسلام، والذي لا يمحو فقط العلامات الإسلامية في الأماكن العامة ويقبل بالعنف والتعصب تجاه المسلمين كأمر طبيعي، ولكنه ينظر أيضًا إلى مطالبة المسلمين بالسيادة أو تقرير المصير بريبة ورفض ضمن نظام الدولة القومية العلمانية الليبرالية. ثم وجهت شيرين فرنانديز التحويل لفحص البحر كمسرح لممارسات الإسلاموفوبيا. وتقول إن هناك فجوة في الأدبيات تتجاهل دراسة كيفية استخدام البحر كمساحة لممارسة الإسلاموفوبيا. ولسد هذه الفجوة، ستنظر ورقتها في الممارسات التاريخية لنقل السجناء المسلمين ، من قبل البريطانيين في خمسينيات القرن التاسع عشر ، إلى مستعمرة عقابية تستخدم كمنفى في جزر أندامان على متن سفن وتدرس تجاربهم كمدانين استعماريين. سيربط الجزء الأخير من الورقة هذا التاريخ بالاسلاموفوبيا التي عانى منها المعتقلون في خليج غوانتانامو خلال الحرب على الإرهاب بعد 11 سبتمبر. ومن خلال هذه المساهمة، تهدف فرنانديز إلى استكشاف مركزية البحر كموقع يديم إضفاء الطابع المكاني على الإسلاموفوبيا كما يتجلى في نماذج معاملة السجناء المسلمين.. تناولت مناقشة أولي شاربونو دور الإسلام ومظاهر الإسلاموفوبيا في الفلبين المستعمرة من عام 1899 إلى عشرينيات القرن الماضي. وجادل بأن التفكير المتحيز عن المسلمين في المنطقة هو نتيجة لخطابات عديدة. أدى ذلك إلى سيطرة ممنهجة على السكان المسلمين من خلال العنف العسكري والهيمنة الثقافية والسياسية. تهدف ورقة شاربونو إلى دراسة المواد الأرشيفية من العلاقات الخارجية للولايات المتحدة، والدراسات الفلبينية؛ ودراسات جنوب شرق آسيا الإسلامية لتوضيح الأفكار الأمريكية المعاصرة حول المجتمعات الإسلامية وأفعالها. استخدام جنوب الفلبين كدراسة حالة سيهدف شاربونو أيضًا إلى تقديم الإسلاموفوبيا في جنوب شرق آسيا كمجموعة من المعتقدات وليس كممارسة موحدة. \n\nقاد فالنتين دوكيه النقاش حول الإسلاموفوبيا في الأدب الاستعماري الاستيطاني “الجزائري” الذي ظهر في النصف الأول من القرن العشرين. خلال هذه الحقبة، كانت الجزائر منطقة تابعة للجمهورية الفرنسية. بتحليل ثلاث روايات من فترة ما بين الحربين كأرشيف تاريخي، ستبحث ورقته في تمثيل المواطن المسلم، والذي يشرح دوكيه أنه المفتاح لفهم الإسلاموفوبيا في ظل الاستعمار الفرنسي وكذلك حلها الوحشي بعد بضعة عقود. في هذه الروايات، غالبًا ما يتم إهمال الشخصيات الإسلامية واستبعادها إلى الخلفية أو محوها أو استبدالها بشخصيات “بربرية” غالبًا ما تكون مسيحية أو وثنية أو متوسطية غامضة. ويقول إن هذا المحو دليل على العنف الرمزي للاستيعاب الفرنسي الذي أنكر حتى اسم “جزائري” من بين المسلمين المغاربيين. \n\nناقش علي الصمدي دور الإسلام الإسباني وسلط الضوء على معالجة أدب الموريسكيين في الدراسات الأكاديمية. يجادل الصمدي بأن الإسلام ينظر إليه من قبل العلماء المستشرقين على أنه دين مستورد وليس جزءًا من الثقافة والتراث الإسباني الأصلي. وفي ورقته البحثية، يلقي الصمدي الضوء على الرفض السياسي الحالي للاعتراف بلغة الموريسكين وأدبهم المتجذر بعمق في الممارسات الماضية. ويوضح تحليله كيف كان منحى القرنين التاسع عشر والعشرين وفهمه للموريسكيين بأنهم كانوا متحيزين ويظهر الروابط الأدبية والثقافية بين أدب موريسكو والمؤلفين الإسبان المعاصرين التي تعكس التأثيرات عبر الأديان الفريدة التي تقتصر على شبه الجزيرة الأيبيرية. \n\n حول فيرات أوروش تركيز المناقشة إلى الإسلاموفوبيا في تركيا والخوف من الإسلام في العصر الجمهوري التركي. روى أوروش أنه بعد زوال الإمبراطورية العثمانية، زعمت النخب التأسيسية الكمالية والمثقفون الأتراك أن الإسلام هو “ضائقة روحية” كان على الأمة التركية أن تتعافى منها. تصور مفهومهم لتركيا الحديثة إضفاء الصبغة الغربية على قومية الدولة. كان يُنظر إلى العصر العثماني على أنه قمع للشعب التركي وللقيم الثقافية التركية، حيث يُنظر إلى الإسلام على أنه التهديد الرئيسي لظهور تركيا كدولة جمهورية حديثة. ومن خلال فحص النصوص الثقافية والأدبية التركية، يهدف أوروش إلى استكشاف المظاهر والمؤشرات التاريخية للخوف من الإسلام وآثاره في تركيا وأيضًا إلى دراسة كيف يمكن أن تتكرر بعض النماذج المماثلة من الإسلاموفوبيا في المجتمعات ذات الأغلبية المسلمة الأخرى.تطرق توماس سيمزاريان دولان إلى مسألة “المال العربي” والرأسمالية العالمية. جادل دولان أنه في الخطاب الاقتصادي الانتقائي، يُنظر إلى المسلمين على أنهم فاعلون اقتصاديون غير عاديين. وصرح دولان بأن هذا الشكل من الإسلاموفوبيا يعتمد على نظرية الاستشراق التي تعمقت خلال الحرب الباردة، وتصف المسلمين بأنهم يشكلون تهديدًا أمنيًا للنظام المالي الغربي الذي يحتاج إلى انضباط اقتصادي وسياسي. إضافة إلى العمل الحالي للعلماء مثل ديبا كومار ومصطفى بيومي ومحمود معمداني، يهدف دولان وشريكته في التأليف زينب قادري إلى استكشاف هذه السلسلة من الإسلاموفوبيا من خلال تتبع الاقتصادات السياسية العابرة للحدود الوطنية التي يتدفق فيها رأس المال العالمي والأشخاص. يتم تحجيمها في وقت واحد. \n\nسلطت منيزة رضوي الضوء على الخلافات حول وصف النضال الفلسطيني بأنه “قضية إسلامية”. ركزت على الأصوات التي، من ناحية، تنتقد روايات المستشرقين التي تصور إنشاء إسرائيل على أنه عداء بين المسلمين واليهود، ومن ناحية أخرى، تشير إلى أن التسمية “إسلامية” تستبعد بالضرورة الأطر التحليلية الأخرى للموضوع، مثل الاستعمار الاستيطاني. تدفع رضوي بأن الافتراضات العلمانية حول السياسة والدين تبني هذه النقاشات العادية، بالإضافة إلى المسارات الأكاديمية الموازية في دراسات الشرق الأوسط.وجه فريد حافظ المناقشة نحو الجغرافيا السياسية للإسلاموفوبيا وذكر أن فكرة الإسلام السياسي قد استخدمت من قبل الحكومات الوسطية في أوروبا لاستبعاد المسلمين من المجال العام، وإسكات الأصوات الناقدة، وقمع الجاليات المسلمة. هذا الخطاب هو امتداد للرواية حول مكافحة التطرف والحرب العالمية على الإرهاب. يهدف حافظ إلى دراسة كيف أن محاولات إسكات المسلمين تتجاوز الغرب. باستخدام عدسة جيوسياسية، وينظر في محاولات الإمارات لتشكيل الخطاب حول تدجين المسلمين في أوروبا ومصالح الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل في قمع حماس. ويحاول رسم الروابط والاختلافات بين هذه الممارسات والإسلاموفوبيا في أوروبا.شارك عبد الله العريان أفكار سانوبر عمر حول تكوين العرق والدين في الهند الاستعمارية وما بعد الاستعمار. تم تشجيع المشاركين على النقاش حول قضايا مثل؛ المواقف الاستعمارية السائدة تجاه الإسلام في الهند، واستخدام الدين للتمييز بين الهندوس والمسلمين على أنهم “أعراق” منفصلة، والنظر إلى المسلمين على أنهم خطرون وبربريون مقارنة بالهندوس الذين يمكن إشراكهم في النظام الاستعماري البريطاني.يأخذ المشاركون التعليقات البناءة التي تلقوها على ملخصاتهم ويبدأون في كتابة مسودات الأوراق، والتي سيتم تعميمها على المجموعة قبل الاجتماع الثاني لمجموعة العمل. في الاجتماع اللاحق، سينتقد العلماء أوراق بعضهم البعض ويقدمون تعليقات متعمقة. \n\n• لعرض جدول أعمال مجموعة العمل ، اضغط هنا• لقراءة السير الذاتية للمشاركين، اضغط هنا• اقرأ المزيد عن هذه المبادرة البحثية \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nالمشاركون والمناقشات \n\n• عبدالله العريان جامعة جورجتاون في قطر• علي الصمادي ـ جامعة إنديانا بلومنجتون ـ الولايات المتحدة• زهرة بابار ، مركز الدراسات الدولية والإقليمية – جامعة جورجتاون في قطر• مسبا بهاتي ، مركز الدراسات الدولية والإقليمية – جامعة جورجتاون في قطر• أولي شاربونو ، جامعة جلاسكو• توماس سيمزاريان دولان ، الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة• فالنتين دوكيتيس ، جامعة تكساس في أوستن• شيرين فرنانديز ، كلية لندن للاقتصاد والعلوم السياسية• فريد حافظ جامعة جورجتاون• حفصة كنجواليس من كلية لافاييت• سوزي ميرغني ، مركز الدراسات الدولية والإقليمية – جامعة جورجتاون في قطر• آن نورتون ، جامعة بنسلفانيا \n\n المقال بقلم ميسبا بهاتي، محللة بحثية بمركز الدراسات الدولية والاقليمية URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/24538/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230312T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230312T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20230502T103234Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081000Z UID:10001510-1678608000-1678640400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Global Histories and Practices of Islamophobia Workshop II DESCRIPTION:On March 12 and 13\, 2023\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) organized a second research meeting under its research initiative\, Global Histories and Practices of Islamophobia. The aim of the two-day meeting was to discuss and provide extensive feedback on written contributions from scholars and experts on the subject. The convened scholars presented papers on a variety of issues such as islamophobia and Orientalism\, settler colonialism\, global capitalism\, Islamic identity\, and Islamic and Western thought among others. \n\nAnne Norton opened the discussion with her paper\, “Reading the Palimpsest: The Erasure\, Exile\, and Elision of Islamic Thought in Western Philosophy.” Norton argued that the contributions of Muslim philosophers in Western political thought and philosophy are often erased. The foundational role played by figures such as al-Farabi\, Ibn Rushd\, and Ibn Sina in shaping Western philosophy is excluded from the Western canon. She stated that this erasure can be traced back to enmity\, shame\, and the European insistence on civilizational dominance. Her paper examines the palimpsest formed by these erasures and states that philosophic and political exclusions can be better understood through the recovery and reparation of Islamic thinkers and philosophers. \n\nSalman Sayyid then presented his paper\, “Islamophobia and Worldmaking.” He stated that islamophobia is a type of racism that specifically targets perceived “Muslimness.” It is a concept that has taken different forms and expressions over time and context and plays out at different horizons. With this paper\, Sayyid challenges the dominant framing of islamophobia as primarily a result of the War on Terror and argues that it is a product of the colonial-racial venture of Europe/West\, along with antisemitism and racism. The chapter details the history and definition of the term islamophobia\, and the nature of the phenomenon itself as well as discusses the various global proposals and policies put forward for its reduction.  \n\nIn the next session\, Hafsa Kanjwal discussed her piece\, “Against Muslimness: Islamophobia in Indian-occupied Kashmir.” She narrated that in the case of Indian-occupied Kashmir both secular liberalism and Hindu nationalist ideology converged in producing islamophobia. The chapter proposes that islamophobia must be recognized as a denial and regulation of “Muslimness.” This\, she argues includes not only practices of islamophobia in sites where public markers of Muslim difference are erased or violence and bigotry towards Muslims are normalized\, but also in places where Muslim histories of indigeneity\, demands for self-determination\, or expressions of solidarity\, are seen with suspicion or rejected altogether as being dangerous to the liberal\, secular nation-state order. \n\nShifting the focus to “Islamophobia and the Sea\,” Shereen Fernandez traced how the sea and bodies of water have become sites of abuse and torture for racialized Muslims and detailed how characterizations of Muslims as ‘fanatics’ and ‘violent’ is not a new phenomenon arising from the War on Terror but have a deeper and more global history. Using the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and the treatment of Indian Muslims specifically\, alongside the treatment of detainees at Guantánamo Bay at the height of the War on Terror\, as case studies Fernandez aims to examine how Muslims were characterized and the impacts this has had on the continued abuse and labeling of these convicts as the “Other.” By focusing on seascapes through the forced transportation of Muslims across seas to penal colonies and prisoners\, this chapter amplifies the argument that islamophobia is a practice rooted in racism and violence.    \n\nOli Charbonneau’s presentation on\, “Learning and Loathing: The Long Shadow of US Colonialism\,” traced how Islamophobic beliefs and practices emerged within deeper American colonial history. Using Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago as case studies\, he explained how the Southern Philippines acted as a site for the continuous regeneration of ideas about the Muslim threat. His paper provides an analysis of how American islamophobia is the result of attempts to reform Muslim Filipinos\, alongside acts of violence within a military state. The paper traces the lineage of these ideas\, which Charbonneau argues persists not only in U.S. military activities in the Southern Philippines but also in a host of cultural products that renew fearful visions forged within the empire. \n\nThe next session looked at Firat Oruc’s paper\, “Islam as Founding Fear: Turkish National Humanism and “the Muslim Orient.” He stated that the foundation of the new Turkish state as a westernized\, secular\, and modern nation-state was laid upon the expulsion of the old Ottoman-Islamic traditions. His paper examines how this was embedded into the narrative of ensuring national survival and territorial sovereignty\, which was seen as integral to the emergence of modern Turkey. The fear of Islam as the return of repressed was envisioned as a threat to Turkey’s modern image and was regarded as the root neurotic cause of Turkey’s crisis of identity. \n\nValentin Duquet then presented his paper on “Islamophobia in Algerianist Settler-Colonial Literature of the Interwar Period: A Post-Orientalist Form of Symbolic Violence.” Analyzing three Algerianist novels of the interwar period\, Pascualette l’Algérien by Louis Lecoq\, Cassard le Berbère by Robert Randau\, and Berberopolis by Victor Trenga\, Duquet’s paper tracks a progression from covert to overt islamophobia\, in ways that continually erase Muslim identities while highlighting stories of settler and Berber successes. These literary pieces\, Duquet argues depict religious and racial animosity as systemic and are embedded in the political climate of the time. The paper aims to examine how post-orientalism is therefore not a rejection but a continuation of French imperialism with its brand of islamophobia. \n\nCommenting on his paper\, “Spanish Islam and Islamic Identity in Scholarship: The Case of the Moriscos\,” Ali Alsmadi stated that the expulsion of the Moriscos was part of Spain’s violent past and the denial of the right to return to Spain to their descendants reinforces a double standard and contradicts Spain’s claims to multiculturalism\, diversity\, and tolerance. This stance is rooted in Spain’s past and is an example of islamophobia\, which is not a recent phenomenon but has deep roots in Spanish history. The Moriscos were seen as the ‘Other\,’ and their differences were conflated with religious deviance. Alsmadi’s study aims to draw parallels between the Moriscos’ case and the situation of Muslim minorities in contemporary Spain and other European countries\, where islamophobia shapes debates about identity\, secularity\, and multiculturalism. The paper claims that disregarding Moriscos’ past tragedies leads to downplaying current Islamophobic practices\, which are aimed towards safeguarding the future of the European identity. \n\nFocusing on Islamophobia in China with his paper “Islamophobia in Late Imperial China: Rhetoric and Roots\,” Haiyun Ma provided a historical account of Islamophobia in Confucian China. By examining the systematic Han Confucian accusations and attacks on Chinese-speaking Muslims in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties\, Ma outlines premodern Islamophobia\, as seen in Confucian historiography and discourses\, as well as traces the transition of the Confucian historiography to a nationalist ideology in the early twentieth century. The author notes that modern Islamophobia in China is different from the premodern version which has ties to the Middle East\, the Arabs\, Wahabi ideology\, and global Islamophobia primarily imported from the West. \n\nAndrew Hammond’s paper “Islamophobia and Modern Islamic Thought\,” examined the role of modernizing intellectual currents\, both from within the Islamic tradition and from Western philosophy\, in providing the ideological basis for secular authoritarian regimes in the Middle East in the 20th century. Hammond stated that the materialist and positivist trends in Western philosophy influenced ruling elites in the Middle East\, but modern Islamic thought’s internalization of European secularism provided an internal ideological cover for the authoritarian secular hue of post-colonial regimes. The paper also examines how Islamic political movements dealt with secularism after the Iranian Revolution and sought to reclaim lost ground for religion\, which lead to an intensification of anti-Muslim animus during the 2000s. \n\nIn the next session\, Carol Fadda presented her chapter “Producing “Terror:” Gendered State Surveillance and the US Racial State.” Addressing the experiences of Arab and Muslim women who have been targeted and attacked by the US security state for their political stances within the US\, the chapter analyzed and identified the US security state as a racial state in its ongoing gendered criminalization of Arab and Muslim communities. Fadda highlighted the case of Palestinian-American activist Rasmea Odeh\, who was arrested in 2013 for allegedly lying on her US citizenship application. Many activists claimed that Odeh’s arrest and deportation were politically motivated due to her pro-Palestinian activism and support for the Boycott\, Divestment\, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Fadda argued that Odeh’s case is an example of the US security state’s increasing racialized and gendered targeting of Arab and Muslim women\, which builds on a longer history of the state’s criminalization of political critique\, dissidence\, and activism by Arabs and other racialized minorities in the US more broadly. \n\nZayneb Quadri presented her paper “A-rab Money”: Islamophobia and Global Capitalism\,” which she co-authored with Thomas Simsarian Dolan. She maintained that while after 9/11\, islamophobia became more racialized\, the political shift was less an intensification of a pre-existing hatred and more of a reorientation within the geography of U.S. imperialism. Suggesting that it becomes difficult to frame islamophobia as a cogent racism\, given the privileged status the US state has accorded to many Muslims\, who are allowed to be “good” so long as they are proximal to natural resources and capital that serves a Euro-American global capitalist order. This contribution looks at the framing of “Muslimness” both as an ally and threat and examines Muslims’ racing and un-racing through the ideological and structural positions they occupy. The authors argue that the evolution of these modes of engagement with Muslims emphasizes articulating who qualifies as a tolerable Muslim and who becomes a threat to national security. \n\nFarid Hafez addressed the issue of islamophobia in Germany with his chapter\, “Colonial and Post-Colonial Governance of Islam in Germany.” Tracing the historical legacy of racialization in Germany Hafez highlighted the importance of colonialism in understanding the context of islamophobia in Germany. The paper discusses issues of the governance of Muslims\, and the bureaucratization of Islam\, first in colonial and then in postcolonial times to evaluate the legacy of the colonial\, racial order\, and aims to provide a nuanced picture of past and present islamophobia in Germany. \n\nThe final session looked at Sanober Umar’s paper “Good Orient/Bad Orient: ‘Yogawashing’ in Casteist-Islamophobic India.” Tracing the development of contemporary islamophobia in India under Hindu Nationalism\, Umar discussed how British orientalist perceptions and literature produced and reproduced the figure of the Muslim as dangerous and barbaric\, often in collusion with casteist and nativist Hindus\, which still influences contemporary Hindu Nationalist ideologies. This Umar argues has resulted in the racialization of Muslims in dehumanizing tropes\, with little condemnation from the Western quarters. The paper examines how both the neocolonial Western global apparatus and Hindu Nationalists have produced themselves as desirable civilizations through their ethnocultural narratives of history and self-representation\, in relation to the global figure of the homogenized and otherized Muslim. Notably\, the paper examines how romanticized and exotic conceptions of “eastern spirituality” including popular imaginations of contemporary India as a land of peaceful yoga practices has further served to invisibilize the complex histories and ongoing politics of Muslim persecution in the country with Western complacency. \n\nThe final revised drafts will be collected by CIRS with an aim of publishing an edited volume in the future. \n\n\nTo view the working group agenda\, click here\n\n\n\nTo read the participants’ biographies\, click here\n\n\n\nRead more about this research initiative\n\n\nParticipants and Discussants:  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbdullah Al-Arian Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nAli Alsmadi Indiana University Bloomington\n\n\n\nZahra Babar\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nMisba Bhatti\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nOli Charbonneau University of Glasgow\n\n\n\nThomas Simsarian Dolan American University in Cairo\n\n\n\nValentin Duquetis University of Texas at Austin\n\n\n\nCarol Fadda Syracuse University\n\n\n\nShereen Fernandez London School of Economics\n\n\n\nFarid Hafez Georgetown University\n\n\n\nAndrew Hammond Oxford University\n\n\n\nHafsa Kanjwalis Lafayette College\n\n\n\nAashish Karn Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nHaiyun Ma Frostburg State University\n\n\n\nSuzi Mirgani\, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nAnne Norton University of Pennsylvania\n\n\n\nFirat Oruc Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nZaynab Quadri Ohio State University\n\n\n\nDalva Raposo Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nSalman Sayyid University of Leeds\n\n\n\nAsma Shakeel Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nSanober Umar York University\n\n\n\nElizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS – Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\n\nKarine Walther Georgetown University Qatar\n\n\nArticle by Misba Bhatti\, Research Analyst at CIRS URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/global-histories-and-practices-of-islamophobia-workshop-ii/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Race & Society,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/Featured-Image_Islamophobia-WS-II.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230319T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230319T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20230810T112854Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T081022Z UID:10001276-1679230800-1679234400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:CURA Spotlight: Min Zhou DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Min Zhou (University of California\, Los Angeles) \n\nModerator: Dalva Raposo (Georgetown University in Qatar\, Class of 2024) \n\nLocation: Georgetown University in Qatar URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cura-spotlight-min-zhou/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Student Engagement ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/AW5Y0555.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230319T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230319T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20230312T121241Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T080928Z UID:10001502-1679248800-1679252400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Beyond Economic Migration: Social\, Historical\, and Political Factors in US Immigration DESCRIPTION:Moderator: Zahra Babar (Center for International and Regional Studies\, Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nPanelists: Min Zhou (University of California\, Los Angeles)\, Hasan Mahmud (Northwestern University in Qatar)\, and Misba Bhatti (Center for International and Regional Studies\, Georgetown University in Qatar). \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cirs-book-launch-beyond-economic-migration/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Panels,Race & Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/MB9_0080.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230821T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230821T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20230821T130331Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230903T075143Z UID:10001280-1692622800-1692626400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:CIRS Open House DESCRIPTION:On August 21\, 2023\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) held an open house for GU-Q students\, faculty\, and staff to learn more about CIRS\, the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) program\, and how they can be involved in the Center’s work. Over 70 attendees met CIRS staff members and listened to a presentation by Elizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS Operations Manager. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cirs-open-house/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Student Engagement ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/Screenshot-477-min-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230910T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230910T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20230816T130233Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T080905Z UID:10001278-1694368800-1694372400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Iran-Saudi Relations: Changing Regional Alignments DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Mehran Kamrava (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nModerator: Gerd Nonneman (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nLocation: Faculty Conference Room\, GU-Q (First floor) \n\nMehran Kamrava is Professor of Government at Georgetown University Qatar. Kamrava is the author of a number of journal articles and books\, including\, most recently\, Righteous Politics: Power and Resilience in Iran (Cambridge University Press\, 2023); A Dynastic History of Iran: From the Qajars to the Pahlavis (Cambridge University Press\, 2022); and Triumph and Despair: In Search of Iran’s Islamic Republic (Oxford University Press\, 2022). URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/iran-saudi-relations-changing-regional-alignments/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:CIRS Faculty Lectures,Dialogue Series,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/Screenshot-513.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230914T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230916T160000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20230622T062439Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T080822Z UID:10001268-1694714400-1694880000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:The Invasion of Iraq: Regional Reflections DESCRIPTION:The 2003 invasion of Iraq marked a critical turning point in America’s relationship with Iraq and its neighboring countries\, a region of strategic importance encompassing vital energy and military interests\, and reshaped its diplomatic relations worldwide. This conference was convened by the Dean of Georgetown University in Qatar\, Dr. Safwan Masri\, in collaboration with the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS). Taking a regional perspective\, this meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the many geopolitical and socioeconomic consequences of the conflict that continue to reverberate across the globe twenty years later. \n\n\nView the highlighs\n\n\n\nAbout the Conference URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/the-invasion-of-iraq-regional-reflections/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Hiwaraat_Iraq_Eventbrite_banner_2160x1080_Final-min-e1689683808837.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230924T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20230925T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240212T113018Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T080758Z UID:10001527-1695542400-1695661200@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Sociolinguistics Landscape and Culture in Qatar - Workshop II DESCRIPTION:On September 24 and 25\, 2023\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted a roundtable workshop titled “Sociolinguistics Landscape and Culture in Qatar.” The two-day workshop was the second meeting under the “Narratives of Language Landscapes in Qatar” research initiative led by GU-Q faculty member\, Yehia A. Mohamed. The aim of the workshop was to discuss and provide feedback on the abstracts submitted by the workshop participant. \n\n\nTo view the working group agenda\, click here\n\n\n\nTo read the participants’ biographies\, click here\n\n\n\nRead more about this research initiative\n\n\nParticipants and Discussants:  \n\n\nWisam Kh. Abdul-Jabbar\, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)\n\n\n\nMuntasir Fayez Al Hamad\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nH.E. Dr. Hamad Al-Kawari\, State Minister Qatar\n\n\n\nHadeel Al-Khatib\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nNajma Al Zidjaly\, Sultan Qaboos University\, Oman\n\n\n\nAndrei Avram\, University of Bucharest\, Romania\n\n\n\nMisba Bhatti\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nJulie Boéri\, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)\n\n\n\nDeborah Giustini\, Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU)\n\n\n\nNajla Kalach\, Università degli Studi Internazionali di Roma (UNINT University)\n\n\n\nVladimir Kulikov\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nSuzi Mirgani\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nYehia Abdelmobdy Mohamed\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nDudley Reynolds\, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar\n\n\n\nYasir Suleiman\, University of Cambridge\n\n\n\nIrene Theodoropoulou\, Qatar University\n\n\n\nElizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nDavid Wilmsen\, American University of Sharjah\n\n\n\nWajdi Zaghouani\, Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/sociolinguistics-landscape-and-culture-in-qatar-workshop-ii/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Focused Discussions,Race & Society,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/Screenshot-554-min.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231016T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231016T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20231010T124349Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241024T122125Z UID:10001511-1697479200-1697482800@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Conceptualizing Womanhood in the Arabian Littoral of the Gulf DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Maryam Alsada (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nModerator: Trish Kahle (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nLocation: Faculty Conference Room\, GU-Q (First floor) \n\nMaryam Alsada is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Georgetown University in Qatar. Alsada completed her PhD at UCL\, where she employed an interdisciplinary approach to studying the Arabian littoral of the Gulf at the Department of Anthropology. She also holds an MSc in Public Policy from UCL\, as well as a BS in Foreign Service and a Certificate in American Studies from Georgetown University in Qatar.  URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/conceptualizing-womanhood-in-the-arabian-littoral-of-the-gulf/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:CIRS Faculty Lectures,Dialogue Series,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Screenshot-509.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231026T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231026T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20231025T093644Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T100321Z UID:10001514-1698307200-1698339600@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Mobility Diplomacy: How States Maximize Passport Power DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Noora Lori (Boston University) \n\nModerators: Nadya Sbaiti (Georgetown University in Qatar) and Sami Hermez (Northwestern University in Qatar) \n\nAbout the event: Co-organized by CIRS and Northwestern University in Qatar\, the talk introduced the concept of mobility diplomacy and argued that neither wealth nor political stability are sufficient conditions for unlocking visa-free travel. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/mobility-diplomacy-how-states-maximize-passport-power/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Race & Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/CIRS_CIRS-Lunch-Talk-with-Noora-Lori-2634-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231029T170000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231029T180000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20231025T095719Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T100116Z UID:10001515-1698598800-1698602400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:The Environmental Drivers of Out-Migration in Bangladesh DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Katharine Donato (Georgetown University) \n\nModerator: Zahra Babar (CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nLocation: 1D02 Faculty Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar (1st floor) \n\nKatharine M. Donato holds the Donald G. Herzberg Chair in International Migration and is Director of the Institute for the Study of International Migration in the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Her research addresses many research questions related to global migration. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/the-environmental-drivers-of-out-migration-in-bangladesh/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Race & Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/S2ER3469-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231111T090000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231111T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20231010T125049Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T080529Z UID:10001512-1699693200-1699722000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Afghanistan Regional Symposium: Confronting the Impasse DESCRIPTION:The Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is hosting the “Afghanistan Regional Symposium: Confronting the Impasse.” The symposium gathers leading experts\, scholars\, and policymakers in a collective pursuit of exploring and addressing the intricate challenges surrounding Afghanistan and its neighboring region. Since the Taliban regained power in 2021\, there has been an unsettling impasse between Afghanistan and the rest of the world. This impasse presents a critical juncture where conventional strategies of intervention from global powers have become inadequate. Through insightful panels\, including discussions on the Afghan peace process\, climate change\, food security challenges\, education\, and humanitarian concerns\, the symposium fosters a nuanced understanding of ongoing challenges and paves the way for informed impactful solutions. \n\n\n\n\nView SYMPOSIUM highlights\n\n\n\n\n\nRead About the Symposium URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/afghanistan-regional-symposium-confronting-the-impasse/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/09/GU-Q-Afghanistan-WebBanner1-min.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231129T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231129T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240212T110827Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240212T111102Z UID:10001526-1701262800-1701266400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:CURA Spotlight: Victor Ehikhamenor DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Victor Ehikhamenor\, Artist-in-Residence (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nModerator: Asma Shakeel (Georgetown University in Qatar\, Class of 2024) \n\nLocation: Georgetown University in Qatar URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cura-spotlight-victor-ehikhamenor/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Student Engagement ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/2023_11_29-CIRS_CURA-Spotlight-Victor-Ehikhamenor35.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231129T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231129T200000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20231122T130214Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T095910Z UID:10001518-1701280800-1701288000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Persisting Biases: Findings from the UNDP 2023 Gender Social Norm Index DESCRIPTION:The index\, which was first introduced in 2020\, covers 85 percent of the global population and captures data up to 2022. It provides information on the evolution of social norms over a 10-year period. The 2023 GSNI sheds light on the persistent presence of biased gender social norms across the world. The index reveals around 87% of women and 90% of men harbour biases against women across key dimensions: politics\, education\, economics\, and physical integrity. The 2023 GSNI highlights a number of important findings showing 10 years of stagnation in gender biases and notes that gender social norms could be tackled by education and awareness raising\, and through representation and recognition\, among others. \n\nThe GSNI report and media release is available at https://hdr.undp.org/content/2023-gender-social-norms-index-gsni#/indicies/GSN \n\nModerator: Biplove Choudhary (Technical Representative & Head of Office\, UNDP) \n\nSpeakers: Pedro Conceição (Director of the Human Development Report Office\, UNDP)\, Raquel Lagunas (Head of Gender Equality\, UNDP)\, and Nadya Sbaiti (Georgetown University in Qatar). \n\nLocation: Faculty Conference Room (1D02)\, Georgetown University in Qatar. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/persisting-biases-findings-from-the-undp-2023-gender-social-norm-index/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Panels,Race & Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/11/2541-UNDP-2023-GSNI-report-Cover_for_web.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231209T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20231210T200000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20231122T125444Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240317T083128Z UID:10001517-1702108800-1702238400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Global Energy Cultures: How Energy Shapes our Everyday Lives DESCRIPTION:In collaboration with Msheireb Museums\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is hosting a forum on “Global Energy Cultures: How Energy Shapes our Everyday Lives.” Every aspect of our contemporary lives is shaped by energy; societies are fully dependent on the accessibility and availability of energy products\, whether in the form of hydrocarbons or alternative energy sources. At the intersection of academic and artistic perspectives\, scholars\, artists\, and practitioners engage in discussions around the broad theme of “energy.” The aim of the conversations is to make academic research accessible to the public through a series of multidisciplinary talks and cultural events. \n\nLocation: Msheireb Museums \n\n\nAbout the forum\n\n\n\nview forum highlights URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/global-energy-cultures-how-energy-shapes-our-everyday-lives/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Environmental Studies,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/11/1700657394774-6e03716f-2316-4620-a088-b87d8b30583f_1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240110T080000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240111T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240212T110032Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T073316Z UID:10001525-1704873600-1704992400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Workshop: Race and Ethnicity in Africa\, the Middle East\, and South Asia DESCRIPTION:On January 10-11\, 2024\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GUQ) organized a workshop to discuss draft papers submitted under its Race and Ethnicity in Africa\, the Middle East\, and South Asia research initiative. Over two days\, the convened scholars presented and received feedback on their papers that tackled a wide array of issues\, including; the history of racism in Africa\, Turkey\, and the Ottoman Empire\, the notion of whiteness and blackness\, the construction of national identity within diasporic communities and everyday racism in Asia\, Africa and the Middle East. \n\n\nTo view the working group agenda\, click here\n\n\n\nTo read the participants’ biographies\, click here\n\n\n\nRead more about this research initiative\n\n\nParticipants and Discussants:  \n\n\nRogaia Abusharaf\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nAkintunde E. Akinade\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nAzza Ahmed Abdel Aziz\, University of London\n\n\n\nZahra Babar\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nClovis Bergère\, Northwestern University Qatar\n\n\n\nMisba Bhatti\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nUday Chandra\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nChouki El Hamel\, Arizona State University\n\n\n\nAmal Ghazal\, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies\n\n\n\nSami Hermez\, Northwestern University in Qatar\n\n\n\nWilson Chacko Jacob\, Concordia University\n\n\n\nTaha Kaleem\, PhD student\, Brandeis University\n\n\n\nAashish Karn\, postgraduate student\, Lancaster University\n\n\n\nHasan Mahmud\, Northwestern University in Qatar\n\n\n\nThomas F. McDow\, Ohio State University\n\n\n\nPascal Ménoret\, Brandeis University\n\n\n\nMostafa Minawi\, Cornell University\n\n\n\nSuzi Mirgani\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nYehia Abdelmobdy Mohamed\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nAnne-Sophie Pratte\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nPaul A. Silverstein\, Reed College (Portland\, USA)\n\n\n\nLeila Tayeb\, Northwestern University in Qatar\n\n\n\nOusmane Traoré\, Pomona College\n\n\n\nElizabeth Wanucha\, CIRS\, Georgetown University in Qatar\n\n\n\nTukufu Zuberi\, University of Pennsylvania URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/workshop-race-and-ethnicity-in-africa-the-middle-east-and-south-asia/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Focused Discussions,Race & Society,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/01_10_2024-CIRS_Workshop-Race-and-EthnicityLR30-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240129T170000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240129T180000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240318T094506Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T095557Z UID:10001532-1706547600-1706551200@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:The Struggles of Palestinian Prisoners DESCRIPTION:Shedding light on current imprisonment conditions and the escalation of mass-arrest campaigns across Palestine\, the talk will highlight the centrality of imprisonment to Israel’s project of control and dispossession. Since 1948\, it is estimated that the Israeli regime has arrested nearly one million Palestinians\, subjecting them to multitude forms of torture and violence\, and diligently working to dismantle forms of collective mobilization and resistance inside prisons. The talk will also discuss the hope of true liberation that many have long been holding closely\, within and outside the physical space of the prison. \n\nLocation: CIRS Conference Room\, Georgetown University in Qatar. \n\nSpeaker: Basil Farraj (Birzeit University) \n\nModerator: Sami Hermez (Northwestern University) URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/the-struggles-of-palestinian-prisoners/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/03/2024_01_29-CIRS_Palestinian-Political-Prisoners-and-Israeli-Torture-3-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240208T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240208T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240211T063845Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240221T102357Z UID:10001521-1707397200-1707404400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:CURA Research Skills Workshop: Tools for Effective Argumentative Writing DESCRIPTION:On February 8\, 2024\, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) hosted a research skills workshop titled “Tools for Effective Argumentative Writing.” The workshop was presented in collaboration with the Office of Academic Services at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q)\, under the auspices of the CIRS Undergraduate Research Advancement (CURA) program. Twelve undergraduate students from GU-Q attended the workshop\, which was led by CMU-Q’s Professors Thomas Mitchell and Silvia Pessoa. \n\n\n\n“Analyzing and deconstructing sample texts\, revealed the various components that blend together to create a coherent and persuasive argument. The ability to break down arguments is a valuable skill that I gained from the workshop.” \n– Workshop participant\n\n\nUsing a hands-on approach\, Professors Mitchell and Pessoa guided students through several peer-review activities using excerpts from real essays and papers submitted by GU-Q students. This activity involved both individual and group analysis of different excerpts\, focusing on various elements of effective argumentative writing. \n\nOne interesting activity involved a thorough analysis of pairs of similar phrases within the same context to determine the most effective claims. Students explained their reasoning and received insights from the professors on accurately identifying the attributes of a descriptive claim versus an argumentative claim. Special attention was given to sources and language as major elements influencing the reader’s understanding of the author’s position. The students also analyzed pairs of sample texts to identify common features within texts with effective claims. Professor Mitchell emphasized the importance of language choice\, stating\, “your choice in the type of language that you use is very important to bring the reader to your side without alienating them.” \n\nThe workshop explored engagement moves and interpersonal resources as tools of specific rhetorical effect\, exemplified by commonly used discourse markers. Students learned to apply these tools in body paragraphs\, analyzing interactions of the text with different sources to support the author’s claims or introduce alternative perspectives. The importance of engaging in a dialogue with existing sources was highlighted\, with Professor Silvia stating\, “Do not ignore them\, rather bring them in and then challenge their ideas.” This emphasized the idea that writing is entering into a conversation with those who have written on the topic before\, actively creating knowledge through the addition to the ongoing discourse. \n\n\n\n“I think this workshop was very helpful. It established the fundamental framework for college writing. With the skills taught here\, it is easier to handle college level assignments.” \n– Workshop participant\n\n\nA notable segment involved the analysis of two college students’ arguments on the social effects of urban planning in Qatar. This approach encouraged students to critically examine texts similar to their own\, stressing the importance of a discerning eye during the revising and editing process. Small details\, as revealed through this exercise\, can significantly impact the clarity and structure of argumentative claims. \n\nThe CURA Research Skills Workshop not only equipped students with practical tools for effective argumentative writing but also fostered a collaborative and critical approach to peer-reviewed analysis. Through engaging activities and expert guidance\, participants gained valuable insights into the art of crafting compelling and persuasive arguments. CIRS continues to provide opportunities for skill development\, enhancing the research capabilities of the undergraduate student body. \n\nArticle by Dalva Raposo\, CIRS Research Assistant URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/cura-research-skills-workshop-tools-for-effective-argumentative-writing/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:Student Engagement ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/20240208-CIRS-CURA-Workshop-3726-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240220T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240220T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240212T075525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T095423Z UID:10001522-1708452000-1708455600@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:Qatar's Creative Culture: Fostering Development and Diplomacy DESCRIPTION:This talk explores how Qatar is redefining the global cultural landscape\, using its rich artistic heritage and innovative creative industries to forge new paths in diplomacy and spur national development. This talk unveils the strategies behind Qatar’s success in turning culture into a powerful tool for international engagement and sustainable growth. \n\nSpeaker: Nouf M. S. Al-Thani\, J.D. (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nModerator: Trish Kahle (Georgetown University in Qatar) \n\nLocation: Faculty Conference Room (1D02)\, 1st Floor\, Georgetown University in Qatar. URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/qatars-creative-culture-fostering-development-and-diplomacy/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:CIRS Faculty Lectures,Dialogue Series,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/20240220-CIRS_Dialogue-Series-with-Nouf-Al-Thani-387931-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240307T130000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240307T180000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240227T085303Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240313T072123Z UID:10001530-1709816400-1709834400@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:On Palestine: Hiwaraat Symposium DESCRIPTION:“On Palestine” features leading Palestinian voices\, and is moderated by prominent broadcaster and author Mehdi Hassan. The symposium is organized around three thematic areas: justice and accountability\, global media narratives and the shaping of public opinion\, and avoiding traps in imagining a political future.  \n\nLocation: Al Mirqab Ballroom\, Four Seasons Hotel Doha \n\n\nAbout the Symposium URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/on-palestine-hiwaraat-symposium/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Regional Studies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/Hiwaraat-Symposium-on-Palestine_Web-Banner_1024x576-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240312T180000 DTEND;TZID=Asia/Qatar:20240312T190000 DTSTAMP:20260404T203440 CREATED:20240218T081334Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241024T121842Z UID:10001529-1710266400-1710270000@cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu SUMMARY:America's Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup DESCRIPTION:After successfully hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022\, Qatar continues to retain sport as an important domestic and foreign policy tool. In April 2023\, Qatar achieved another historical win by being selected as the first Arab nation to host the men’s basketball World Cup\, a quintessentially American game\, invented in the late nineteenth century in Springfield\, Massachusetts\, and the second most popular global sport after football.This panel discussion serves as the launching event for a new CIRS research project titled “America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar Basketball World Cup\,” which studies U.S. and Middle East political and cultural engagements through the lens of basketball. \n\nLocation: Faculty Conference Room (1D02)\, Georgetown University in Qatar \n\nSpeakers: Claudia Kozman (Northwestern University in Qatar)\, Yaseen Ismail Musa (Former Professional Basketball Player and Head of the Qatar Basketball Federation)\, Joseph John (Al Jazeera English) \n\nModerator: Danyel Reiche (Georgetown University in Qatar) URL:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/americas-game-in-the-middle-east-the-2027-qatar-basketball-world-cup/ LOCATION:Education City\, Al Luqta St\, Ar-Rayyan\, Doha\, Qatar CATEGORIES:American Studies,Panels ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/02/240312-CIRS-Americas-Game-in-the-Middle-East-The-2027-Qatar-Basketball-World-Cup-14-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR