April 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014. 12:30 - 1:25 p.m. Sierra Hall 225. Israelis Today, presented by Donna Rosenthal, author of The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land. Donna Rosenthal will discuss the multiple ethnic, religious, national, and economic groups that comprise Israeli society. An engaging speaker, she has a broad, well-informed picture of Israeli citizenry and the vibrant and fragile mosaic of Israeli society. She spent years living in Israel and working in Israeli radio and TV. Donna Rosenthal event flyer (pdf).
February 2014
February 27th, 2014. 12:15 p.m. Oviatt Library, Jack and Florence Ferman Room. (Reception to follow). How Muslims Fight Back Islamic Extremism: A Book Talk by Karima Bennoune, Professor of International Law, University of California, Davis. Karima Bennoune, an international human-rights lawyer, professor and activist, interviewed nearly 300 people from almost 30 countries, from Afghanistan to Mali to illuminate the inspiring stories of those who represent one of the best hopes for ending fundamentalist oppression worldwide. Her writing has appeared in many leading academic journals. She has also been a consultant for the International Council on Human Rights Policy, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and UNESCO. Karima Bennoune event flyer (doc).
November 2013
November 19, 2013. 12:15 p.m. (reception:1:45 p.m.), Jack and Florence Ferman Room, Oviatt Library. Nonviolence, Islam and the Paradigm of Cordoba, a book talk by Ramin Jahanbegloo, Department of Political Science, York University. A well-known Iranian-Canadian philosopher, Jahanbegloo became the winner of the Peace Prize from the United Nations Association in Spain for his extensive academic works in promoting dialogue between cultures and his advocacy for non-violence. Ramin Jahanbegloo event flyer (doc).
November 14th, 2013. 4:00 PM
Room 221 Jerome Richfield Hall Family Planning and Reproductive Health in Afghanistan: A Hands-on Case Study. A short film screening and discussion with Taraneh Salke. Taraneh Salke event flyer (doc).
September 2013
September 24, 2013. 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Whitsett Room, Sierra Hall 451. CITIZEN SUSPECT: Muslim Youth, State Surveillance, and Responsive Research Methodologies. Within this talk, Dr. Ali will explore the contours of youth identity formation and the methodological tensions of conducting research with a community under state surveillance. Citizen Suspect lecture flyer (pdf).
July 2013
July 18, 2013 Post-Election Iran: Rowhani and the Future of US-Iran Relations. Levantine Cultural Center, 5998 W. Pico Blvd.,Los Angeles CA 90035. CSUN professor Nayereh Tohidi and Occidental College assistant professor Hussein Banai will question whether the newly elected Iranian President, Hassan Rowhani, will bring about substantial changes and positive reforms.
April 2013
April 24, 2013. 4 p.m. VPAC, Room LA 181. Documentary film "The Light in Her Eyes." Filmmakers Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix will discuss discuss making the film. The Light in Her Eyes event flyer (pdf).
March 2013
March 6, 2013. 4 p.m. VPAC, Room LA 181. Documentary film "The Suffering Grasses" and discussion about the Syrian civil war with artist Fadia Afashe and actor Jihad Abdo. The Suffering Grasses flyer (jpeg)
November 2012
November 8, 2012. 4 p.m. Jerome Richfield, Room 221. Citizen Media in Lebanon. Presenter: Melissa Wall, CSUN Journalism professor. Citizen Media event flyer (pdf)
October 2012
October 29, 2012. 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. USU Grand Salon. Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case of Liberty. Lecture by Mustafa Akyol. Islam Without Extremes event flyer (pdf)
October 25, 2012. 11:00 a.m.- 12:15 p.m. USU Flintridge Room. Islamophobia: Beyond Myths to Social Change. Presenter: Amer Ahmed. Islamophobia event flyer (docx)
October 25, 2012. 4 p.m. Jerome Richfield Hall, Room 221. Muslim Women and Social Change in the U.S. Lecture by Ferial Masry. Muslim Women and Social Change event flyer (docx)
- View the story "Islam @ CSUN: Muslim Americans Talk About Politics and Religion " on Storify.
- CSUN Daily Sundial article " CSUN alumna shares experience as Saudi Arabian woman in politics".
April 2012
April 19th, 2012. 4 p.m. Jerome Richfield Hall, Room 246, CSUN. Women, Education and Development in the Middle East. Lecture by Hossein Hafezian. Women, Education and Development event flyer (pdf)
April 24th, 2012. 7 p.m. Whitsett Room, Sierra Hall 451, CSUN. Tunisia Jasmine Revolution. From Rebellian to Revolution. Lecture by Dr. Imed Bouslama, Fulbright Scholar from Tunisia at UC, Berkeley. Tunesia Jasmine Revolution evet flyer (pdf)
November 2011
November 9, 2011
Sala De la Osa Room, 2nd Floor, Student Union
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m
Address: 9851 Zelzah Ave., Northridge, CA 91330-8273
Tel: (818) 677-2890
9:00 AM
Welcoming Remarks, Elizabeth Say, Dean, College of Humanities, CSUN
Introductory Remarks, Nayereh Tohidi, Director, MEIS, CSUN
9:10-10:10 AM: Keynote Speaker
Juan Cole, University of Michigan:
MESA past president, former MENAS director at UM
"Teaching the Middle East: Achievements and Challenges"
Break
10:30AM-12:00 noon: Panel 1
Teaching MEIS through the Humanities and Arts: What Do Students Need to Know?
Moderated by Mustafa Ruzgar, CSUN
1. Zayn Kassam, Pomona College (Religious Studies)
2. Linda Komaroff, LACMA (Arts & Architecture)
3. Nouri Gana, UCLA (Literature)
4. Dwight Reynolds, UCSB (Music & Folklore)
Lunch Break 12:00-1:30, Geronimo's Dining Hall at SSU
Note: Interested persons will join the 12:00-1:30 Working Lunch with MEIS Directors from CSU/UC Campuses.
1:30PM-3:00PM: Panel 2
Teaching MEIS through the Social Sciences: What Do Students Need to Know?
Moderated by Rachel Howes, CSUN
1. Sondra Hale, UCLA (Gender)
2. Susan Slyomovics, UCLA (Anthropology)
3. James Gelvin, UCLA (History)
4. Eliz Sanasarian, USC (Political Science)
Break
3:15-4:15 PM: Panel 3
Teaching MEIS through the Languages: The Main Issues at Hand
Moderated by Ahmed Bouguarche, CSUN
1. Olga Kagan, UCLA: Foreign Languages, Heritage Languages
2. Dwight Reynolds, UCSB: Arabic--A Commonly Taught "Less Commonly Taught Language"
Break
4:30-6 PM: Concluding Round Table
The Middle East and Middle Eastern Americans--Community and Cultural Continuity
Moderated by Jody E. Myers, CSUN
Note: Participants will include teachers of Middle Eastern languages in academia and from Middle Eastern American community and religious centers (including mosques, synagogues, churches), and representatives from the various ethnic communities and the media addressing issues such as teaching for proficiency, whether language offerings should be required or elective, inter-generational perspectives about priorities and objectives, expectations and resources, etc.
6:00 PM: Reception & Azimuth-Ascension Exhibition
New Sahara Gallery
18860 Nordhoff St. Northridge, CA 91324
November 15th, 2011
451 Sierra Hall, Whitsett Room (4th Floor).
Address: Cal State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330-8254
2:00-7:30 PM: Teaching about Immigration and Representation: The Middle East and/in the US
2:00 PM: Welcome & Introductory Remarks
Nayereh Tohidi, CSUN
Moderated by Suzanne Scheld, CSUN
2:10-3:15 PM: Middle Eastern Americans
Mehdi Bozorgmehr, Sociology and Middle East and Middle Eastern American Center, City University of New York-Graduate Center
Break
3:30-4:30 pm: Middle Eastern Americana
Moderated by Owen Doonan, CSUN
Jonathan Friedlander, UCLA
4:45-6:00 PM: Concluding Round Table: Academia, Community Voices, and Ethnic Media
Moderated by Melissa Wall, CSUN
6:00 PM: Reception & Film
Amreeka (96 minutes)