Listen to this NPR Podcast and consider the PROXIMITY of Dubai to Iran across the narrow Straight of Hormuz. What other illegal markets flow through Dubai and how do they relate to LOCATION?
Posts and Responses
World Affairs Council – Presentation on Iran
The Richmond World Affairs Council is presenting the “Iran and the War Against the West” lecture on Tuesday February 9, 2010. The presenter for this event is Michael Ledeen, PhD, an American Specialist on foreign policy. He is one of the principal western scholars on Iran.
If you are interested, please contact me at chandana.chava@richmond.edu to reserve a free ticket for the event. In addition, the Office of International Studies is providing transportation to the event. Please contact Katreena Clark at kclark@richmond.edu to RSVP for a spot on the van.
Professor Klinker will give extra credit for those who attend the lecture.
For more information, please click here.
Ahmad
Burke/Yaghoubian Chapter 5
Ahmad’s story helps us to understand the challenges RAPID economic and social transformations create for the people living there. Can you think of a time or place in history that underwent a similar transformation? What do you believe will happen to the relative importance of kinship and familial relationships in the Kuwait of the future? What strategic or other reasons can you think of to explain why Kuwait (a former province of Ottoman Iraq) has been given autonomy (and why do some believe it ought to be reunited with Iraq)?
Expectations … etc.
As we enter Week 4 of class, it might be good to restate some of the goals here, and give you a chance to give constructive feedback. We are traveling down SEVERAL paths simultaneously. On one, we are reading historical narratives, and as the semester progresses we will approach modern times. On another, we are reading standard ‘geography’ from the E-book. This text is organized regionally and we are starting with the ‘Arab’ Middle East. On still another we are beginning to discuss current events in class. These discussions should/will get more interesting as the semester progresses. On yet another we are beginning to add maps to our Google Maps. My hope is that the pieces to this puzzle will begin to come together for all of you in the coming weeks. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you understand the structure or content of this course. Thanks for your feedback!
Clash of Civilizations and Orientalism
What aspects of Huntington’s and Said’s essays did you find compelling? Which aspects did you find particularly troubling? Do you find yourself listening to the news with a more critical ear? Are you questioning the ‘facts’ when they are presented to you?
Shemsigul
Burke/Yaghoubian Chapter 3
Do you think this reading should be included in this class? Does it reify the very stereotypes we are trying to avoid (harems, belly-dancing, etc.)?
Assaf
Burke/Yaghoubian Chapter 2
Discuss the impact of physical geography on Assaf’s life.