The Middle East Studies Center (MESC) received Title VI National Resource Center and (FLAS) Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship grants for 8 consecutive funding cycles, twenty eight years (1986-2014), generating over 13 million dollars in external funding. Title VI activities forged lasting partnerships and strengthened our university’s reach in the local community and beyond with regard to education on the Middle East. The Center continues to expand our activities and their impact through collaboration and community-building efforts. We have produced new materials, courses, and programs which expand the audience and reach of most of our events. Most recently, this has included 3 e-books, a curricular unit on WWI, a Pashto textbook, funding a course on immigration, Turkish studies recruitment, cultural training for the military, an e-portfolio of global learning templates, and interdisciplinary collaboration on water in global contexts. The Center serves as a hub at the university for Middle East-related resources, contacts, and perspectives. We work closely with our colleagues in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (NELC) and the Middle East Studies Collection of the Library to achieve our goals. The following activities highlight areas of growth and collaboration.
Courses
- Introduction to the Modern Middle East International Studies (IS) 2200 (always at full capacity)
- Contemporary Issues in the Middle East IS/NELC 5645
- Facilitating online course activities for OSU courses (Turkish 2240 and 3350) with Turkish universities (http://u.osu.edu/globaleportfolio ).
Academic Engagement on Campus
- Afghan Theatre Events and Curriculum http://u.osu.edu/onthefrontlines/
- Leadership for Academic Programme of India, “LEAP” https://u.osu.edu/leapindia/
- Interdisciplinary Water Research forums (http://u.osu.edu/h2oresearch )
- Turkish and Central Asian Studies student recruitment in partnership with NELC (New Minor Launch celebration on March 25)
- Internship Program in Partnership with International Studies
- Middle Eastern Film screenings, audience continues to grow as we hone our film curation
Publications
- Keys to Understanding the Middle East:Diverse Perspectives (recently adopted as textbook for course at Humber College, ON, Canada).
- Euphrates Tigris Water Resource Issues (encapsulates content from water forum)
- Windows Into Turkish Culture (to be used as textbook for Turkish 3350)
- Students as Collaborative Curators: The Effect of World War I and its Aftermath In Turkey and the United States 1914-1923 Unit Plan for Middle and High School
- Learning Pashto: Intensive Elementary and Secondary Pashto for Students and Professionals Pashto Textbook
Media Outreach
- Regular newspaper, T.V., and Radio Interviews: Voice of America; BBC London; and other news outlets, radio and T.V. programs. Robust social media engagement on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
Teacher and Classroom Outreach
- National outreach through the National Council on the Social Studies and the Middle East Outreach Council
- Thematic workshops and seminars in conjunction with the other area studies centers.
- Classroom visits and coordination with schools on year-long units
Military Outreach
- Regular lectures for Central Command (DISCS) at Wright Patterson AFB on the Middle East and Central Asia.
Courts, Law Enforcement, and Prisons
- Expert witness and cultural consultancy services.