Barbara Petzen is a national expert on the Middle East. As director of Middle East Connections and Learning Experiences at CSIS, she specializes in building innovative curriculum and professional development for educators, bringing the rich tapestry of Middle Eastern societies to life through sensory, hands-on approaches. She often uses food to unlock deeper understandings of culture and history.

Barb's use of culinary culture as an educational tool has inspired the Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture Program in many ways. She's captured her approach in her article "Middle Eastern Food: Six Lenses", published on behalf of the National Council for Geographic Education. The article lays out six interconnected themes for exploring Middle Eastern foodways: hospitality, geography, migration and trade, religion, innovation, and identity. She invites learners to see food not merely as sustenance, but as a layered expression of history, politics, and social connection. Her geographic scope in the article stretches from Morocco and Spain to Iran.

Petzen is a champion of experiential, sensory learning. In workshops, she uses everything from spice mapping to dolma-making and river-bread recipes to immerse students in the lived realities of the region. Her signature methods encourage exploring flavors, scents, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the Middle East.

Educational and Occupational Background:

A Rhodes Scholar with degrees from Columbia and Oxford and doctoral work at Harvard, Barbara has taught at Dalhousie, St. Mary's, and led national education organizations, including the Middle East Outreach Council. Her curriculum is widely adopted and she regularly presents at national conferences, emphasizing cultural nuance and connection.