We are pleased to present two virtual sessions on topics related to Arab American Studies. They are:
Session 1: The Place of Translation in Arab American Studies , scheduled for Apr 24, 2023 03:30 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Session 2: MENA and SWANA Categories and their Implications on Public Policy, Research, and Higher Ed, scheduled for Apr 25, 2023 03:30 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Detailed information and registration links for each session is available below.
2023 AASA Virtual Round Table Discussion: The Place of Translation in Arab American Studies
Apr 24, 2023 03:30 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
This virtual roundtable explores the relationship between translation studies and Arab American studies. Its purpose is to generate an open-ended dialogue within the two fields. Some of the questions this panel considers include:
How might translation efforts change how we consider the relationship between contemporary Arab American and mahjar writing throughout the Americas?
What about writers writing in Arabic in the US right now; be they Arab-American writers or exiled Arab writers? How can we best honor their cultural contributions?
Is the visibility offered by translation always beneficial? What are its risks?
What are the resources that might be available to those interested in translation? How might a consideration of translated texts influence how we teach or conceptualize the field of Arab American studies?
How can translation foster connections between Arab American studies in the US and Arab-American studies elsewhere in the world?
Panelists: Tarek Al-Ariss, Dima Ayoub, Mona Kareem, Norah Alkharashi, Imene Benani, Christina Civantos, and Nadine Sinno
Hosts: Pauline Homsi Vinson & Rania Said
2023 AASA Virtual Round Table Discussion: Topics in Arab American Studies: MENA and SWANA Categories and their Implications on Public Policy, Research, and Higher Ed
Apr 25, 2023 03:30 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
This virtual panel examines the uses of the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) categories in relation to Arab American studies, public policy, and anti-racist advocacy in higher education. While the MENA category is current among policy advocates and might soon become an official designation on the US Census, the term SWANA is gaining traction among scholars and on university campuses, including at the University of California and the California State University systems. Rather than debate the merits of the terms in opposition to one another, this panel attempts to place them in historical context and aims to explore their strategic utility and ramifications for scholars working in Arab American studies. Some of the questions the panelists will consider include:
How can these categories help us think about Arab American studies and the Arab region in ways that are inclusive of non-Arab populations?
What are the historical contexts and present ramifications of these categories for Arab American studies and higher ed?
How might university faculty and administrators utilize the MENA and/or SWANA categories to advocate for their students, including securing funding, allocating resources, and creating more effective DEI policies?
How are these categories used to designate programs, majors, student groups, and activism on campuses in both the US and elsewhere, including in the Arab Region?
How might the two categories be leveraged strategically through pedagogy and public policy so as to provide greater opportunities for civil rights protections and greater institutional support for Arab American scholarship more broadly?
Panelists: Amira Jarmakani, Matt Stiffler, Maya Berry, Rita Stephan, Stan Thangaraj, Thomas Dolan, and Keith Feldman
Hosts: Danielle Haque & Layla Azmi Goushey
