Middle Eastern Studies

Overview of Middle Eastern Studies at UCF

Middle Eastern Studies at UCF consists of a Middle Eastern Studies Program, which is housed in the College of Arts and Humanities, and co-curricular activities, which are university-wide and organized primarily by the Global Perspectives Office in cooperation with the Middle Eastern Studies Advisory Board, the Global Connections Foundation and other partners. In 2008-2009, the co-curricular offerings will include presentations on Iran, Iraq, Kurdish issues, American foreign policy in the Middle East and regional conflicts.

The Middle Eastern Studies Minor, College of Arts and Humanities

Program Director
Husain Kassim, Department of Philosophy
kassim@mail.ucf.edu
CNH 411J, 407-823-2803

Advisory Board Co-Chairs
John C. Bersia, Global Perspectives Office
jbersia@mail.ucf.edu
PH 202, 407-823-0688

Janan Smither, Department of Psychology
smither@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu
PH 309G, 407-823-5859

This interdisciplinary minor is designed to offer students both an overview of Middle Eastern civilization and a detailed study of its most important features. The focus of the minor is on the religious, political, historical and social forces shaping the region.

Course work will include classes from the curricula of participating programs (modern languages, history, humanities, Judaic studies, philosophy and political science). The minor is designed to complement a students major area of study. The minor requires a core of Middle Eastern Studies courses, as well as a selection of directed electives.

Additional courses may be used only with prior permission of the program director.
Although not required, students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one year of Arabic (ARA 1120, 1121) and/or Hebrew (HBR 1120, 1121).

Other Requirements

• Students who are also minoring or completing a certificate in Judaic Studies may not have more than 3 credits that are counted in both programs.
• At least 15 hours used to satisfy this minor must be at the upper division.
• A grade of ;C or above (2.0) is required in each course for the minor.
• At least 12 hours used in the minor must be earned at UCF.
• No credit by exam (TSD, Military credit) may be used.
• Internship, Co-op, or Independent Study credit cannot be used toward the minor.

Selected Middle Eastern Studies Events at UCF and in the community:

2008-2009 Events

• "Considering the Mid-East: Politics, Issues and Solutions," UCF. A national symposium in cooperation with the Loy Frey Institute of Politics and Government, UCF Political Science Department, UCF Global Perspectives Office, UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program, UCF Kurdish Political Studies Iniative, UCF Diplomacy Program, UCF Terrorism Studies Program, the Global Connections Foundation and others. September 29, 2008.
• Najmaldin Karim, President, Washington Kurdish Institute; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community. September 29, 2008.
• "America’s Next President and the World," UCF. An international global issues conference in cooperation with the National Conference of Editorial Writers, The Anil and Chitra Deshpande Foundation, Lawrence J. Chastang and the Chastang Foundation, C.T. Hsu and Associates, LarsonAllen L.L.P., UCF Student Government Association, UCF College of Business Administration, UCF Diplomacy Program, UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program, The India Program at UCF, UCF Kurdish Political Studies Initiative, UCF Terrorism Studies Program, UCF Political Science Department, UCF International Services Center, UCF LIFE, Global Connections Foundation and other partners. November 6, 2008.
• General (Ret.) John Abizaid, former Commander, United States Central Command; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community. January 28, 2009.
• Hooshang Amirahmadi, professor at Rutgers University, and the founder and president of American-Iranian Council. February 2, 2009
• Sanam Vakil, Visiting Scholar, Middle East Studies Program, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C., and Adjunct Professor, SAIS, Bologna, Italy; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community. February 19, 2009.
• "The Kurdish Series," (Michael Gunter; Brendan O'Leary; Ambassador Peter W. Galbraith; Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jay Garner),a lecture program for UCF LIFE. February 2009.
• Amb. Peter W. Galbraith, Senior Diplomatic Fellow, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and author of The End of Iraq and Unintended Consequences: How War in Iraq Strengthened America's Enemies (The Future of Kurdistan and Iraq; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). April 6, 2009.
• "The First 100 Days: Policy Initiatives and Approaches for the New Administration,” UCF. A national symposium in cooperation with the Loy Frey Institute of Politics and Government, UCF Political Science Department, UCF Global Perspectives Office, UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program, UCF Kurdish Political Studies Iniative, UCF Diplomacy Program, UCF Terrorism Studies Program, the Global Connections Foundation and others. April 15, 2009.
• Paul Hirschson, Deputy Consul-General, Consulate General of Israel, Miami, FL (Israel’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). April 23, 2009.

Selected Past Middle Eastern Studies Events at UCF and in the community:

2007-2008 Events

• Qubad Talabani, Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in the United States and son of Jalal Talabani, the president of Iraq (Kurds in Iraq, their culture and prospects; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). October 25, 2007.
• Darvar Ardalan, producer of NPR’s "Morning Edition" and author of My Name is Iran (Modern Iran, its culture and prospects; multiple programs at UCF and in the community). October 25, 2007.
• "An Inside Look at Middle Eastern Cultures," Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. A regional forum, in cooperation with Rollins College, the Global Connections Foundation and other partners. Panel discussion. October 25, 2007.
• Jehan Sadat, former First Lady of Egypt (widow of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat) and author of A Woman of Egypt (The changing Middle East in its global context, from women’s issues to peace prospects; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). November 13, 2007.
• Ambassador Gary Grappo, U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community. January 2008
• H.R.H. Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan of Jordan, (A presentation of El Hassan Science City in cooperation with the UCF School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). January 14, 2008.
• Ann Wright, former U.S. Army Colonel, U.S. Foreign Service Officer and author of Dissent: Voices of Conscience, (A presentation of her story of protest against the Iraq Invasion and subsequent war in cooperation with multiple partners; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). January 29, 2008.
• Ephraim Kam, Deputy Director of the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, (A presentation of "Sources of Instability in the Middle East" in cooperation with the UCF Judaic Studies Program, Central Florida Hillel and other partners). January 29, 2008.
• "Conflict in the Middle East: Iraq and Beyond" UCF. An international forum on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq, in cooperation with various partners. Panel discussion moderated by Lt. Gen. (ret.) Jay Garner. March 20, 2008.

2006-2007

• Sanam Vakil, Middle East Studies Program, Johns Hopkins. SAIS, Washington, D.C. (Iran’s nuclear dilemma and regional peace prospects; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community, two parts). September 14, 2006, and December 4, 2006.
• Gen. James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO (NATO’s future role in Europe and beyond, including Iraq and Afghanistan, UCF). September 21, 2006.
• Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, Director of the Office of Egypt and the Levant, U.S. Department of State (U.S. foreign policy and Lebanon; presentations at UCF and in the community). October 4-6, 2006.
• Pakistan: The Rocky Road Ahead, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. A regional forum in cooperation with Rollins College, the Global Connections Foundation and other partners. Panel discussion. October 19, 2006.
• Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Prime Minister of Israel, 1999-2001 (A blueprint for global relations for Israel, the Middle East and the world, UCF). October 26, 2006.
• Fatima Amrani Zerrifi, English Department, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Fes University, Morocco (Women and gender in Islam; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). November 8-9, 2006.
• Col. (ret.) Kim Olson, author of Iraq and Back: Inside the War to Win the Peace. (Iraq, from mission accomplished to mission improbable, and the future of war; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community, two parts). November 8-10, 2006, and March 26-28, 2007.
• Brigadier General Richard M. Lake, Director of Intelligence, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps (Military intelligence challenges and opportunities in the 21st Century, including the Middle East; multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). April 17, 2007.

2005-2006

• Amb. Robin Raphel, U.S. Coordinator for Reconstruction in Iraq, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. (U.S. policy in Iraq, multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). October 17, 2005.
• Political Violence in the 21st Century, UCF. A national working conference on political violence trends, terrorism, Iraq and Afghanistan featuring 24 speakers, in cooperation with the National Conference of Editorial Writers, Global Connections Foundation, the Orlando Sentinel and other partners. October 17, 2005.
• The Evolving Terrorist Threat, UCF. An international panel on terrorism developments featuring Brian Jenkins of the RAND Corporation and four other speakers, in cooperation with Global Connections Foundation, the Orlando Sentinel and other partners, CUC program. November 3, 2005.
• Amb. Ulric Haynes, former U.S. ambassador to Algeria and a key figure in securing the release of American hostages from Iran on January 20, 1981 (U.S.-Iranian relations: past and present, UCF). January 26, 2006.
• John Esposito, founding director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and University Professor at Georgetown University and the author of more than 30 books on Islam (Islam and the West, multiple presentations at UCF and in the community); a CUC program. February 8, 2006.
• Qubad Talabani, a representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government in the U.S. and son of Iraqs president, Jalal Talabani (A Kurdish perspective on Iraq, multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). March 21, 2006.
• Yitzhak Ben Gad, Consul General of Israel, Florida and Puerto Rico (Israel and its foreign relations, multiple presentations at UCF and in the community). March 30, 2006.
• David M. Winn, the Middle East/North Africa specialist on the U.S. Department of State's Avian Influenza Action Group, a task force established early in 2006 to coordinate the U.S. preparedness and response to avian influenza and the threat of a global human influenza pandemic (U.S. government's role in the international coordination of efforts to deal with avian influenza, multiple presentations at UCF). June 13, 2006.

2004-2005

• Michael Doran, a professor in Princeton Universitys Near Eastern studies department and an al-Qaeda specialist (al-Qaeda and Saudi Arabia, multiple presentations), September 29, 2004.
• Michelle Malkin, syndicated columnist, Fox News Channel Commentator and author of Invasion: How America Still Welcomes Terrorists, Criminals and other Public Menaces to Our Shores (immigration, multiple presentations), October 14, 2004.
• Building Relationships Through Public Diplomacy: Iraq, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. A regional forum presented with the U.S. Department of State, the Global Connections Foundation and other partners. Keynote presentation by Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and a panel discussion with top Iraqi elected officials. October 25, 2005.
• George Will, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, founding panelist on ABCs This Week and author of With a Happy Eye But America and the World (America and the world), February 10, 2005.
• Gary Grappo, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (U.S.-Saudi relations, multiple presentations), March 15, 2005.
• Thomas P.M. Barnett, former Senior Strategic Researcher and Professor, Warfare Analysis Research Department, Center for Naval Warfare Studies, U.S. Naval War College and author of The Pentagons New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-First Century (U.S. strategic planning, multiple presentations), April 4-5, 2005.
• Joel Rubin, U.S. Department of State Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (digital video conference on economic reform in the Middle East), May 2, 2005.

2003-2004

• Stephen Sloan, Samuel Roberts Noble Presidential Professor, University of Oklahoma (the U.S. response to terrorism and extremism, multiple presentations). October 8-10, 2003.
• Prospects for Peace in the Middle East, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. A regional forum in cooperation with Rollins College, the Global Connections Foundation Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando and the Arab-American Community Center. Speakers included Ambassador Dennis B. Ross, Director, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Dr. Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies and Director of the Middle East Institute, Columbia University. October 27, 2003.
• Ambassador (ret.) Joseph C. Wilson, IV. (What I Didn't Find in Africa: Examining Iraq's Alleged Nuclear Links to Niger, multiple presentations). November 13, 2003.
• Gabriel Sheffer, Political Science Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Palestinian-Israeli relations, and the War in Iraq and the Arab-Israeli confict, multiple presentations). Sponsored by UCFs Judaic Studies Program and other partners. November 17-18, 2003.
• William S. Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of The Cohen Group and former U.S. Secretary of Defense (war in Iraq a year later). March 24, 2004.
• The Making of a New Middle East: Iran, the Region and the World, * April 9-10, 2004. The 22nd annual conference of the Center for Iranian Research and Analysis. Speakers included Shireen Hunter, Director of the Islamic Studies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.; Professor Farhang Rajaee, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; and several UCF professors. Sponsored by UCFs Political Science Department and chaired by Dr. Houman Sadri. April 9-10, 2004.
• Lt. Gen. (ret.) Jay M. Garner, President of SYColeman and former Director of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Post-War Iraq (the future of Iraq). May 26, 2004.

2002-2003

• Joseph Mussomeli, Senior Foreign Service Officer, U.S. State Department, and Member of the Senior Seminar, Foreign Service Institute, Washington, D.C. (U.S. policy in the Middle East, multiple presentations). February 13-15, 2002).
• Jane Gerber, City University of New York Graduate Center (Jews and Arabs their encounter). Sponsored by UCFs Judaic Studies Program and other partners. March 4, 2002.
• Daniel Pipes, Director of the Middle East Forum, Philadelphia, PA, and a columnist for both the New York Post and The Jerusalem Post (current terrorism threats, multiple presentations). October 6-8, 2002.
• Intelligence Requirements for the Twenty-First Century, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. A regional forum in cooperation with Rollins College, the Global Connections Foundation and other partners. Keynote Speaker: Sen. Bob Graham, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. October 21, 2002.
• Peace-Building Where are the Voices of Women? St. Luke's Methodist Church, Orlando, Florida. A regional forum in cooperation with The Matrix and other partners. Event featured Margaret Meg Wheatly, President, The Berkana Institute, and Judith Thompson, Director,Children of War. February 1, 2003.
• Ali Mazrui, Schweitzer Chair, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York. Hosted by The Islamic Society of Central Florida, Orlando Florida (African American Muslims - from enslavement to counter-terrorism). Sponsored by The Islamic Society of Central Florida, UCFs Global Perspectives Office and other partners. February 9, 2003.
• John L. Esposito, Director, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and Professor of International Affairs and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. (Islamic revivalism, multiple presentations). February 19-20, 2003.
• Thomas L. Friedman, Foreign Affairs columnist, The New York Times, author of The Lexus and the Olive Tree and Longitudes Attitudes, and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner (American foreign policy in the Middle East since 9/11). February 24, 2003.
• General (ret.) Wesley K. Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, author of Waging Modern War and CNN Military Analyst (War in Iraq what comes next?). April 17, 2003.

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