Cairo, Amman, & Dubai: Experiencing the Old and New Middle East

This Dialogue will engage students in first-hand understanding of Arab and Middle East politics, society, and current events: the rising power of Arab Gulf states (especially UAE and Saudi Arabia), shifting alliances (Israel-UAE-Saudi vs. Iran), post-“Arab Spring” political developments, the impact of conflict on the region (particularly the Syrian war and refugee crisis), and the cultural dynamics that drive political decision-making.

Through formal and informal activities (lectures, site visits, dialogues), students engage with NU professors, guest lecturers and residents of UAE, Egypt, and Jordan via dialogue and discussion of current events, culture, history, and international relations and global issues.

Topics include:

• The Middle East region after the Arab “Spring”
• Shifting regional power centers, from Egypt to the Gulf (Saudi Arabia & UAE especially)
• Dubai as global hub; UAE as a “small-state powerhouse”
• Jordan as multi-cultural, diverse society: tribes, Bedouins, Palestinians, Syrians, Iraqis, Christian and Muslim communities, etc.
• Egypt and Jordan’s strategic position for US security in the Middle East
• Syria’s civil war and refugee crisis: Impact on Jordan
• Gender as it relates to migration, religion, and culture in the Arab region

For more information, please see the Global Experience Office website found here.