A Global Perspectives Symposium
November 1-3, 2017
“Who are ‘We’, and who is the ‘Other’, is a question which has become increasingly complex in late modern times, due to the effects of globalization. In the Arabic speaking context, another force is driving this question, in addition to globalization: the securitization, and consequentially, the minoritization of Arabic. This conference delves into these forces through the lens of the Arabic language, a language which has been conceived as uniting the Arab world and diaspora alike. But at the same time, it has been burdened recently with the discourse of Islamic extremism, security, and immigration (or its ban).
Wednesday, November 1
Wells Hall B119, 7:30-9:30 pm
Junction 48 screening
Introduction and discussion led by Marc Bernstein
Thursday, November 2, Wells Hall B342 Opening Remarks
9:00-9:30 am
Key Note Presentation
9:30-10:30 am
Dr. Salam Diab, Director of Center for Oriental Studies, Grenoble Alpes University (France), “Lexicon in the Arabic Press between Archaism and Neologism: The Islamic Lexicon as an Example” (Translation by Nicholas Bruckman)
Comments by Dr. Camelia Suleiman, Arabic Studies, MSU, “Arabic between the Anglophone and the Francophone Spheres”
Coffee Break 10:30–10:45 am
Panel 1: Visualizing Arabic, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
Moderator, Caleb Lucas, Ph.D. student, Political Science, MSU
Dr. Salah Hassan, Department of English, MSU, “Renoir in Algeria: Art and Colonialism”
Dr. Eswaran Pillai, Department of English and Film Studies, MSU, “Diaspora and the Cinema”
Dr. Marc S. Bernstein, Hebrew Program, MSU, “Tamer Nafar and the Politics of Arabic Rap in Israel”
Lunch Break 12:15-1:15 pm
Thursday, November 2, Wells Hall B342
Panel 2: Arabic in the Media, 1:15-2:15 pm
Dr. Abdenbi Lachkar, Arabic Studies, University of Montpelier (France), “Uses of Languages and Cultures in the Moroccan Arabic Media: Diversity, Hybridity and Borders” (Translation by Nicholas Bruckman)
Dr. Ahmad Ayyad, Al-Quds University (Palestinian Authority), “Contesting Palestinian and Israeli Narratives in Translation”
Coffee Break 2:15-2:30 pm
Panel 3: The Arabic Legacy in Italy, 2:30-4:30 pm
Moderator, Dr. Safoi Babana-Hampton, French Studies, MSU
Dr. Roberto Dainotto, Romance Studies, Duke University, “The Impact of the Algerian War on Southern Italy”
Dr. Joseph Francese, Italian Studies, MSU, “Giufà and the Sicilian Writer Leonardo Sciascia”
Coffee Break 4:30-4:45 pm
Round Table Discussion 1 4:45-6:00 pm, comments by Dr. Sandra Logan, Department of English, MSU
Friday, November 3, Wells Hall B342
Panel 4: Challenges of Pedagogy and Translation, 9:30-11:00 am
Moderator, Bilqis Al-Barrak, TESOL Program, MSU
Dr. Sandro Barros, College of Education, MSU. “The Culture of Monolingualism and the Training of Arabic Teachers in the U.S.”
Dr. Ayman Mohamed, Arabic Studies, MSU, “Dilemmas of Teaching Arabic Vocabulary to Non-natives: Between Neologism and Archaism”
Dr. Russell Lucas, Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities, MSU, “Lost in Translation: Public Opinion Surveys in the Arab Gulf”
Coffee Break 11:00-11:15 am
Round Table Discussion 2 11:15 am-12:15 pm, comments by Dr. Cheng-Wei Lin, Arabic Studies, MSU
Closing Remarks 12:15-12:30pm
Junction 48-A Film by Udi Aloni
