Women of the Middle East

In this course, we have formed groups based on specific content areas of the Middle East. My group is about Women in the Middle East. In our groups, we will study literature and film pertaining to our specific subject. I recently ordered two books from this genre that I will read and analyze. I anxiously await their arrival!

I chose:

Mahi's Story by Gohar Kordi.
In her first novel, a memoir called An Iranian Childhood, Kordi told the story of her upbringing as a blind child, whose sight was lost during an illness and as a result of insufficient medical care. In this story she speaks of her negleftful family, in particular her mother, Mahi. In Mahi's Story, Kordi tells the story through her mother's eyes. Themes of this novel include rape, forced marriage, beating, and the selling of one's own daughters.

The topic of women in the Middle East has always interested me. Some of the stories you hear through the US media about the treatment of these women are simply horrid. I can't imagine being faced with some of the things these poor women must endure daily. I can't wait to actually get my hands on this book and dive into it. Although classified as fiction, this book seems to deal with a subject matter that would offer valuable information and insight into the life of Middle Eastern Women.

Women of Courage: Intimate Stories from Afghanistan by Katherine Kiviat.
This novel profiles 40 different women, of varying backgrounds, who have had to transform their lives since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. A full page picture of each woman is included. The title was spurred from a common theme throughout their stories: courage. Other themes include: women's rights to education and to work. This book tells the stories of a kind of woman that the western woman may not fully be able to understand; as for these women the simple acts of going to school, leaving the house, and getting a job takes great courage.

I chose this book for all of the different stories and perspectives that it has to offer. I have a gut feeling that this book truly has lessons to teach, which really is the point of all of this.

....More to come later, as I anxiously await the arrival of my books!!!

A response to the class so far...

To be quite honest, I had NO IDEA what "Post Colonial Literature" was going to be about. The description online sounded interesting and it fit into my schedule, so I signed up. On the first day of class I was pleasantly surprised when I learned what the format of the class was going to be like. The freedom to choose was to read, and to then teach the class about a topic sounded really interesting to me. However, at the same time the obvious intensity involved in the work for this class scared me a little. With an already jam-packed schedule, I began to worry that I would not have a time to accomplish all that was nessecary. Now, after being three weeks into the semester, I feel much better. I think my initial worry was simply a result of the overall shock of being back in school after a long summer vacation. The idea of choosing my topic and what books to read for it actually excites me. As an education major, I am looking forward to being able to 'teach' the class about my topic and its literature. If nothing else, this class should be an interesting experience.

Response to: Literature from the Modern Middle East: Making a Living Connection

The article "Literature from the Modern Middle East: Making a Living Connection" was a great introduction to the practice of teaching and learning about the Middle East. As adults and students we are expected to have a certain level of knowledge about current affairs and world issues, without ever being taught about these things in a formal setting. Admittedly, I am not as proactive about seeking news and facts about currents events and what is going on in the world as I maybe should be. Although I definitely understand the importance of knowing such information, the demands of work, school, and a personal life take precedence, and my quest for knowledge on current affairs is pushed to the side.

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001. Of course, then I was 13 and in the eighth grade, and now I am almost 22 and in my Senior year of college. On that day there were so many questions raised about the Middle East; its people, their values. Questions that I honestly still have yet to answer.There were no formal lessons throughout my middle school, high school, or college careers about these issues, even with a war going on that directly affects so many of us.

The war in the Middle East has been going on for nearly a decade of my life, and yet I know little about it. I know people who have served in Iraq. I see pieces on the news about the war. I see ads for TV shows depicting military life during wartimes. Yet, I am ashamed to say my knowledge about the Middle East and its people is rather limited. As an understanding person, I do not harbor bad feelings for people of a Middle Eastern decent. I understand the basic facts of what is going on, but my connections to what is really going on in the Middle East stops there. I see so many positive aspects to teaching Middle Eastern literature and culture in the classroom, in part because I wish that this kind of learning had taken place in my school or classes.

In an ideal world, classes and lessons should be interesting and relevant to students. Obviously, this is not always the case, but I believe with this subject we really have an opportunity to do so. This subject has great relevance in multiple subject areas. Teaching Middle Eastern literature would seem relevant and most likely more interesting to today's student. Not only would students enrich their minds through literature, but ideas and thoughts about culture, differences, modern issues, and an unknown world would come into play.

With these thoughts in mind, I embrace the chance to study Middle Eastern culture, literature, and media. This is an area in which I know very little, but am very interested in studying and learning more about.