Ming Wan Analyzes Possible Outcomes of Obama's China Trip

CHSS staff GLOA

2009-11-17T15:06:11Z

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<a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia/july-dec09/ming_11-16.html" target="_blank">PBS Interview</a>

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China's preferred outcomes of the visit could involve its core national interests, including getting the United States to pledge to not sell arms to Taiwan and not mention Tibet's efforts to gain independence, said Ming Wan, director of global affairs program and professor of government and politics at George Mason University in Virginia. Meanwhile, the U.S. might consider it a breakthrough if China agreed to raise the value of its currency, the yuan, to the U.S. dollar in order to level the playing field for the cost of goods. But even though both countries could consider different outcomes the mark of a successful trip, the basic goal for both is to be more accommodating toward each other's concerns, Ming said. View his interview here: <script src="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/js/pap/embed.js?news01n350dqca0" type="text/javascript"></script>

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Danny & Dee added Global, PIA.

2009-11-17T10:01:00Z

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Published Mason's Global Affairs Director Interviewed by PBS's NewsHour

President Barack Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday during his four-nation Asia tour. China analyst Ming Wan of George Mason University describes potential outcomes of the trip and how the country views Mr. Obama in a Web-only video.

Ming Wan Analyzes Possible Outcomes of Obama's China Trip

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Ming Wan Analyzes Possible Outcomes of Obama's China Trip

2009-11-17T18:24:37Z

B.J. Koubaroulis

2009-11-09T23:04:00Z

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<a href="http://chnm.gmu.edu/freedomwithoutwalls/" target="_blank">Center for History and New Media</a>

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On Monday Nov. 9, 2009, students at George Mason University celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by tearing down a replica that was built on campus. The wall, complete with graffiti, was built by students as part of Freedom Without Walls – a series of events organized by Mason’s Center for History and New Media. Monday, students and faculty gathered in front of the clock tower near the Johnson Center at Mason’s Fairfax campus. The tearing down of the wall was to commemorate the unification of East Germany and West Germany and the peaceful change that can happen throughout the world, organizers said. “It’s really great to see this day since we’ve been planning it for eight months and I’m really proud of the way that it evolved,” said Jacob Kohut, a 23-year-old graduate student in the school of music. “We had this idea of making it about social action. That’s why we have all these signs here because there are still issues in the world that are similar to the ones we experienced with the Berlin wall.” Signs at the event called for peace, social justice, tolerance and change. Before the tearing down of the wall, students and faculty were encouraged to speak out with the use of a microphone that was positioned in front of the replica. Monday’s event was a culmination of Freedom Without Walls, which was a series of events that included art exhibits, lectures, debates, a discussion with the German ambassador and more. George Mason University was one of more than 25 universities to receive a grant from the German Embassy to participate in the national Freedom Without Walls campaign. <object width="400" height="265"> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7407872&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="265" src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7407872&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed> </object> <a href="http://vimeo.com/7407872">IconoClash! Preview</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2558280">David J. Miller</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.

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2009-11-09T23:04:00Z

"We had this idea of making it about social action. That’s why we have all these signs here because there are still issues in the world that are similar to the ones we experienced with the Berlin wall."

Jacob Kohut, George Mason University graduate student

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Published Students celebrate 20 years since Berlin Wall came down.

On Monday Nov. 9, 2009, students at George Mason University celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by tearing down a replica that was built on campus.

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Commemorative Berlin Wall Torn Down on Campus

2009-11-10T19:46:38Z

B.J. Koubaroulis

2009-10-19T12:57:00Z

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<a href="http://islamicstudies.gmu.edu/" target="_blank">For More Information</a>

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George Mason University welcomes Dr. Cemil Aydin as the new director of its Center for Global Islamic Studies. Aydin joined Mason’s History and Art History Department in the fall of 2009, holding the Endowed IIIT Chair in Islamic Studies, bringing with him years of experience in the fields of history and Middle Eastern studies. Aydin studied at Boğaziçi University, İstanbul University, and the University of Tokyo before receiving his Ph.D. degree at Harvard University in 2002. He was an Academy Scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, and a post-doctoral fellow at Princeton University’s Department of Near Eastern Studies. Dr. Aydin previously taught at Harvard University, Princeton University, Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Dr. Aydin has published extensively on the international history of the Muslim world and Asia, Orientalism, and global intellectual history. His recent publications include a book, Politics of Anti-Westernism in Asia: Visions of World Order in Pan-Islamic and Pan-Asian Thought (Columbia University Press, 2007), a co-edited volume on “Critiques of the West in Iran, Turkey and Japan” in Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East 26:3 (Fall 2006). Dr. Aydin is currently working on a book manuscript on the intellectual history of the idea of the Muslim World (forthcoming, Harvard University Press). CHSS Recently caught up with Aydin. Here’s what he had to say: CHSS: Why did you come to George Mason? What aspects of the Mason environment drew your interest? AYDIN: For a scholar of Islamic Studies and global history, Mason is now one of the most exciting and attractive campuses in the country. This campus has more than 15 scholars  researching and teaching on issues related to the Muslim world. It is an amazingly diverse campus with a significant Muslim-American student population. Coupled with its key location, I am convinced that Mason will be a major center of scholarship in Islamic studies. Moreover, George Mason’s history department pays close attention to the growing field of world history. After all, Mason Provost Peter Stearns himself is one of the most important scholars of world history in America. These two strengths of Mason in Islamic Studies and world history helped my decision to come here. CHSS: What are your plans for developing the Islamic studies offerings at Mason in the next few years? AYDIN: Together with my colleagues in Islamic studies, we are improving the course offerings in Islamic studies, which we hope will culminate with the establishment of a master’s program in Islamic and Arabic Studies. Personally, I will teach undergraduate courses on Islam in world history and graduate courses in intellectual history of the Muslim world. We are working on improving the number of study abroad programs in universities of different Muslim societies and language offerings. CHSS: What makes Mason a unique place for teaching Islamic studies? AYDIN: George Mason has one of the most diverse campuses in the world. Here, when we teach about the Muslim world, we are not talking about an unfamiliar religious tradition or parts of the world. Every single classroom here has students from Muslim heritage. Moreover, our students come from relatively cosmopolitan backgrounds. Thus, we have an opportunity to move beyond the simple introductory facts and discuss more complex issues related to Islamic tradition and Muslim societies. Our master’s program, which we hope to start in Fall 2011, will help create a more research-oriented culture as well. CHSS: What might draw a prospective student to Islamic studies? AYDIN: Currently, Mason has a fantastic minor program in Islamic studies, with lots of interesting courses offered by leading scholars in their fields. Any student, from any major, can take six rigorous and eye-opening courses on the history, politics, religious tradition, and culture of Muslim societies, and will have a good grasp of this topic. It will prepare students for exciting career opportunities in government and international non-governmental organizations, or help  them enter competitive graduate programs.

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2009-10-19T12:57:00Z

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Published Aydin brings experiences from Istanbul, Tokyo and Harvard to George Mason

George Mason University welcomes Dr. Cemil Aydin as the new director of its Center for Global Islamic Studies. Aydin joined Mason’s History and Art History Department in the fall of 2009, holding the Endowed IIIT Chair in Islamic Studies, bringing with him years of experience in the fields of history and Middle Eastern studies.

Mason Welcomes New Islamic Studies Program Director

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Mason Welcomes New Islamic Studies Program Director

2009-11-06T15:26:05Z

2009-09-14T17:32:43Z

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554

2009-09-14T17:32:43Z

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Published

Iranian-American scholar Haleh Esfandiari and Pulitzer-nominated business journalist Russ Banham will appear as part of George Mason's Fall for the Book. A panel of writers and scholars will discuss the life and work of the late George Mason Robinson Professor and acclaimed writer Vasily Aksyonov.

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VIDEO: Esfandiari, Banham, and Aksyonov Highlighted at Fall for the Book

2009-09-16T21:34:51Z

B.J. Koubaroulis

2009-09-08T14:14:34Z

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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_at_ep_srch/189-2113261-5287841?ie=UTF8&search-alias=books&field-author=Juliane+Hammer&sort=relevancerank">More About Hammer's Books</a>

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This fall, the Religious Studies Department welcomes Dr. Juliane Hammer to its distinguished list of professors. Dr. Hammer, who received her PhD in Islamic studies from Humboldt University in Berlin, has a wealth of experience in teaching Islamic studies, having taught at Princeton, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Elon University. She was also a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. Her areas of expertise include American Muslim women, Islamic education and Muslim thought in North America, Muslims in Europe, women and gender issues in Islam, Muslims and media representations, as well as Palestinian diaspora communities. “I am excited about the existing minor program in Islamic studies and hope that my courses and my research will be a meaningful contribution to the program and the university at large,” said Hammer. “George Mason University has a significant Muslim student population and is exceptionally diverse. Because of its location so close to Washington, D.C., I expect my knowledge and teaching to be of relevance for students and colleagues interested in global affairs, religious diversity, and cross-cultural understanding. American Muslims are our neighbors and colleagues and have made significant contributions to American society, past and present. Studying their histories, experiences and institutions can also teach us about the dynamics of American society and our approaches to religion, diversity and politics. Hammer is fluent in German, English, and Arabic and has reading ability in Russian and Persian and is learning Turkish Her appointment is in line with George Mason University’s commitment to becoming a place of global learning. “To a department whose faculty are drawn from East and South Asia, Scotland and the U.S., Dr. Hammer will bring a European dimension,” said Religious Studies faculty member John Burns. “Her work on Muslim women in the U.S. and Palestinians in a global or Diaspora context is extremely relevant and will allow the religious studies department to increase its already strong presence. In addition to publishing dozens of journal articles and book chapters, Hammer has published three books about Palestinian society and diaspora experiences, as well as a co-edited collection on “Critiques of the West.” Forthcoming are another co-edited journal issue on “Muslims and Media” and a monograph on American Muslim women and gender discourses. “Students are confronted with globalization with its positive and negative effects on a daily basis,” Hammer said. “In my teaching, I emphasize the interconnectedness of current issues and global affairs with global history and the necessity of looking at the world from different perspectives.” Hammer’s research interests include the intersection of gender issues, intellectual production and the significant presence of Muslims communities in North America. She has organized and participated in several workshops and symposiums at universities around the world, including Oxford, Princeton, Harvard, and Humboldt. “Understanding the dynamics of religious expression and religious life as well as the contested role of religion in the public sphere should be of paramount importance for all students regardless of their field of study or future career,” Hammer said.

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2009-09-08T14:14:34Z

In my teaching, I emphasize the interconnectedness of current issues and global affairs with global history and the necessity of looking at the world from different perspectives.

Juliane Hammer, Religious Studies

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Published Dr. Juliane Hammer hopes to add to Mason’s religious diversity and cross-cultural understanding.

This fall, the Religious Studies Department welcomes Dr. Juliane Hammer to its distinguished list of professors. Dr. Hammer, who received her PhD in Islamic studies from Humboldt University in Berlin, has a wealth of experience in teaching Islamic studies having taught at Princeton, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Elon University.

Religious Studies Department Welcomes Islamic Studies Professor

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Religious Studies Welcomes Islamic Studies Professor

2009-09-12T21:34:41Z

2009-08-08T13:24:00Z

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2009-08-08T13:24:00Z

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Published

In a recent article, Public and International Affairs professor Peter Mandaville illustrates the rise of Muslim hip hop as a new hybrid form of expression and social outlet of Muslim youth. Read the whole article in the <a href="http://www.globality-gmu.net/archives/1426">Global Studies Review</a>, published by Mason's Center for Global Studies.

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Hip Hop and Urban Islam in Europe

2009-10-28T00:15:19Z

http://www.globality-gmu.net/archives/1426

2009-08-08T13:02:24Z

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In fall 2009, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages will offer a new course in Arabic Media, FRLN 330. The course is designed to provide students with the basic skills and vocabulary required for understanding the language of newspapers, magazines, television and internet news.  It will cover a wide range of topics such as business, elections, political demonstrations, trials, conflicts, terrorism, disasters, and aid. At the end of the course, students will be able to read and comprehend moderately complex Arabic texts from written or oral media sources. To be successful in this course, students should have a high intermediate knowledge of Arabic. FRLN 330 001 Arab Media is taught by Omar Salawdeh and meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1030 to 1145 in Robinson A 210. For more information contact: The Department of Modern and Classical Languages 233 Thompson Hall, MSN 3E5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 703. 993.1220 <a href="mailto:language@gmu.edu">language@gmu.edu</a>

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2009-08-08T13:02:24Z

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Published

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New Course in Arabic Media

2009-08-10T16:25:54Z

Jeff Mantz

2009-07-09T15:11:00Z

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<a href="http://www.globality-gmu.net/archives/322" target="_blank">Blood Diamonds of the Digital Age: Coltan and the Eastern Congo</a>

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Jeff Mantz in the Eastern Congo

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2009-07-09T15:11:00Z

It is not surprising then that nearly a decade after a few daring investigative reports first emerged divulging how war in the eastern Congo was being fueled by the global trade in coltan—a dense silicate necessary for most of the electronic products we have today—both the ore itself and the story it told about the digital age linger in relative obscurity.

Jeff Mantz, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

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Published Blood Diamonds of the Digital Age: Coltan and the Eastern Congo

Jeff Mantz from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology is back in the Congo, where he is pursuing field studies about coltan. He recently wrote "Blood Diamonds of the Digital Age: Coltan and the Eastern Congo."

Mantz Pursuing Field Studies in Congo

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Mantz Pursuing Field Studies in Congo

2009-11-05T14:35:06Z

http://www.globality-gmu.net/archives/322

B.J. Koubaroulis

2009-06-10T17:28:43Z

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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/21/AR2009052104697.html" target="_blank">Washington Post Story</a>

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George Mason University offers ARAB 380, a class that explores the different dialects of the Arabic language. Iraqi is the focus for Fall 2009. "Iraqi in particular is the dialect that concerns many Americans these days," said Sana Hilmi, Arabic coordinator. "Iraq is the hot spot. A lot of my students either went or will be going for few months; and they would like to learn this dialect. It is a dialect that needs to be studied because of the many linguistic changes and derivations we have." In ARAB 380 students will study of the structure of one Arabic dialect with comparison to Modern Standard Arabic and the classical Fus-ha. The course includes study of literature, proverbs, and culture associated with that dialect. Many students who travel abroad experience "language culture shock," said Hilmi. "They will not sound anything close to the spoken language. This is because what they have learned is what they should write and what they should use in a formal setting." ARAB 380 will cover Iraqi proverbs, riddles, jokes, folklore stories and songs and will look at the different ethnic groups in Iraq with focuses on the Baghdadi Dialect. Hilmi will also introduce many guest-teachers, including one who teaches Iraqi at Georgetown, to talk about the dialect of the south which is close to the Gulf Dialect. "Besides the language, I think this course will also give students a lot of insight into the Iraqi people, culture, and customs," Hilmi said.

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2009-06-10T17:28:43Z

Iraqi in particular is the dialect that concerns many Americans these days. Iraq is the hot spot. A lot of my students either went or will be going there, and they would like to learn this dialect.

Sana Hilmi, Arabic Coordinator

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Published

George Mason University offers ARAB 380, a class that explores the different dialects of the Arabic language. Iraqi is the focus for Fall 2009. “Iraqi in particular is the dialect that concerns many Americans these days,” said Sana Hilmi, Arabic professor and coordinator. “Iraq is the hot spot. A lot of my students either went or will be going there, and they would like to learn this dialect. It is a dialect that needs to be studied because of the many linguistic changes and derivations we have.”

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Iraqi the Focus of Arabic Dialects Class

2009-09-25T01:14:45Z

CHSS Staff

2009-05-22T14:41:42Z

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During the spring 2009 semester, Mason professors Michael Chang and T. Mills Kelly from the Department of History and Art History created a Post-Socialist Film Series that focused on the end of the Cold War and what has come afterwards. The series featured prominent documentary filmmakers who showed their films and then answered questions from students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. “We were aiming to use film and filmmaking as avenues of emotional and intellectual engagement with the experiences of people living in areas that are often labeled "post-socialist space," said Chang. “I think we hoped to get beyond the headlines through the medium of cinematic storytelling.” The first interactive discussion took place during the conference 1989: Looking Back, Looking Forward and featured two award-winning filmmakers: Elvira Dones and Carma Hinton. Dones, Albania’s best-known writer and filmmaker, presented scenes from her film Stuck about the reappearance of the blood feud in post-communist Albania. Hinton, one of Mason’s Robinson Professors, presented scenes from her film The Gate of Heavenly Peace. “I think we hoped, once again, to get behind the silver screen and wanted to invite students and members of the Mason community to think about the process of filmmaking itself and what the act of representing other people's lives entails more generally,” Chang said .  Audience members were treated to the sight of two filmmakers sharing their work and discussing the editorial decisions that go into turning hundreds of hours of film into just an hour or two of final product. Both women also described the difficulties they faced in shooting their films—everything from hostile criminal gangs to hostile government officials. The second interactive discussion took placein mid-April when James Tusty, co-director of the film The Singing Revolution, came to Mason to present his work. The film, which deals with the struggle of the Estonian people to break free from the Soviet Union in the 1980s and 1990s, recently won the highest award the Estonian state can give for cultural achievement. Like Hinton and Dones before him, Tusty emphasized the many challenges he and his co-director faced in creating the film, including long searches in film archives for footage from earlier decades, problems of translation from Estonian to English, and how one might find funding for a project like theirs. All told the Post-Socialist Film Series, which was supported by Mason’s Center for Global Studies, presented more than a dozen films during the semester. “Not always, but all too often, discussions of China, Russia, and/or Eastern Europe, and many other parts of the world, tend focus on geo-strategic and/or international political issues,” Chang said. “This is quite understandable, but much of the impetus behind organizing this film series was to provide other perspectives on the emotional and political complexities of quotidian life in these places.”

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2009-05-22T14:41:42Z

We were aiming to use film and filmmaking as avenues of emotional and intellectual engagement with the experiences of people living in areas that are often labeled "post-socialist space. I think we hoped to get beyond the headlines through the medium of cinematic storytelling.

Michael Chang, Professor in the Department of History and Art History

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Published Chang and Kelly Host Filmmakers on Campus

During the spring 2009 semester, Mason professors Michael Chang and T. Mills Kelly from the Department of History and Art History created a Post-Socialist Film Series that focused on the end of the Cold War and what has come afterwards. The series featured prominent documentary filmmakers showing their films and then answering questions from students, faculty, staff, and members of the community.

Post-Socialist Film Series Brings Documentary Filmmakers to Campus

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Post-Socialist Film Series Brings Documentary Filmmakers to Campus

2009-05-26T18:22:12Z