Portland State University Middle East Studies Center Lecture Series

Checkpoints are a centerpiece of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, yet remain understudied. How do they affect Palestinian preferences towards violence? What role do they play in the Peace Process and regional security?

The Middle East Studies Center co-sponsors a series of lectures with the Oregon Chapter of the American Research Center.

Professor Louis A Ruprecht, Jr., William M. Suttles Chair in Religious Studies at Georgia State, was an honored summer guest of the Hellenic Studies program who taught a summer course and gave two public lectures.

Richard Paxton, Professor of Education at Pacific University Oregon, speaks at a workshop for educators that focused on the use of film to teach about international topics in the K-12 classroom.

Sylvia Frankel, an adjunct member of the faculty of the Religious Studies Department at Lewis and Clark College, speaks at a workshop for educators focused on the use of film to teach about international topics in the K-12 classroom.

One of the latest revelations in the modern banking industry has been the introduction of Islamic finance and investment activities, referring to transactions that are compliant with Sharia Muslim law.

Carol Thomas (Ph.D., Northwestern University) is Professor of Greek History and Director of the Hellenic Studies Program at the University of Washington and author of Citadel to City State: The Transformation of Greece

An informal conversation with Masoud Kheirabadi, adjunct faculty for International Studies, Geography, and Sociology at Portland State University.

North Africa is a relatively understudied region in the Muslim world, yet it has been at the center of the Arab Spring.

Salam Atta Sabri is an Iraqi artist and the founder and Director of the Iraqi Pioneers Committee in Baghdad. Following the looting of 2003, he published a partial list of the artwork missing from the Museum. In addition, he founded a non-governmental organization that works to preserve the history and artworks of the pioneers of modern Iraqi fine arts (one of whom was his father). This lecture was presented with co-sponsorship from The American Academic Research Institute in Iraq and the Council of American Overseas Research Centers, with funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York; Portland Community College's Internationalization Initiative; the MA in Critical Theory and Creative Research at the Pacific Northwest College of Art; and the Portland State University Department of Art

On December 18, 2011, all U.S. military troops withdrew from Iraq, leaving behind an uncertain and undoubtedly fragile state. Steve Niva, member of the faculty at the Evergreen State College, shared his thoughts on the current state of Iraq. This lecture was presented with funding from the Portland State University Internationalization Council Minigrant Program

A lecture by Father Pavlos and Sister Joanna from St Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt.

The history of Imperial Japan's interplay with the Muslim world reflects a history of transnational nationalism that is part of the inception of twentieth century world power behavior. By using the Islam card primarily through diaspora transnational actors, the pre-war Japanese global claim to Islam reflects the interlacing of intellectual history with that of intelligence in global strategic ambitions. Ayse Selcuk Esenbel is Graduate Student Advisor in the Department of History at Bogazici University. Esenbel completed her undergraduate degree in History in the International Christian University (Japan) and George Washington University. She received her master's degree from the Department of Japanese Language and Linguistics at Georgetown University and a PhD in Japanese history from Columbia University. She is a Professor in the Department of History at Bogazici University. This lecture was presented by the Centers for Japanese and Middle East Studies. Co-sponsored by the Center for Turkish Studies and the Department of History

This talk focused on displacement and the psychological and socioeconomic conditions that influence the transition of Iraqi refugees in Portland. Baher Bhutti earned his PhD in Psychiatry from Baghdad University. He worked in Iraq as a psychiatrist, activist, and prolific writer until 2006 when his community activism made him a target of the emerging Iraqi militias. He found refuge in Portland, Oregon in 2007, was joined by his wife and children by 2009, and has since been working as a counselor, Iraqi refugee advocate, and community activist. In addition to working for the Lutheran Community Services, he serves on the Boards of the Center for Intercultural Organizing, Arab-Americans Cultural Center of Oregon, Advisory committee of Colored Pencils Art group, and is the founder of the Iraqi Society of Oregon. Yasmeen Hanoosh is Assistant Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, Portland State University. She received her PhD in Arabic Language and Literature from the University of Michigan (2008) and specializes in the literatures and history of ethno-religious minorities in the Middle East, and also in Arabic literary translation. This lecture was presented by the Middle East Studies Center and co-sponsored with Better-Life USA & the Iraqi Society of Oregon

Media drove the Arab Spring and it is a tool in the global spread of terrorism. Now governments are striking back. In this talk, Dr. Lawrence Pintak explores the battle for hearts, minds and the computer. Lawrence Pintak is the founding dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University He is a veteran of more than 30 years in journalism and the media business on four continents who now writes and lectures on America's relationship with the Muslim world, the role of the media in shaping global perceptions and government policy, the future of journalism in a digital/globalized world, and the responsibilities of reporters covering conflict and social injustice.