Institute for Middle East Studies

Workshops

The Institute for Middle East Studies Outreach Program provides 3-4 workshops a year for K-12 educators in the DC area. These workshops, developed around a central theme, provide educators with the opportunity to engage topics on the Middle East through lectures and panels with experts from GW, other area universities, non-profits, and the government.

Upcoming Events

Landscapes of Mideast Geography: From the Imagined to the Actual
9:30am - 1:30pm
March 2, 2013
Room 602, Elliott School

This workshop is free to area educators. Coffee and lunch will be served.
Please RSVP here

Download the flier and agenda for this event

Energy and the Global Market: A Comparison on Russia, the Middle East and Japan
Date and time: TBD
Room 602, Elliott School

Please check back here periodically for more information.

Previous Workshops

Gender and Islam: Law, Society, and Rights
9:30am - 3:15pm
October 20, 2012
Room 602, Elliott School

This workshop examined gender issues in Muslim societies, discussing the impact of Islamic Law, political systems, and culture on women's rights. Presenters particularly focused on contemporary women's rights in Iran and Jordan.

Download the flier for this event

Media and the Middle East
9:30am - 2:30pm
September 22, 2012
Room 602, Elliott School

This workshop examined the role of the media in the Middle East, and featured GW professors Melani McAlister, Sean Aday, and Marc Lynch.

Download the agenda for this event

Turkey Today: Between the Arab Spring and Greek Financial Crisis
April 28, 2012
Room 602, Elliott School

This workshop examined Turkish domestic politics and foreign affairs, analyzing Turkey's relationship with the Middle East and the country's important role during the recent Greek financial crisis.

Download the agenda for this event

*Co-sponsored with the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University.

The Arab Spring: One Year Later
February 25, 2012
Room 602, Elliott School

This workshop examined the events of the Arab Spring, discussing the background to the protest movements that have swept the Middle East, assessing what the movements have accomplished, and pinpointing what challenges lie ahead.

Download the agenda for this event

The Arab Spring in Context
August 11, 2011
Room 602, Elliott School

This workshop examined the events of the Arab Spring, discussing the background to the protest movements that have swept the Middle East, assessing where the movements are headed, and discussing what challenges lie ahead.

Download the agenda for this event

The Cold War in the Middle East and Afghanistan
April 30, 2011
Room 602, Elliott School

The Cold War is a popular topic in modern US and Russian history; however, most accounts overlook the impact of the conflict on the Middle East and Afghanistan. This workshop examined the Cold War in the Arab world, Iran, and Afghanistan from the 1940's until the fall of the Soviet Union and discussed how this period continues to shape contemporary developments in the region.

Download the agenda for this event

*Co-sponsored with the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies and the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at George Washington University.

Arts of the Islamic World - A Look at the Shahnama
March 19, 2011
Room 505, Elliott School

The Persian poet Firdawsi wrote the Shahnama, or Book of Kings, over 1000 years ago. This epic poem covers the history of Persia (modern Iran) from the Kayumars to the Arab conquest in the 7th century, including myths, legends and events in Persia's history. The Shahnama also became a work of art as royalty commissioned illustrated copies of the poem to reflect their times and taste and to legitimate their rule.

This workshop for secondary level (grades 6-12) educators examined the Shahnama as both literature and art, culminating with a visit to the Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries' special exhibit "Shahnama: 1000 Years of the Persian Book of Kings" and the permanent exhibit "Arts of the Islamic World." The workshop also featured an introduction to Islamic art to provide context to the discussion of the Shahnama and the visit to the galleries.

Download the agenda for this event