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The Arab Spring One Year Later

This course is no longer offered.

In January 2011, the self-immolation death of a Tunisian fruit-stand owner lit the flames of revolt throughout the Arab world. In a region where absolute rule from the top has been the norm for millennia, what triggered this unique wave of democratic reforms, and where will it go from here?

These questions and more will be taken up by our speakers. Jehon Grist will explore patterns of rule in the Middle East and Israel from ancient times into the 20th century, and Prof. Farid Senzai will delve into the processes that led to this revolution and its prospects for the future.

Please Note: Participants are encouraged to attend the Beth El Men's Club program Israel and the Arab Spring with Michael Nacht, January 18, 7:00 pm. For more information, call Beth El at 510-848-3988.

Schedule

# Sessions
2
Date & time

Tuesdays, March 6 - March 13
7:30 - 9:00 pm

Tuition
$20 for the public
$15 for members
Session Time Days Location Instructors
Mar 06 7:30 PM–9:00 PM Tue Beth El Jehon Grist
Mar 13 7:30 PM–9:00 PM Tue Beth El Farid Senzai

Location

Congregation Beth El

1301 Oxford Street

Berkeley, CA 94709

510-848-3988

Instructors

Jehon Grist

Jehon Grist, Ph.D., is Executive Director of Lehrhaus Judaica. He earned his doctorate in Near Eastern Studies from UC Berkeley, where he was a Regents' Fellow. He has conducted field research in Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the Valley of the Queens in southern Egypt.

Farid Senzai

Farid Senzai is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Santa Clara University where he teaches courses on Politics of the Middle East as well as courses on International Relations and U.S. foreign policy towards the Middle East. He is also a Fellow and the Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). Dr. Senzai was previously a research associate at the Brookings Institution, where he studied U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East, and a research analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he worked on the Muslim Politics project. He served as a consultant for Oxford Analytica and the World Bank. Dr. Senzai is currently on the advisory board of The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life where he has contributed to several national and global surveys on Muslim attitudes. His co-authored book is Educating the Muslims of America (Oxford University Press, 2009). His current research explores U.S. democracy promotion in the Middle East and U.S. relations with the Muslim world. His most recent book which he is writing now examines the Complexity of Political Islam (forthcoming Palgrave MacMillan). Professor Senzai received an M.A. in international affairs from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in politics and international relations from Oxford University.