It's often hard to think about this class without thinking about the amount of readings, as my colleagues have mentioned. However, the more readings we do the more I realize that they are seriously helping with understanding the material in the class. This week's readings, especially the piece from the social entrepreneurship organization, gave me a better understanding of the civil society in the MENA region.
Additionally, this class is really giving me an eye-opening on the more grassroots movements, instead of just the broader international workings of the region. My Arabic class for the last two years included a major cultural aspect, since it is extremely difficult to learn Arabic without understanding the Arabic culture. However, while we were learning cultural aspects (food, smoking habits, family traditions), our only discussions on political matters were very overarching discussions on how the Arab Spring affected states as a whole, not the individuals in the states. Thankfully, however, this class is allowing me to see how these events are affecting actual people!
Additionally, this class is really giving me an eye-opening on the more grassroots movements, instead of just the broader international workings of the region. My Arabic class for the last two years included a major cultural aspect, since it is extremely difficult to learn Arabic without understanding the Arabic culture. However, while we were learning cultural aspects (food, smoking habits, family traditions), our only discussions on political matters were very overarching discussions on how the Arab Spring affected states as a whole, not the individuals in the states. Thankfully, however, this class is allowing me to see how these events are affecting actual people!
I completely agree with you about the importance of the individual view for this issue. I never had Arabic classes, but my world politics classes of the past two years gave very broad general overviews that focused on the impact of states and wider societies. It makes so much more sense after you stop and think about it though, if the goal is to promote democracy, the only logical way to study the issue is through an individual point of view, you're right Bryce this class really provides a very beneficial point of view.
ReplyDelete