Today I am not at the office in observance of a United States national holiday that I do not recognize, a day commemorating that in which I recognize my complicity yet nonetheless reject; the project of settler-colonial domination and the creation and perpetuation of myths of nation which oppress. Across the North American continent to … Continue reading ‘A National Holiday That I Do Not Recognize’– Reflections on Columbus Day 2015
Tag: Palestine
I was given the opportunity to speak at a symposium organized by the International Relations Department Student Organization at my host university two weeks ago. Though very excited for the chance to talk about women's status, I was more than a little intimidated at the prospect of doing so in Turkish. I wrote an original … Continue reading Ortadoğu Kadınlardaki Statüsü: Gözlemler ve Engeller
A Prayer by Naguib Mahfouz from Echoes of an Autobiography, translated by Denys Johnson-Davies I was less than seven years old when I said a prayer for the revolution. One morning I went to my primary school escorted by the maid. I walked like someone being led off to prison. In my hand was a copybook, … Continue reading ثورة
This past semester I wrote a poem for my Intermediate Arabic class. It was composed in Arabic, but my translation appears below. I post it today in remembrance and in solidarity with all those girls whose dreams are marred by the reality of occupation. May you find peace. طفلة هنالك طفلة صغيرة فتخيلوها خدينها زهرية … Continue reading Imagine Her
Following publication of "A State of Denial: Candidates, Consequences, and the Road to Peace", a letter to the editor written by Professor Fred Baumann was published in the Kenyon Observer which rejected my argument regarding the role of Palestinian identity in the conflict. This letter provided an excellent opportunity for me to refine my positions … Continue reading Separate Cannot Be Equal
This article was originally published in Kenyon College's MESA Journal, Vol. 3, Ed. 1 (November, 2011). I can already see the entries in future history books: what began with self-immolation by a frustrated young fruit vendor in Tunisia launched unprecedented revolution across the Arab world. Aided by Facebook, Twitter and other social media, movements spread … Continue reading Why I Don’t Call It The Arab Spring
Here's an excerpt from Obama's speech last Thursday, regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: "So while the core issues of the conflict must be negotiated, the basis of those negotiations is clear: a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel. The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan and Egypt, … Continue reading Land Swaps?
Just finished reading Yassin Alsalman's "Diatribes of a Dying Tribe," his master's thesis and multimedia collaboration with Omar Offendum, Excentrik, and Ragtop in "Fear of an Arab Planet, also known as the Arab Summit. I thoroughly enjoyed his analyses of the interactions between hip hop, identity, cultural appropriation and the political realities of "Middle Westerners," those of … Continue reading Asking the Right Questions
A recent panel finds that the deaths of 13 innocent civilians “did not stem from disregard or indifference to human lives.” Really?
"University of Michigan students walked out of a speech by an IDF soldier in a potent silent protest Wednesday. No news coverage: how many more unheralded actions unfold daily?" -Abby Zimet When I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Saree Makdisi a few weeks ago, we discussed the need for grassroots efforts to actually bring … Continue reading From the Bottom Up
tess m. waggoner 