It's easy to learn. Because of the recent history of imperialism and borders imposed by external governments, the people of that area have had to struggle to forge national identities. She thinks this surprising identification with the Middle East may result from the strong regional identity here in the South. She especially enjoys using film in her classes to tell the story of the Middle East. I period, help give students a strong image of the land and people.
Students also see documentaries and even comedies from the area.
The most satisfying part of teaching Middle Eastern history is when her classes go beyond lecturing. It's truly exciting to see them suddenly understand this marvelous place. Her book Documents on the African Diaspora in the Islamic Mediterranean, written with John Hunwick of Northwestern University, is under contract to Markus Wiener Press, and work on another book, A Different Shade of Colonialism, is now in revisions. In general, her research revolves around nationalism in the Middle East, Arabic literature and the area's slavery in the late 19th century. May. The world's attention has been riveted for decades to the Middle East because of its problems.