Objectives

The objectives of this program are to:

-Acquaint students with Morocco from both a historical and a contemporary perspective
-Train graduate and undergraduate students, professionals, civil society activists, and civil servants in gender mainstreaming and cultural awareness raising, support and upgrade their gender-sensitive skills and competences, and deepen their knowledge of Muslim culture and gender issues and challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The Target Group and Duration

The program is open to students and researchers, civil society activists and government and private sector managers. The duration of the program is 2 weeks, with 2 courses per day. The program starts on June 25 and finishes on July 10.

The program includes 2 obligatory courses taught in module forms over two weeks and a 3000 words paper for each course to be written by students in the following month.

The courses

The course introduces the students to the concepts and theories used in the feminist and gender studies. It traces the evolution of the discipline and its main concerns. As well as it orients the main philosophical thoughts and social science theories, that impacted on the evolution of women and gender studies as an academic discipline.

This course is a general survey of the major cultural political and social issues in contemporary North Africa with a special focus on Morocco. The purpose of the course is to give students an overall understanding of these issues in order for them to pursue points of their own interest. The course will cover the following topics: Berber Culture and Identity, Political systems and Democratization, Political Islam, Popular Islam, Migration (both internal and external), Literacy and Illiteracy, Language and Society Issues, and Education in North Africa, and the effects of the Arab Spring. This course does not presuppose any background in North Africa.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to complete all reading assignments prior to the class and to bring the reading materials to the class discussion, whenever possible. All students are expected to attend regularly and participate actively in the discussions. Absence from more than two classes, whether excused or not, will automatically result in a lower final grade. Active, intelligent participation in class discussion is expected. Failure to prepare the reading will result in unannounced, in-class quizzes.

Each student will be assigned to present a 2-page critical analysis of one reading assignment, to be presented orally in class. Writing assignments include one take-home essay of 3000 words on a topic that must be approved in advance by the professor on the last day of class.

higher if the student completes the reading assignments on time, attends all the classes, and participates actively in class.

Arabic (optional but recommended)

We provide classes in Moroccan colloquial Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic to beginners, intermediate and advanced students.

Cultural Activities

-Guided Tour of the Medina of Fez
-Excursion to Meknès and Volubilis on first weekend (30 miles from Fez)
-Excursion to Ifrane on second weekend (40 miles from Fez)

Admission Requirements

Certificate

At the end of the program, trainees will receive a certificate proving that they have completed the program. Their grades may be sent directly to their institutions for inclusion in their credit load.

Schedule

Costs for the June 25-July 10, 2012 intensive seminar: