Civil Society and Civic Engagement in the Middle East

This course examines civil society and civic engagement in the Middle East and North Africa, critically assessing the role of civic engagement in promoting democracy in majority Muslim countries; engages with theoretical questions about applying Western civil society concepts in the MENA region and uses films to explore societal structures and ideal society models envisioned by MENA thinkers; also analyzes U.S. civic engagement entities to evaluate opportunities and challenges in fostering similar initiatives in MENA; students gain hands-on experience by developing or evaluating a MENA-related NGO or community-based organization (CBO) while emphasizing writing as a learning tool alongside a 20-hour service-learning project, deepening their understanding of civil society in MENA