The Arab World, a class offered at McDaniel. The Arab World, a place of much controversy and speculation.
My knowledge of the Arab world is good now but could be better. I’d like to begin with the fact that prior to college my understanding of Islam and the Arab world was at a bare minimum Thinking that Iraq was just apart of Iran. I know now that I was just poorly taught in a very conservative place. Now, I know that the Arab Isreali Wars are region defining. I’m aware that the prophet Muhammad in 622 a.d brought the Arab world together from its tribal nature. I have a minor understanding of the effects of British and French colonialism on the region. I also have done a good amount of research on the topics of Syria post-Nassar era and Palestine’s intertwined history with Israel.
The reason I chose to take this course was due to a requirement for my major as well as a deep interest in the cultures and communities “Arabs” encompass. From the Maghreb to Iraq I wanna know what is happening and what makes the people of these places tick. My expectations for the class are the same I have for every class; I want to expand my knowledge of the Arab World. With knowledge comes understanding with understanding comes empathy.
As far as 9/11 is concerned I was only three years old at the time. So I remember very little. Being from the Western United States also made me very detached from the event. Growing up in a rural mining community I had no idea what an Arab was and only when I was 13 and played my first Call of Duty game did I know that Arabs were people who were apparently enemies of the United States. Obviously, as time went on and I became less ignorant, but 9/11 never had a big effect on my life besides increased security at the airport. If I didn’t know what an Arab was I truly had no clue what a Muslim was until I was a teenager. Learning briefly in history class about Islam I thought it just as strange as any religion being that I was raised areligious.
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