Program for the Study of the Middle East & North Africa

The interdisciplinary Program for the Study of the Middle East & North Africa at Morgan State is the first ever Middle East Studies program at a Historically Black University. The program, supported by a Title VI grant from the United States Department of Education, aims to provide Morgan students with a richer understanding of the Middle East and North Africa through programming related to the languages, history, and culture of the region. The program’s cornerstone is a new interdisciplinary Minor in Middle East & North Africa Studies. Upcoming programming includes a speaker series on the African Diaspora in the Middle East & North Africa, a Gender in the Middle East film festival, and study abroad opportunities.

Given Morgan’s existing strength in the African Diaspora, Morgan students already have an international orientation, but it remains limited for many. This program is a unique opportunity to expand Morgan students’ understanding of a region that continues to be at the crossroads of global geopolitics, given its resources, history, and culture. While the United States has withdrawn militarily from Afghanistan and Iraq, it maintains important economic and political ties to the region. Russia and China have expanded their investments in the Arab world and have vied for greater influence in the region through political developments, diplomatic relations, and economic and military partnerships. China’s recent $900 billion Silk Road investment project exemplifies the central and significant position of the Middle East. Despite the strong economic and political ties that link some countries from the Middle East and North Africa to the United States, they remain among the nations most misunderstood by the U.S. citizenry. This program aims instead to empower students with a deeper understanding of the region and its vital importance globally.

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