TeachMidEast.org Includes NITLE ACC Site

TeachMidEast.org

TeachMidEast.org

This evening I was happy to learn that the NITLE Arab Culture and Civilization Online Resource is once again publicly available, generously hosted by the Middle East Policy Council, a nonprofit organization that seeks to enhance American understanding of the political, economic and cultural issues affecting U.S. policy in the Middle East. I was principal editor of the site throughout much of its existence, and was very proud of the collaborative effort that went into building, launching, and nurturing the site throughout its life. At the time of its retirement it was registering thousands of hits on a daily basis.

There are two good accounts of it’s history and of the Al-Musharaka faculty collaborative in the Educause Quarterly and in the Bulletin of the Middle East Studies Association (direct link to pdf). As NITLE evolved, supporting the site was no longer possible, and the Middle East Policy Council graciously agreed to take it over. It is now part of an impressive set of resources for teaching about the Middle East, North Africa and Islam that are assembled at TeachMidEast.org.

Arab Culture and Civilization Site

Arab Culture and Civilization Site

Though the site is frozen in the state is was in 2007, I am deeply grateful two the MEPC for making it available, as I continue to receive requests for the materials, and now have someplace to point folks.

In addition to the online resources assembled at TeachMidEast.org, MEPC also offers well known and well regarded workshops on Islam and the Middle East that are delivered to schools, conferences and other organizations. The workshops are non-partisan and provide participants with innovative strategies for teaching complex topics.