Sunday, October 08, 2006

No Strings Attached?

By GIULIANA VETRANO Contributing Writer
The Harvard Crimson - Wednesday, March 08, 2006

The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (NELC) has its offices at the Semitic Museum on 6 Divinity Avenue, while the Center for Middle Eastern Studies are located at 1430 Mass. Ave., above CVS. A narrow corridor leads to closet-sized rooms just big enough to fit a professor and an FM reporter. Framed, dusty posters in Arabic from the eighties line the dull white walls, and the sounds of a Middle Eastern chant play softly from a distant corner.

This is where Harvard directs students interested in studying Islam.

Compared to the open atrium and plush conference rooms of, say, the Barker Center (where some NELC professors have attic offices), NELC’s space appears shabby and decrepit. And like its physical surroundings, the department itself could use an upgrade.

Funding for that improvement has arrived in the form of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud’s $20 million gift announced this past November. The Saudi Arabian prince—also the world’s fifth richest man—designated the donation specifically for Islamic Studies. However, despite the improvement the gift guaranteed, critics inside and outside the Harvard community—still reeling from the events of Sept. 11, 2001—said they were suspicious of his background and presumed intentions and questioned whether or not the University should accept the donation.
While Harvard has received prior gifts from other Saudi Arabian and Middle Eastern donors, there is no common formula for accepting or rejecting a gift. Rather, Harvard has chosen to evaluate the gifts, in accordance with the University’s extensive gift policy, on a case-by-case basis.

The University has outlined the major goals of The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Program for Islamic Studies, but deliberations continue as to the details of its structure and personnel. Faculty point-man Roy P. Mottahedeh, Gurney professor of history, will work along with the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development to advance the program.
Currently, Islamic Studies is mostly confined to the religious and historical aspects of the faith, and especially to Islam in the Middle East. At this point, undergrads study Islam through NELC or the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Professors like Granara and Susan G. Miller, a senior lecturer in Islamic civilizations, stress the need for a more multidisciplinary program. “This is a disgrace,” says Granara. “Our field is vastly underrepresented...and increases [in funding] are very much necessary.” Ahmed points to Sufism, Islamic mysticism, as a key area in which Harvard has no specialist.

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

No Strings Attached?
By GIULIANA VETRANO Contributing Writer
The Harvard Crimson - Wednesday, March 08, 2006

The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (NELC) has its offices at the Semitic Museum on 6 Divinity Avenue, while the Center for Middle Eastern Studies are located at 1430 Mass. Ave., above CVS. A narrow corridor leads to closet-sized rooms just big enough to fit a professor and an FM reporter. Framed, dusty posters in Arabic from the eighties line the dull white walls, and the sounds of a Middle Eastern chant play softly from a distant corner.

This is where Harvard directs students interested in studying Islam.

Compared to the open atrium and plush conference rooms of, say, the Barker Center (where some NELC professors have attic offices), NELC’s space appears shabby and decrepit. And like its physical surroundings, the department itself could use an upgrade.

Funding for that improvement has arrived in the form of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud’s $20 million gift announced this past November. The Saudi Arabian prince—also the world’s fifth richest man—designated the donation specifically for Islamic Studies. However, despite the improvement the gift guaranteed, critics inside and outside the Harvard community—still reeling from the events of Sept. 11, 2001—said they were suspicious of his background and presumed intentions and questioned whether or not the University should accept the donation.
While Harvard has received prior gifts from other Saudi Arabian and Middle Eastern donors, there is no common formula for accepting or rejecting a gift. Rather, Harvard has chosen to evaluate the gifts, in accordance with the University’s extensive gift policy, on a case-by-case basis.

The University has outlined the major goals of The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Program for Islamic Studies, but deliberations continue as to the details of its structure and personnel. Faculty point-man Roy P. Mottahedeh, Gurney professor of history, will work along with the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development to advance the program.
Currently, Islamic Studies is mostly confined to the religious and historical aspects of the faith, and especially to Islam in the Middle East. At this point, undergrads study Islam through NELC or the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Professors like Granara and Susan G. Miller, a senior lecturer in Islamic civilizations, stress the need for a more multidisciplinary program. “This is a disgrace,” says Granara. “Our field is vastly underrepresented...and increases [in funding] are very much necessary.” Ahmed points to Sufism, Islamic mysticism, as a key area in which Harvard has no specialist.

No comments: