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History Department
History Department

The Arab Spring One Year Later: Assessments and Projections

Sunday, April 15, 2012
10 AM to 5 PM
CPACS Building Commons (Room 132), University of Nebraska at Omaha
Keynote Address: Dr. Joel Gordon, 7 PM (Room 101)

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One year ago, a series of demonstrations and revolts began in Tunisia and swept across the Arab World. Although the characteristics of the participants, the technology they used, and the patterns of their demonstrations varied widely, historians are extremely interested in the cultural and political changes that have resulted within the affected countries. The Middle East Project Fund and its director, Dr. Moshe Gershovich are pleased to host a scholarly workshop led by a panel of Middle East specialists from the Midwest region who are gathering in Omaha to focus on issues now prominent on the world stage.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Moshe Gershovich at UNO..

Schedule of Events
10:00-10:30 Building Commons Welcome and Opening Remarks
  Presenters

David Boocker--Dean, College of Arts and Sciences (UNO)
Bridget Blomfield--Islamic Studies Program (UNO)
Moshe Gershovich--Middle East Project Fund (UNO)
10:30-11:30   North Africa
  Presenters

James LeSueur--University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL)
"No Revolution without Contemporary History: The Legacy of the 'Civil War' in Algeria"
Moshe Gershovich--(UNO)
"Moroccan Exceptionalism? Protest, Palace, and the Politics of Reform"
11:30-11:45   Coffee Break
11:45-12:45   Egypt
  Presenters

John Calvert--Creighton University (CU)
"The Spectrum of Islamist Politics in Egypt Today"
Joel Gordon--Univeristy of Arkansas, Fayetteville
"Living in an Islamist World: The Future of Secular Nationalism in Egypt"
12:45-13:30   Lunch (On your own)
13:30-14:30   Israel and Palestine Sponsored by the Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies
  Presenters

Guy Matalon (UNO) and Ran Kuttner (C U)
"The New Israeli Civil Movement: A Version of the Arab Spring"
Bedross Der Matossian (UNL)
"The Impact of the Arab Spring on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict"
14:30-14:45   Coffee Break
14:45-15:45   Iran and Turkey
  Presenters

Nader Hashemi--University of Denver
"Why Tunisia and Egypt and not (yet) Iran?: Reflections on Political Authoritarianism and Democratic Movements in Three Muslim Societies"
Ramazan Kilinc (UNO)
"Turkey and the Arab Spring: Domestic and International Implications"
15:45-16:00   Coffee Break
16:00-17:00   The Effects of the Arab Spring on Minority Communities
  Presenters

Paul Williams (UNO)
"Christians and the Arab Spring in the Valley of the Nile"
Curtis Hutt (UNO)
"Arab Spring/Christian Nakba?"
Jens Kreinath--Wichita State University
"The Impact of the Arab Spring and Syrian Conflict on Christian and Alawi Relations in Hatay, Turkey"
17:00-19:00   Dinner (On your own)
19:00-20:30 Room 101 Keynote Address:
  Presenter
Joel Gordon--University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
"Tahrir Square as State of Mind: One Year and Counting" Sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences