ACOR Director Pierre Bikai introduces HRH Prince el-Hassan bin Talal to the Teaching About Islam seminar participants.

Due to the popularity and impact of CIC’s January 2004 Teaching About Islam and Middle Eastern Culture seminar, the U.S. Department of State provided additional funds that made it possible for CIC to offer a second seminar at the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) in Amman, Jordan. In collaboration with the Council of American Overseas Research Centers, the three-week-long seminar from December 28, 2004 through January 18, 2005 provided 12 faculty members at CIC colleges and universities from various fields the opportunity to learn more about the Middle East.
      Coordinated by ACOR Director Pierre Bikai, the seminar allowed participants to immerse themselves in Jordan’s culture. As Gary Scudder, professor of history at Champlain College (VT) commented, “The Middle East is a crossroads of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. When you’re a historian, you live for the chance to explore this part of the world.” Seminar participants resided at ACOR, which is used mainly as a base of operations for archeologists conducting field work in the region; and attended lectures on topics that ranged from the religion, geography, and history of Jordan, to the study of Arab poetry and traditional textiles. Seminar presenters included many scholars and a Jordanian prince.
      For many participants, invitations into the homes of both Christian and Muslim Jordanian families for dinner proved to be one of the most interesting aspects of their experience. Michael Lodahl, professor of religion at Point Loma Nazarene University (CA) said “Our most insight-laden times were during our visits to the homes of Jordanian families for dinner and conversation. Some of our best conversations occurred with more typical families.” Debra Picchi, professor of anthropology at Franklin Pierce College (NH) cited a concern in Islamic countries “that Americans don’t know a lot about Islamic cultures, and they feel—whether this is true or not—that America dislikes them, distrusts them. And they feel that the reason we dislike them and are afraid of them is because we’re ignorant. So they try to teach us about Islamic culture.” Overnight visits to Petra and the Dead Sea, as well as tours of desert castles such as Karak, and the Crusader forts Azraq and Hallabat, were also part of the seminar experience.
      ACOR is dedicated to promoting research and publication in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, history, languages, Biblical studies, Arabic, Islamic studies, and other aspects of Middle Eastern studies. Founded in 1968, ACOR provides advice, coordination, research facilities, and living and meeting space for scholars, and serves as a liaison between both academic and private Jordanian institutions and international scholars interested in working in the Arab world. As Professor Lodahl pointed out, “Nothing beats just being there.”

Teaching About Islam and Middle Eastern Culture Seminar Participants

Faith Childress, Assistant Professor of History, Rockhurst University (MO) Robert Dash, Professor of Politics, Willamette University (OR) David Davis, Associate Professor of History, Millsaps College (MS) Charles Guthrie, Associate Professor of History, University of Indianapolis (IN) Paul Hanson, Professor of History, California Lutheran University James Lazenby, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Gwynedd-Mercy College (PA)

Michael Lodahl, Professor of Religion, Point Loma Nazarene University (CA) Julie Perry, Assistant Professor of English, Thomas More College (KY) Debra Picchi, Professor of Anthropology, Franklin Pierce College (NH) Darla Schumm, Assistant Professor of Religion, Hollins University (VA) Gary Scudder, Professor of History, Champlain College (VT) Philip Wittman, Professor of Political Science, Carroll College (MT)