IMEU Institute for Middle East Understanding
Palestinian Profiles
According to Hazem Harb, “an artist lives many human experiences.” Harb tries to capture those experiences in his work.
on August 31, 2020
Testimonies
In the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), movement restrictions and lockdowns are not unfamiliar to most. Indeed, during the height of the Second Intifada, many Palestinians couldn’t leave their homes, under threat of death.
on August 27, 2020
Palestinian-American Profiles
In a milestone for the field of Palestinian studies, Brown University established last month a new permanent position, the Mahmoud Darwish Chair of Palestinian Studies. This first-of-its-kind chair at a major research university “signifies Brown’s commitment to the vitally important field of Palestinian Studies in perpetuity.” A leader in the field, Professor Beshara Doumani was appointed as the first holder of the Mahmoud Darwish Chair as of July 1, 2020.
on July 21, 2020
Palestinian-American Profiles
“Deep inside, I always knew I wanted to become an actor,” says Waleed Zuaiter, star of Hulu's highly-praised Baghdad Central. Yet Zuaiter, whose acting credentials are extensive, did not take a direct path to acting. Born in Sacramento, Zuaiter moved to Kuwait with his family at the age of five and spent his summers back in the Bay Area where his mother’s family was based. He describes his childhood as “the best of both worlds.”
on May 5, 2020
Palestinian-American Profiles
“A tool of mass cultural preservation”—that’s how Blanche Araj Shaheen describes her new cookbook. Feast in the Middle East (2020) features an array of dishes from across the Levant with detailed instructions and histories behind each recipe.
on February 24, 2020
Art
Even in the arts, it can be rare to see Palestinian stories and identities shared, especially with mainstream audiences. THE VAGRANT TRILOGY, a three-part play by award-winning playwright Mona Mansour, offers just that. Opening in March at The Public Theater in New York City, the play is about Palestinian displacement set in the context of the 1967 Six-Day War.
on February 12, 2020
Palestinian-American Profiles
Born in Philadelphia to Palestinian immigrants who moved to the United States in 1967, Susan Muaddi Darraj has always loved books. She describes herself as a quiet child who found a lot of herself through reading.
on January 15, 2020
Photo Essays
Ramadan is a sacred time of year for devout Muslims. The holy month began days after the Israeli military killed 62 protesters in Gaza’s Great Return March. Despite the sorrow over the killings, and despite the ongoing suffering Palestinians in Gaza experience due to the Israeli-imposed blockade, four hours daily of electricity, lack of drinking water, and chronic unemployment — families in Gaza still mark Ramadan with devotion, and with dignity.
on June 14, 2018
Palestinian-American Profiles
After 40 years of entrepreneurial work in employee benefits, magazine publishing, and software development, Saleh decided to focus his determination on creating an institution where, in his words, “Palestinian artistic achievement is celebrated as part of the rich diversity of people and cultures that make up the United States.”
on April 18, 2018