The Center for Middle Eastern & North African Studies is currently home to three different initiatives, the Islamic Peace Studies Initiative, the Islamophobia Working Group, and the Arabic Initiative.
Funded by the International Institute Enterprise Fund, the Islamic Peace Studies Initiative aims to encourage the academic study of Islam and peace, as well as promote the professionalization and recognition of Islamic Peace Studies as a subfield. The Center accomplishes these aims by organizing conferences, workshops, and events on the themes of Islam, peace, and spirituality.
The Islamophobia Working Group was assembled in January 2016 to address the national crisis of Islamophobia and its impact on our campus community. Given the recent increase in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment internationally, the purpose of this group of faculty, staff, and students is to study the climate and its impact on Arab, Muslim, and MENA-identified students, faculty, staff and the campus community at large; strategize on how to create a safe and inclusive campus environment for Arab, Muslim, and MENA students and those who are impacted by anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiments (i.e. Sikh, etc.); and to create a set of resources for students, faculty, staff, and community members. The working group meets monthly to coordinate events and create resources.
In partnership with the U-M School of Education, the Arabic Initiative aims to increase the number of certified teachers of Arabic in the state of Michigan by increasing the number of U-M students enrolled in the World Languages Teacher Program.
