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Tulane Univ. Should Add Middle Eastern Studies Department, Major, Mi

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  • Tulane Univ. Should Add Middle Eastern Studies Department, Major, Mi

    TULANE SHOULD ADD MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES DEPARTMENT, MAJOR, MINOR

    Tulane Hullabaloo, Tulane University, LA
    Dec 10 2014

    by Kevin Young

    The following is an opinion article and opinion articles do not
    reflect the views of The Tulane Hullabaloo.

    Tulane has failed to establish an academic program on the world's
    most tumultuous region - the Middle East - and it is time that Tulane
    fixed this.

    Students at Tulane University can major in a wide array of fields,
    from more traditional disciplines such as mathematics and linguistics,
    to unconventional areas like political economy and musical cultures
    of the Gulf South. Tulane even does well in interdisciplinary area
    studies - fields that did not gain prominence in Western academia
    until after World War II - boasting renowned programs in African and
    African diaspora studies, Latin American studies and Asian studies.

    Though the Middle East is primarily home to the Islamic civilization,
    many cultures call this region home.

    Christians - though widely persecuted in the region - have lived in
    the Middle East for millennia. This area, where their prophet Jesus
    Christ was born, is very important to the religion.

    The Levant, also known as the Eastern Mediterranean, is home to the
    world's only Jewish state - Israel - and is a recipient of Islamic
    terrorists' rocket attacks. Together, Christians and Jews make up
    the overwhelming majority of Tulane's religious population and thus
    these events in the Middle East should be reason enough for Tulanians
    to seek an education in Middle Eastern studies.

    Aside from personal connections to the Middle East and desires to
    learn more about the world's most volatile region, there are also
    more practical financial benefits to studying the Middle East. The U.S.

    Department of Labor has reported that the amount of Arabic translators
    needed is rapidly increasing. Many companies have reported that they
    are often willing to pay up to $200,000 to employees who can speak
    Middle Eastern languages such as Arabic, Persian and Pashto.

    Outside of linguistics, professions that deal with human rights,
    oil, diplomacy, security and academia are all within reach for Middle
    Eastern studies students. This is especially true when students combine
    a major in Middle Eastern studies with a more traditional major like
    political science, economics, history or business.

    Despite these reasons for establishing a Middle Eastern studies
    program at Tulane, we must note that the process will be arduous.

    European historians do not debate whether the Holocaust happened or
    if Jews are people, but Middle Eastern historians do debate whether
    the Armenian genocide happened or whether Kurds are people.

    This reality shows how important it is that Tulane use scholars
    with diverse views to work together to establish a Middle Eastern
    studies program.

    Tulane should join other prestigious American universities like Harvard
    University and Vanderbilt University in establishing a Middle Eastern
    studies program.

    Kevin Young is a sophomore in the Newcomb-Tulane College. He can be
    reached for comment at [email protected].

    http://www.tulanehullabaloo.com/views/article_358e64fe-7cb7-11e4-8e38-9b4920a4da3b.html

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