WESTFIELD – As part of its Guest Lecture Series, Westfield State University will host “The Syrian Crisis: Local, Regional, and International Perspectives” a night of renowned speakers and a panel discussion on Monday April 13 starting at 7 p.m. in Scanlon Banquet Hall.
The panel will discuss an overview of the current Syrian situation, including a timeline, main players, the impact and participation of women, current status on the ground, and humanitarian crisis in the region. The speakers will also discuss how ISIS originated in Iraq and Syria and how they came to rise, Turkey’s stance on the issue, and how Islamophobia has affected Europe and the United States while touching upon the recent terrorist attacks on Paris.
Featured Speakers
Dr. Omar Dahi, a Damascus, Syria native, is an associate professor of economics at Hampshire College. He is the co-recipient of a grant from the Arab Council for the Social Sciences to conduct research in Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan, on Syrian refugees and displaced populations. Dr. Dahi’s expertise ranges on various topics including economic development, international trade, South-South economic cooperation, and the political economy of the Middle East and North Africa – all of which he has been published discussing. This is Dr. Dahi’s third visit to Westfield State University.
Vijay Prashad, Ph.D., is a journalist, historian, and professor at Trinity College. He has published seventeen books, five in 2012 alone, and is a world-renowned speaker. Dr. Prashad is a senior research fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon and is known for his outspoken criticism on US Foreign Policy.
Dr. Leyla Keough is a visiting professor of anthropology and Middle East Studies at Hampshire College. She has conducted extensive research about transnational migration, gender, and global neoliberalism. Dr. Keough is set to release a book that analyzes the trafficking of women and the migration policy on European and Middle Eastern borders.
For more information regarding “The Syrian Crisis: Local, Regional, and International Perspectives”, please contact: Mark Abate ([email protected]) or Michelle Pescetta in the History Department located in Bates 113.
The Guest Lecture Series is supported by funding from the Academic Affairs budget to enhance student learning and service to the larger community. An advisory committee with representation by the faculty and librarians, staff, and students review proposals and recommend selection of proposals for the year. For more information on upcoming speakers in the Guest Lecture Series, please visit http://www.westfield.ma.edu/guest-lecture-series.
