AMES Professor Leo Ching has been awarded the Dean's Leadership Award. This award recognizes a group of people or an individual who have demonstrated exceptional leadership to the department, college or university through research, teaching or service. More info here. read more about Dean's Leadership Award »
During the weekend of January 29-31, about 20 participants filled the Duke Game Lab and—fueled by plenty of coffee, pizza, and snacks—joined minds to bring to life their ideas for games related to a common theme. At the same time, at 933 other sites around the globe, tens of thousands of people were doing the same thing. They were all participating in the Global Game Jam (GGJ), the world’s largest game creation event, where people interested in game development came together all over the world to design, develop, and… read more about Duke Hosts Global Game Jam (GGJ) Site »
The Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Awards recognize annually one community partner, one faculty member, and one graduating senior for their outstanding commitment to the ideals of service-learning. We are pleased to recognize the following award recipients for their excellent work: STUDENT RECIPIENT: Axel Herrera Ramos (Duke ‘20) Axel Herrera Ramos, a double major in Economics and Sociology, was born in Honduras and immigrated to the United States at the age of seven with his family. He… read more about 2020 Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Award Winners »
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Professor Mbaye Lo spoke at Duke's Black Muslim Atlantic Symposium at Duke University, discussing the conflicting narratives about Omar ibn Said, a black Muslim scholar captured in Senegal in 1807 and transported by boat to Charleston, S.C. Lo said scholars have underestimated Said's intellectual and scholarly training and his ability to use that training to compose something that had significant meaning. Read more in Religion News. read more about New research reconsiders writings of a Muslim slave and scholar »
For nearly 48 hours last weekend, about 20 participants filled the Duke Game Lab and—fueled by plenty of coffee, pizza, and snacks—joined minds to bring to life their ideas for games related to a common theme. At the same time, at 933 other sites around the globe, tens of thousands of people were doing the same thing. They were all participating in the Global Game Jam (GGJ), the world’s largest game creation event, where people interested in game development came together all over the world to design, develop, and present… read more about 48 Hours, Little Sleep, and A Lot of Pizza: Ph.D. Student Brings Global Game Jam to Duke »
Last week’s killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani has raised a number of legal and strategic questions for which there seem to be no consensus, including among Duke faculty. Charles J. Dunlap Jr., a professor of the practice of law and executive director of the law school’s Center on Law, Ethics and National Security, said President Donald Trump’s directive to kill Soleimani was “lawful self-defense” as authorized by the United Nations Charter, not an unlawful assassination. “Because Soleimani was engaged in… read more about Killing of Iranian Commander Raises Legal, Strategic Questions »
Beneath Duke University’s Perkins library, an unassuming, yet fiercely original approach to video games research is underway. Tied less to computer science and engineering than you might expect, the students and faculty are studying games for their effects on players. I was introduced to a graduate researcher who has turned a game into an experiment. His work exists between the humanities, psychology, and computer science. Some games, particularly modern ones, feature complex economies that require players to collaborate as… read more about Games, Art, and New Frontiers »
Asian & Middle Eastern Studies Professor Satti Khanna discusses translating works from poet and novelist Vinod Kumar Shukla. Read the full article in The Hindu. read more about Satti Khanna and the art of translation »
HarperCollins Publishers, in association with Oxford Bookstore, launched The Windows in Our House are Little Doors by Vinod Kumar Shukla, translated from Hindi by AMES Professor Satti Khanna, on Wednesday, December 11 at 6:30PM. The dramatized reading by Kamal Pruthi was followed by conversations between Satti Khanna and Kamal Pruthi. read more about The Windows in Our House, Translated by AMES Prof. Satti Khanna, Launches in India »
A few weeks back I found myself back in the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies which is home to the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies program. Now a senior, I have had the privilege of taking Hindi classes since my first-year at Duke with Kusum ji. Each semester we come to the John Hope Franklin Center to have a fully immersive cooking class in Hindi. These cooking classes were always one of the most coveted classes of the semester since we got to make any dish we could decide on as a… read more about A Taste of India at the Franklin Center »
DURHAM, N.C. -- Five Duke University students and alumni have been named Schwarzman Scholars, a program that funds one year of study in Beijing, China. Seniors Charles Berman of Durham, North Carolina, and Max Labaton of Washington, D.C., were named Schwarzman Scholars. They join 2019 Duke graduates Yunjie Lai of Chongquing, China, and Kevin Zheng of Glenelg, Maryland, and 2017 graduate Steven Soto of Phoenix, Arizona, as members of the Schwarzman Class of 2021. They are among 145 scholars chosen from more than 4,700… read more about Five From Duke Named Schwarzman Scholars »
Duke University will host its sixth annual Critical Asian Humanities workshop on April 10-11, 2020. Integrating approaches and methodologies from cultural studies, critical theory, and area studies, we identify Critical Asian Humanities as an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes humanistic inquiry while critically interrogating many of the assumptions on which the humanities have traditionally relied. More information: https://asianmideast.duke.edu/cah-annual-workshop read more about Call for Papers: Sixth Annual Critical Asian Humanities Workshop »
Professor Nayoung Aimee Kwon has been named the 2019 winner of the Trinity College Dean's Diversity Award. An Associate Professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies and APSI, Aimee Kwon is also the founding director of the Asian American Studies Program at Duke University. She has been a strong advocate for social and racial justice on campus and in the broader community, devoting scholarly attention to portrayals of gender and sexuality in film and other popular media. In their nomination, her colleagues noted, “… read more about Nayoung Aimee Kwon named 2019 winner of Dean's Diversity Award »
After enjoying the cooking class from Hindi 101, we were really excited when Kusum Ji began to discuss plans for our cooking class for this semester. We discussed many ideas for what to cook this semester, including pav bhaji, bhel puri, and roti sabzi, but we quickly settled on one idea that sparked universal excitement from everyone in the class: pani puri. In fact, Kusum Ji even challenged us to eat as many as we could, as one of my classmates said she would try to eat 30! Kusum Ji told us she would buy the ingredients… read more about Holi Festival Celebration in AMES »
POSTED BY SERGIO MACIAS-VAZQUEZ ON JULY 30, 2019 Twelve hours after arriving in Tunisia, I found myself under a tent on the shores of the Mediterranean sipping tea. It was 1 in the afternoon and I was taking in the ancient ruins of the Roman baths of Carthage when the playful cry of a child from across the ruins in a hilltop compound split the whisper of the water and the others in the café. A pristine field, a line of tents, and armed guards manning the walls begged me to ask those next to me – ‘What’s that compound?’ ‘… read more about The President is Dead, Long Live Democracy »
Students in the Duke in the Arab World Program (DAW) attend a Carthage University Conference for a week of insight and experiences into the democratization process in Tunisia. Also, on the agenda, is a guided tour of Carthage ruins, Sidi Bou Said, Bardo Museum, the Parliament and old Tunis. Read about DAW's work at this link. read more about Students in the Duke in the Arab World Program Attend Carthage University Conference »
Thursday, April 25, 5:30-7:30pm, @ Leadership Center (FF 107 Few Quad) Pizza and Sushi Served read more about Japanese Program End of Year Party »
Providing a venue for the scholarly study of gaming, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences recently refurbished a classroom in the Link to create a new Game Lab. Link Classroom 6 is now decked out with popular gaming consoles — from Microsoft Xbox to Sony PlayStation to Nintendo Switch — as well as a growing collection of board and card games, and several high-end computers and monitors to give those using the facility an immersive gaming experience. But this experience is designed to go far beyond simply playing games.… read more about Let the Games Begin: Trinity Opens Lab to Study Game Development & Culture »
Every Thursday, Kusum Knapczyk tries to constantly challenge her Hindi students to understand the material they had learned during that week. Her philosophy is simple: students should not only do homework, class work, and quizzes to learn Hindi but also engage with the material through activities such as hosting a cooking class and creating a product advertisement in Hindi. This week, Kusum created a Scavenger Hunt that her students in 101 and 203 would participate in. In each class, students were broken up into… read more about The Hindi Scavenger Hunt and Gossip with Prof. Khanna »
Last Tuesday, our Hindi class embarked on a trek to the John Hope Franklin Center to meet our Professor, Kusum Ji, for a morning of cooking. As we walked down the hallways of the building, we could already smell the chai brewing. This instantly made my classmate Yash enthusiastic: “I loved how the second I stepped in the hallway, I could smell all the spices and flavors permeating through.” Upon entering the kitchen, we saw the beautiful set up of various ingredients that would be used during our cooking session. We… read more about Hindi 101 and 203 Cooking: Reconnecting with Indian Culture »
On November 8, the Arabic Program hosted Sara Taksler for her talk, ‘Are You Brave Enough to Tell a Joke.’ Roughly 40 members of the Duke Community made the trek to the John Hope Franklin Center to hear from the producer of the documentary, ‘Tickling Giants’ as she shared her experience producing and writing for four late-night shows, and the three years she spent visiting Egypt and creating the film. ‘Tickling Giants,’ follows the story of Bassem Youssef, known as the “Egyptian Jon Stewart.” Central to the… read more about Lunch with Sara Taksler: Talking with Students and Tickling Giants »
As a student of the Japanese language program at Duke, I've always enjoyed the chances for deeper cultural enrichment that my professors and the AMES department has provided. When I heard about the opportunity to participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, I couldn't pass it up. The gathering took place in the Duke Gardens' teahouse on a sunny autumn day, and upon arrival I was immediately struck by the uniqueness of the teahouse itself. With only three walls, the tea house is like a cross-section that made it both… read more about Traditional Japanese Tea Gathering »
Duke students, faculty, friends and family were treated to a unique performance by Egyptian rapper ATWA on October 24th. Approximately 60 members of the Duke community packed White lecture Hall to attend the show which included music videos and live performances. ATWA, real name Ahmad Moustafa Kamel, is from Cairo and began rapping in 2006. He is a founder of the growing hip hop movement in Egypt and is one of the most famous rappers in the entire Middle East. He routinely appears on TV shows, radio programs, magazines,… read more about Egyptian Rapper ATWA Treats Duke Community to Special Performance »
While studying in Germany, students worked at a nonprofit that creates learning opportunities for refugees seeking higher education. Duke students work at the headquarters of Kiron Open Higher Education, a nonprofit that supports online learning for refugees. Credit: Erdağ Göknar / Duke University During this past summer’s Duke Middle East in Europe program(link is external), nine Duke students spent their mornings in classrooms learning about migration, geopolitics and identity. In the afternoons, the group traveled… read more about Through Internships Abroad, Duke Students Boost Online Education for Refugees »
Rachel Leng participated in DukeEngage in 2012, where she taught at the Dandelion Middle School, a non-profit school for migrant children who have moved from rural areas throughout China to Beijing. She also worked on a project to draft a bilingual report of the school’s social history by interviewing school staff, students, and volunteers and researching Beijing’s migrant policies and community. Upon returning to Duke, Rachel designed and co-taught a seminar class, ‘Social Inequality in China: Education, Minorities, and… read more about Rachel Leng (’13) Continues to Champion Cross-Cultural Communication »
Students in the Duke in the Arab World (DAW) study abroad program visit the US Embassy in Rabat, Morocco. read more about DAW Students Visit the US Embassy in Rabat, Morocco »
AMES Graduates, Parents, Families and Friends, I wanted to open by saying “our students”, but you are no longer that, at least not in the institutional sense of these words. This very moment is a moment of transition for us all. As such, it is special, full of excitement, sadness, and anxiety, not only for you, but for us as well. What I am about to say is both true and trite: We have spent so many hours together: in classrooms and in offices, in hallways and in dining halls, talking and conversing, asking… read more about Congratulations AMES '18 Graduates »
Rachel Leng graduated with scholarships from Harvard University (M.A. in Regional Studies - East Asia) and Duke University (B.A. with double distinction and highest honors in Public Policy Studies, Asian Studies, and Economics). At Harvard, she was the recipient of a Harvard GSAS Merit Fellowship, and was named a 2015 Graduation Commencement Marshal. Born in Singapore and raised in Shanghai, China, Rachel has been recognized widely for her leadership and originality in approaching East Asian affairs. Duke BOW blog:… read more about DUKE BOW Spotlight on: Rachel Leng, T'13 »
President Price stopped by the John Hope Franklin Center this morning, April 27, 2018 to meet with leaders from African universities during the workshop, "Academic Networking in Sub-Saharan and North Africa: From Accreditation to Global Ethics. This workshop was organized by the Duke Islamic Studies Center under the interim direction of Dr. Mbaye Lo. Duke University Duke University Center for International and Global Studies West African Research Center (WARC) Fountain University Islamic University in Uganda Mohammed V… read more about Academic Networking in Sub-Saharan and North Africa »
Sieber double-majored in Asian and Middle Eastern studies and international comparative studies at Duke. Her coursework introduced her to the interrelation of food systems and energy systems, as well as the impact of energy on cultural trends in China, among other topics. She moved to China shortly after graduation, and now splits time between San Francisco and Shenzhen as EcoFlow Tech readies two more industry-first products for release this year. https://energy.duke.… read more about AMES Major Hannah Sieber named one of FORBES '30 under 30 in Energy' »