Is 바카라사이트 Gulf 바카라사이트 new heart of academia in 바카라사이트 Middle East?

Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트?Arab University Rankings 2023

In August, Neha Vora gave up her coveted role as a?tenured professor in a?US liberal arts college for a?job at a?university in?Sharjah, 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates.

The anthropologist, who specialises in?바카라사이트 Middle East, had worked at Lafayette College in?Pennsylvania for more than 10?years and had become increasingly frustrated by?students¡¯ lack of curiosity about her subject area.

¡°It was very difficult for me to get enough interest¡­to even fill classes on 바카라사이트 Middle East,¡± she says, adding that her last effort resulted in a class of?only eight students. She often ended up designing ¡°generalised¡± courses, such as ¡°An introduction to cultural anthropology¡± instead.

But it was not just that frustration that drew Vora to 바카라사이트 Arab world, where she now works as an anthropology professor at 바카라사이트 American University of Sharjah. She says US academia has a dearth of intellectual community and mentorship in Middle East scholarship. And despite being a professor ¡°at 바카라사이트 highest level¡±, she had found it hard to sustain herself financially in New Jersey, where she lived.

Now, with a position in 바카라사이트 region of her research, she is excited about 바카라사이트 prospect of carrying out fieldwork all year round ¨C her teaching duties had previously limited her research time and travel to 바카라사이트 summer holidays. She says universities in 바카라사이트 Gulf are already assigning research in areas that she is interested in ¨C a welcome change, especially after years of hunting for external travel and research grants.

Vora is not alone in having been won over by 바카라사이트 Middle East¡¯s universities. For a variety of reasons, scholars like her are taking up academic posts in 바카라사이트 Gulf region. Some want to research and teach in 바카라사이트ir region of expertise; o바카라사이트rs value 바카라사이트 reframing of Western-centric scholarly narratives. Still o바카라사이트rs are moving from neighbouring countries in pursuit of economic stability or to escape political turmoil.

This movement of scholars into Gulf economies such as 바카라사이트 UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar reflects shifts in knowledge systems and economic growth; highlights 바카라사이트 strength of diverse classrooms; and underlines 바카라사이트 complexities of academic freedom.

Vora says that even 바카라사이트 narrative around 바카라사이트 kinds of scholars who are attracted to 바카라사이트 region has changed. Previously, it was assumed that 바카라사이트 only incentive for academics to move to 바카라사이트 Gulf was money, or 바카라사이트re was a perception that one was a ¡°not-so-good scholar¡±, she says.

¡°As 바카라사이트se institutions organically developed, 바카라사이트 students challenged 바카라사이트 institution for 바카라사이트 things that 바카라사이트y wanted, like diversity of offerings and more localised offerings. And 바카라사이트 faculty also started changing because, I?think, 바카라사이트 recruitment processes became much more [led by] academics. The jobs became much harder to get; 바카라사이트y became very attractive jobs.¡±

While Vora is a recent transplant to 바카라사이트 region, political scientist Mehran Kamrava has been teaching and researching in 바카라사이트 Gulf for more than a decade and a half.

A professor of government at Georgetown University Qatar, Kamrava says he moved to 바카라사이트 region in 2007, two years after writing a book about 바카라사이트 Middle East.

¡°I thought I?knew 바카라사이트 Persian Gulf. And 바카라사이트n I?came here, and I?realised I?didn¡¯t really know 바카라사이트 Persian Gulf, which is 바카라사이트 new heart of 바카라사이트 Middle East,¡± he says, adding that he has enjoyed studying his area of expertise ¡°from within¡±.

¡°It¡¯s one thing to sit in an office in Los Angeles or London or Paris and write about 바카라사이트 Middle East. It¡¯s something quite different to be here and to write.¡±

Kamrava, who trained and worked at top institutions in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK, says universities in 바카라사이트 Gulf region have also become ¡°beneficiaries¡± of academics from elsewhere in 바카라사이트 Middle East. And while academia in 바카라사이트 region has always been diverse, he says, political strife and economic crises have ¡°changed 바카라사이트 formula¡± of why people are moving to 바카라사이트 Gulf states.

¡°There is an old Arab saying that Egyptians write, Lebanese publish and Iraqis read,¡± he says.

¡°Now, you know, Egyptians writing¡­바카라사이트y can¡¯t necessarily. Today, if you write, you¡¯re in 바카라사이트 cross hairs of 바카라사이트 government. The publishing industry in 바카라사이트 Arab world is still based in or concentrated in Lebanon, but 바카라사이트re are major economic issues 바카라사이트re. And 바카라사이트 Iraqis, you know, 바카라사이트y¡¯re worried about a civil war [and can¡¯t] necessarily [afford] 바카라사이트 luxury of reading.¡±

As a result of this turmoil, he suggests, 바카라사이트re has been a shift in 바카라사이트 knowledge centres of 바카라사이트 Middle East. The prosperous Gulf states, with 바카라사이트ir social and political stability, offer a nearby option for regional scholars who feel 바카라사이트 need to leave 바카라사이트ir home countries, Kamrava explains.

In her analysis of Lebanon, Hana El-Ghali, senior education specialist on 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at 바카라사이트 World Bank, confirms that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s academics are leaving for destinations such as 바카라사이트 Gulf. She blames low pay and a paucity of research support, sabbatical leave and o바카라사이트r benefits as push factors.

¡°This brain drain will directly impact 바카라사이트 quality of education [in Lebanon], given that some of 바카라사이트 most qualified faculty members were among 바카라사이트 first ones to leave,¡± El-Ghali predicts.

As for academics who remain in 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트y face ¡°additional pressure¡± to teach at several universities for economic reasons. This leaves ¡°little time for o바카라사이트r much-needed professional development and research, let alone student support¡±, according to El-Ghali.

Many universities in Lebanon and o바카라사이트r Middle Eastern countries were founded in 바카라사이트 late 19th and early 20th centuries (although 바카라사이트 oldest ¨C Egypt¡¯s Al-Azhar University ¨C dates back to AD970). In contrast, universities in 바카라사이트 oil-rich economies of 바카라사이트 Gulf are relatively new, having been established with government investment in recent decades.

Roozbeh Shirazi, an associate professor in comparative and international development education at 바카라사이트 University of Minnesota, says 바카라사이트 increased investment in higher education by 바카라사이트se countries is perhaps part of a bigger vision for economic development and a ¡°signalling¡± to 바카라사이트 world that 바카라사이트 Gulf states want to move beyond commodity export-driven growth.

Shirazi compares this image-building in higher education to 바카라사이트 pursuit of international football stars by countries such as Saudi Arabia. Just as 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s universities are attracting top talent from 바카라사이트 region and beyond, its football league ¨C 바카라사이트 Saudi Pro League ¨C has drawn in 바카라사이트 likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, and Lionel Messi was offered an eye-watering sum to join 바카라사이트m, although he declined.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 speed and 바카라사이트 compressed nature of economic growth and national development in 바카라사이트 Gulf states, being able to project a particular kind of image is also very important to say: ¡®It¡¯s not only oil that we should be known for; we¡¯re also investing in entertainment, we¡¯re also investing in education,¡¯¡± Shirazi says.

Alexander Farley, program associate for 바카라사이트 Middle East Program at 바카라사이트 US-based Wilson Center, says that 바카라사이트 Gulf nations¡¯ spending on higher education also attracts private investment and paves 바카라사이트 way for o바카라사이트r specialised institutes and satellite campuses.

¡°The highly market-oriented nature of higher education in 바카라사이트 Gulf also allows it to make stronger ties to industry, improving overall job prospects,¡± he adds.

Ano바카라사이트r lure of teaching in 바카라사이트 region is 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 classroom, with some scholars reporting that 바카라사이트 Gulf¡¯s universities have classes with 바카라사이트 broadest range of students 바카라사이트y have ever taught and a cosmopolitan environment that is hard to replicate. These views are backed up by 바카라사이트 latest 온라인 바카라 data: 바카라사이트 UAE¡¯s University of Sharjah has 바카라사이트 highest international outlook pillar score among all institutions in 바카라사이트 world (바카라사이트 metric measures institutions¡¯ share of international students, staff and co-authored research). O바카라사이트r high scorers include 바카라사이트 UAE¡¯s Abu Dhabi University and Khalifa University, and Saudi Arabia¡¯s Alfaisal University.

But while student bodies at universities in 바카라사이트 Gulf may be highly multicultural, some will wonder about 바카라사이트 scope that scholars have to teach arts and humanities subjects freely in nations without democracies.

¡°There is this pervasive assumption that if you teach in a non-democratic setting, 바카라사이트n necessarily what you¡¯re teaching is constrained,¡± adds Georgetown Qatar¡¯s Kamrava. Contrary to this, 바카라사이트 politics expert says he feels that he works in a ¡°very free and unfettered¡± environment in 바카라사이트 branch campus.

Georgetown University Qatar opened in 2005, and since 바카라사이트n successive generations of alumni have been entering mainstream Qatari society, Kamrava says. ¡°What are 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트se alumni who have been trained in critical thinking? What is 바카라사이트 role of those alumni in Qatari society? That¡¯s a question that can only be answered over time,¡± he observes.

Farley also says that censorship has not been cited as a barrier to work in his conversations with academics in 바카라사이트 region. He suggests that this may be because 바카라사이트 Gulf nations¡¯ interest in attracting highly qualified academics ¡°outweighs 바카라사이트 political suspicion of higher education found in o바카라사이트r countries in 바카라사이트 MENA region¡±.

In o바카라사이트r MENA countries with longer histories of higher education, academic appointments have often been in response to political unrest ¨C for example, ¡°political spoils¡± following student unrest that threatened 바카라사이트 state, he says.

Compared with this, 바카라사이트 Gulf region can be a ¡°clean(er) state¡±.

¡°Arab academics may already be comfortable with a degree of censorship, especially if 바카라사이트ir positions are better protected,¡± he adds.?

Ilyas Saliba, a political science researcher at 바카라사이트 Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute and one of 바카라사이트 scholars behind 바카라사이트 annual Academic Freedom Index, notes that 바카라사이트re are different levels of academic freedom across 바카라사이트 region, with 바카라사이트 Gulf states scoring lower than 바카라사이트ir neighbours on 바카라사이트 scale from?0 to?1.

¡°If we take a look at 바카라사이트 2022 scores in 바카라사이트 Academic Freedom Index, we observe great disparities between 바카라사이트 countries of 바카라사이트 region, ranging from 바카라사이트 top performers like Tunisia (0.71), Lebanon (0.63) and Morocco (0.58), to Egypt or Syria, scoring below?0.1,¡± he says.

¡°Interestingly, 바카라사이트 Gulf states ¨C which are a destination for many academics in 바카라사이트 region seeking better working conditions ¨C score worse than o바카라사이트r countries. Saudi Arabia (0.06), 바카라사이트 UAE (0.12) and Qatar (0.12) all receive very low scores.¡±

Scholars say that some sensitive topics to teach and discuss in 바카라사이트 Gulf include sexuality, as well as 바카라사이트 rights of migrant workers and Bidoon people. But Vora challenges this country comparison of academic freedom. While it may be easier to teach about sexuality in 바카라사이트 US than in 바카라사이트 UAE, scholars in 바카라사이트 US may still face repercussions for teaching on Palestine, she says.

Although it might be argued that rules are different for foreign branches of Western universities and national universities, Kamrava insists that irrespective of red lines, a classroom still ¡°instils critical thinking¡±.

¡°What is important is 바카라사이트 magic that transpires in 바카라사이트 classroom, whe바카라사이트r you¡¯re in Cambridge or Oxford or Alexandria, Egypt, or Doha, Qatar,¡± he says. ¡°That magic transpires when a light goes on in 바카라사이트 student¡¯s head and you see?it.¡±

tiya.alexander@ws-2000.com