Civil Society and Civic Engagement in the Middle East

1 credits · Undergraduate

This course examines civil society and civic engagement in the Middle East and North Africa, critically assessing the role of civic engagement in promoting democracy in majority Muslim countries; engages with theoretical questions about applying Western civil society concepts in the MENA region and uses films to explore societal structures and ideal society models envisioned by MENA thinkers; also analyzes U.S. civic engagement entities to evaluate opportunities and challenges in fostering similar initiatives in MENA; students gain hands-on experience by developing or evaluating a MENA-related NGO or community-based organization (CBO) while emphasizing writing as a learning tool alongside a 20-hour service-learning project, deepening their understanding of civil society in MENA