My paper was accepted for the Spring 2020 workshop, "The Global Mediterranean," to be held at Ohio State on Friday, April 24-Saturday April 25. I propose area studies as an official field in the humanities, although I recognize the conceptual problems inherent in making a world region an object of study. The thing is, I don’t favor the term "area studies." What I am proposing is to study is cultural context from multiple standpoints, historical, geographical, anthropological, as a foundation of understanding. This is the approach we used in our book, "Keys to Understanding the Middle East." I am also a big believer in multiple cultural standpoints, especially when it comes to including authentic sources coming from within the culture one is studying. These are the factors I will be considering as I write the full position paper I will be presenting at the conference.
Here is the abstract:
This proposal considers new directions for area studies as a source of leadership in humanities fields. I also invite colleagues to consider the conceptual problems inherent in making a world region an object of study as we explore new directions, such as the conceptual and geographical frame of the "Global Mediterranean." This conversation is much needed at a time when the humanities are under threat. Liberal Arts Colleges are closing in droves (Waugh, 2019;CNBC, 2019) and universities’ humanities departments are feeling a similar strain. Title VI of the Higher Education Act, a funding mechanism that has shaped the field of area studies in a formational way since the 60’s, presses for a multidisciplinary orientation rather than privileging humanities fields such as literature or history. The purpose of this proposal is to conceptualize and communicate humanities-based value of area studies as a core liberal arts field and a key to global perspectives in the curriculum. I propose the role of area studies as a humanities field and a forum for conversation between those who conduct their research as literary scholars, cultural anthropologists, historians (qualitative), and researchers in other fields that focus on cultural context. As humanities researchers and educators we look to qualitative tools of analysis from our very own fields as we reflect on the purpose and meaning of area studies. Area studies may provide avenues to the future, and intellectual leadership for a more critical and self-reflective field. Despite aforementioned pressures, area studies continue to operate primarily within the humanities. The Middle East, in particular, has been researched with an emphasis on qualitative approaches (Bilgin, 2004) and has lacked interdisciplinarity (Teti,2007). Indeed, the emphasis on interdisciplinarity from Title VI serves as evidence of the steadfast preference area studies has vis-a-vis the humanities. The presenter will review some of the aforementioned ideas and related research then pose discussion questions related to the role authentic voices play in our work as humanities scholars and educators.