Peace Education in Lebanon - The 7th Asian Conference on Education (Kobe-Japan)

Academic Virtual presentation (power point video format) about my pedagogical approach and my research in three Lebanese universities from 2007 till 2014.

The 7th Asian Conference on Education,
Art Center of Kobe, Kobe, Japan
Wednesday, October 21 - Sunday, October 25, 2015
http://iafor.org/conferences/ace2015/

This virtual presentation will also be soon published here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/AsianCon...

Conference Programme - View on issuu via a web browser:
http://issuu.com/iafor/docs/ace-acset-aceurs-2015
(p.90/100)

Summary:

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh presents a paper entitled ‘Peace Education in Lebanon: Case Study in the University Context’ with a focus on the results of a qualitative research she conducted from 2007 till 2014 in three Lebanese Universities. Dr. Chrabieh has closely studied the initiatives of many peace activists in Lebanon from 2001 till 2007 and published a book about the subject ‘Voix-es de Paix au Liban’ (Voices/Paths of Peace in Lebanon) in 2008. When she came back from Canada to Lebanon and started teaching at St Josef University in Beirut, Notre Dame University and Holy Spirit University, she expanded her research to include high school students (with another book published in 2009) and 500 university students. This latest research’s progressive results were presented at Oxford-UK, Balamand-Lebanon, Istanbul-Turkey, Dubai-UAE and Rome-Italy. In her virtual presentation, Dr. Chrabieh introduces her audience to her final results, including her students’ visions of war and peace.

“Traumatic experiences of war may never disappear from the minds of many generations of Lebanese, and new wounded memories will be added to the old ones. But my research revealed the importance of creating alternative models of education through unconventional ideas and teaching techniques when it comes to the promotion of empathy, mutual respect and dialogue, as major peacebuilding pillars. Education, as I see it, is first and foremost about learning to be and become better human beings, capable of dealing with our individual and collective war traumas, of embracing our differences and constructing a common history/identity”.

MEST Forum: Women in the UAE, Past & Present

Speakers: Dr. Saeeda Al Marzooqi and Dr. Alia Al Bawardi from The Women’s Museum in Dubai

Dr. Haitham Solh, Dr. Nadia Wardeh, Dr. Saeeda Al Marzooqi, Dr. Pamela Chrabieh, Dr. Alia Al Bawardi, Dr. Bazak Ozoral

The Middle Eastern Studies Division at AUD convened its second MEST forum of the semester titled Women in the UAE: Past and Presence. During the forum, Dr. Saeeda Al Marzooqi and Dr. Alia Al Bawardi told the story behind the Women’s Museum in Dubai, taking the audience through the journey of a historical and cultural platform that started as an individual vision with the Emirati Professor Rafia Obaid Ghubash only to become a phenomenon that brought a younger generation closer to understanding their heritage.

The museum includes hundreds of ancient artifacts from designs of traditional wear and accessories to political archives, personal photos and artistic expressions from the modern and contemporary periods. It has also a national archive and documentation center dedicated to the women of the UAE and a special hall for the poetic heritage of the well-known poet Ousha Bint Khalifa or ‘The Girl of the Arabs’.

Through stories of women of the Emirates, the guest speakers opened a window into their contributions in politics, art, poetry, business, education and other fields, and broke down stereotypes by revealing the extraordinary roles that women have played in defining their culture and shaping their society. As Dr. Al Bawardi stated: “Emirati women are the keepers of culture and history.”

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh, Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Forum convener comments, “The recognition and celebration of women’s contributions is a major pillar in the struggle for a better diversity management. Furthermore, as introduced in our MEST courses such as Cultures in the Middle East, Islamic Art and Architecture and Women and Gender in the Middle East, the interdisciplinary and intersectional adopted approach in women’s and gender studies serves students in their learning about gender as a central organizing feature in all societies, including the Emirati and other Arab societies.”

The Forum contributed to students’ understanding of the ways in which women’s roles in society have been constructed and the ways these roles have changed and continue to transform on personal, political and transnational levels.

“It informed the audience and especially AUD students about issues of concern to women, including social roles and status, labor, representation, equality… Students face, and will face, these issues in their everyday lives,” concludes Dr. Chrabieh. 

SOURCE: AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI

Peace Education, from Lebanon to Italy

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh participates in the Int'l Journal of Arts & Sciences Conference Series in Rome

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh, Assistant Professor of Middle-Eastern Studies at the School of Arts and Sciences, recently participated in the International Journal of Arts and Sciences (IJAS) Conference Series, which took place at the American University in Rome.

“The Rome Conference was an exciting get together of multidisciplinary professors and scholars with common interests spanning from research methodology to teaching and education,” comments Dr. Chrabieh.

Dr. Chrabieh presented her paper entitled “Peace Education in Lebanon”, which focused on her pedagogical approach and applications in university classrooms from 2007 till 2014 in three Lebanese universities with 3000 graduate and undergraduate students of different religious, cultural, social-economic and political backgrounds.

She also introduced her audience to the positive changes the various class activities yielded in students’ perceptions and relations based on a qualitative research she conducted with 500 students, and to the obstacles that this approach faced in a context of local and regional physical and psychological wars.

She explains, “Obstacles to Peace Education are numerous, but I strongly believe that ‘Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time’ (L. Johnson). Every initiative for peace counts and certainly contributes to the culture of peace. However, Peace Education ought to become a public good in Lebanon and a major pillar in the national curricula (formal settings - schools and universities) if we truly want to break the war cycle and achieve sustainable peace.”

Dr. Chrabieh’s session included significant papers from transformative learning in online classes and teaching citizenship in a South African post conflict context, to retention in a diverse academic workplace in the UAE and planning formulation process in developing strategic plan for secondary schools improvement.

Dr. Chrabieh also had the opportunity to visit the AUR campus and learn more about what the Faculty members define as the educational immersion in the city – ‘Rome as a classroom’. “We do have similar initiatives at the American University in Dubai, for instance in my courses in Middle Eastern Studies: Dubai with its artistic and historical facets is considered a fertile field for learning,” she notes.

“Furthermore, I am planning on organizing more activities in 2016 and 2017 that would allow students (local, expats and study abroad students) to be immersed/re-immersed in the local cultures,” concludes Dr. Chrabieh.

The Conference Series aims were: to provide opportunities for academics from a range of disciplines and countries to share their research and receive in-depth feedback through face-to-face exchanges (Social Sciences and Humanities, Business and Economics, Teaching and Education, and Technology and Science); and to introduce academics to educational premises in locations that are suitable for study abroad programs and which may meet their students’ educational needs. 

 

SOURCE:

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI

 

Women in the UAE: Past and Present

'Women in the UAE: Past and Present'. Our second Middle Eastern Studies Forum in the 2015-2016 academic year. With Dr. Saeeda Al Marzooqi and Dr. Alia Al Bawardi. The Conference told the story behind the Women's Museum in Dubai. It took the audience through the journey of a historical and cultural platform that started with Professor Rafia Obaid Ghubash but became a phenomenon that brought a younger generation closer to understanding that heritage. Through stories of women of the Emirates, our guest speakers opened a window into their contributions in politics, art, poetry, business, education and other fields, and broke down stereotypes by revealing the extraordinary roles that women have played in defining their culture and shaping their society.

It was an honor to meet you dear doctors and to moderate this highly enlightening and most exciting session.

Thanking all our students for attending and participating in the QA session, our colleagues, our volunteers (Joudy and Maha), the MARCOM department, the External Relations department, the custodians, Tawasee catering for the amazing food, and certainly, our dean, Dr. Haitham Solh for his continuous support.

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh

With Dr. Nadia Wardeh, Dr. Saeeda Al Marzooqi and Dr. Alia Al Bawardi

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh (Rotana Interview)

Peace Education in Lebanon - International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference Series (Rome, Italy)

The International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference Series – Rome
October 19-22, 2015, American University of Rome - Italy
International Academic Conference

The International Journal of Arts and Sciences (IJAS) Conference Series takes place annually in several cities across Europe and North America. Rome - and specifically the American University of Rome (AUR) - was the first on IJAS’ list of conference venues for the academic year. Established in 1969, the University combines the American practical know-how, technological capability and career preparation, with the European and Italian classical tradition of the humanities and liberal arts.

The Conference Series aims are: 1) to provide opportunities for academics from a range of disciplines and countries to share their research and receive in-depth feedback through face-to-face exchanges (Social Sciences and Humanities, Business and Economics, Teaching and Education, and Technology and Science); 2) to introduce academics to educational premises in locations that are suitable for study abroad programs and which may meet their students’ educational needs. 

The Rome Conference was an exciting get together of multidisciplinary professors and scholars with common interests spanning from research methodology to teaching and education. Panelists presented papers such as the Analysis of the education policies in Higher Education in Latin America from a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach, Students’ perceptions in using B-Learning (Blend Learning) education, Digital mediations in critical didactics within experimental sciences, Preparing students for effective technical oral presentations through self-study multimedia courseware in Malaysia, etc. My session included significant papers from transformative learning in online classes and teaching citizenship in a South African post conflict context , to retention in a diverse academic workplace in the UAE and planning formulation process in developing strategic plan for secondary schools improvement. I had also the opportunity to visit the AUR premises and to learn more about what its Faculty members define as the educational immersion in the city – ‘Rome as a classroom’. We do have similar initiatives at the American University in Dubai, for instance in my courses in Middle Eastern Studies: Dubai with its artistic and historical facets is considered a fertile field for learning. Furthermore, I am planning on organizing more activities in 2016 and 2017 that would allow students (local, expats and study abroad students) to be immersed/re-immersed in the local cultures.

I presented a paper entitled “Peace Education in Lebanon”, which focused on my pedagogical approach and applications in university classrooms from 2007 till 2014 in three Lebanese Universities with 3000 graduate and undergraduate students of different religious, cultural, social-economic and political backgrounds. I also introduced my audience to the positive changes the various class activities yielded in students’ perceptions and relations based on a qualitative research I conducted with 500 students, and to the obstacles that this approach faced in a context of local and regional physical and psychological wars. Obstacles to Peace Education are numerous, but I strongly believe that ‘Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time’ (L. Johnson). Every initiative for peace counts and certainly contributes to the culture of peace. However, Peace Education ought to become a public good in Lebanon and a major pillar in the national curricula (formal settings - schools and universities) if we truly want to break the war cycle and achieve sustainable peace.

My paper presentation

My audience

Dr. Pamela Chrabieh, Assistant Professor of Middle-Eastern Studies at the School of Arts and Sciences, recently participated in the International Journal of Arts and Sciences (IJAS) Conference Series, which took place at the American University in Rome.

“The Rome Conference was an exciting get together of multidisciplinary professors and scholars with common interests spanning from research methodology to teaching and education,” comments Dr. Chrabieh.

Dr. Chrabieh presented her paper entitled “Peace Education in Lebanon”, which focused on her pedagogical approach and applications in university classrooms from 2007 till 2014 in three Lebanese universities with 3000 graduate and undergraduate students of different religious, cultural, social-economic and political backgrounds.

She also introduced her audience to the positive changes the various class activities yielded in students’ perceptions and relations based on a qualitative research she conducted with 500 students, and to the obstacles that this approach faced in a context of local and regional physical and psychological wars.

She explains, “Obstacles to Peace Education are numerous, but I strongly believe that ‘Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time’ (L. Johnson). Every initiative for peace counts and certainly contributes to the culture of peace. However, Peace Education ought to become a public good in Lebanon and a major pillar in the national curricula (formal settings - schools and universities) if we truly want to break the war cycle and achieve sustainable peace.”

Dr. Chrabieh’s session included significant papers from transformative learning in online classes and teaching citizenship in a South African post conflict context, to retention in a diverse academic workplace in the UAE and planning formulation process in developing strategic plan for secondary schools improvement.

Dr. Chrabieh also had the opportunity to visit the AUR campus and learn more about what the Faculty members define as the educational immersion in the city – ‘Rome as a classroom’. “We do have similar initiatives at the American University in Dubai, for instance in my courses in Middle Eastern Studies: Dubai with its artistic and historical facets is considered a fertile field for learning,” she notes.

“Furthermore, I am planning on organizing more activities in 2016 and 2017 that would allow students (local, expats and study abroad students) to be immersed/re-immersed in the local cultures,” concludes Dr. Chrabieh.

The Conference Series aims were: to provide opportunities for academics from a range of disciplines and countries to share their research and receive in-depth feedback through face-to-face exchanges (Social Sciences and Humanities, Business and Economics, Teaching and Education, and Technology and Science); and to introduce academics to educational premises in locations that are suitable for study abroad programs and which may meet their students’ educational needs. - See more at: http://www.aud.edu/news_events/en/view/978/current_upcoming/peace-education-from-lebanon-to-italy#sthash.RuDjN2Ou.dpuf