Middle East Studies Program - UW Madison

Here's an article about our annual conference last week:

iris.wisc.edu

MESP CONFERENCE SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT:

People Smuggling in the Sahara-Sahel and the Maghreb" with Ilyssa Yahmi, Assistant Professor (American University of Paris)

How do migration policies reshape the balance of power between national security forces and foreign military cooperation? This talk explores the criminalization of human smuggling in the Sahara-Sahel, focusing on Mauritania and Senegal. Ilyssa Yahmi argues that externally-sponsored migration controls have created a “rent-seeking” economy for smugglers and entrepreneurs of insecurity. By analyzing fieldwork from the region, she examines how “transit” states strengthen military units to meet international expectations regarding the migration-terrorism nexus, often at the expense of citizens’ rights and traditional mobility.

For more information about our annual conference on April 17, including the speaker lineup and to register, go to: https://shorturl.at/cpDPl

You don’t want to miss this fascinating workshop and lecture on “Piracy, Law, and Cross-Cultural Exchange in the Medieval and Early Modern Mediterranean" with Professor Ali Atabey (University of Texas at San Antonio), on Friday, April 10.

Workshop: 12– 1:30 PM | Public Lecture: 4:30 – 6 PM, Memorial Union

Click here for more information: https://mideast.wisc.edu/upcoming-events/

This event is sponsored by ASM (Associated Students of Madison), the Kemal H. Karpat Center for Turkish Studies, and the War in Society and Culture Program at the Department of History.

MESP CONFERENCE SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT:

"Broadcasting Gaza, Negotiating Difference: How a Tanzanian Islamic Radio Station Mobilizes Solidarity Across Denominational Divides" with K.D. Thompson, Professor (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Drawing on ongoing ethnographic research at Radio Nuur, an Islamic radio station in Tanga, Tanzania, this talk explores how journalists and religious leaders craft narratives about Gaza that bypass both Western depoliticization and Middle Eastern sectarianism. K.D. Thompson examines how local sheikhs excavate Islamic traditions to build cross-confessional solidarity, using Gaza coverage to navigate Sunni-Shia divisions and counter emotional desensitization. They argue that vernacular Islamic media serves as a vital site for producing alternative ethical frameworks, reimagining the global Muslim community beyond imposed political and sectarian boundaries.

For more information about our annual conference on April 17, including the speaker lineup and to register, go to: https://shorturl.at/cpDPl