The growth of cooperatives is one example of how women in the Middle East and North Africa are fighting back and showing resilience. North African women have long been celebrated in their societies as protectors of traditional culture. While this role is undoubtedly critical to any society, the relegation of women to perceived “traditional” spheres has, at times, served as a tool of their... Continue Reading
Republican presidential candidates try to interpret the US Constitution for political motives, whilst celebrating Scalia’s originalism. On February 13, the stage of the Republican presidential debate in South Carolina was rife with hypocrisy, as candidates celebrated Justice Antonin Scalia’s originalism and commitment to the US Constitution while many of them, in the same breaths, denied... Continue Reading
Greater education about a healthy diet and lifestyle and increased exercising facilities for women are needed to fight obesity in Morocco. Like many developing countries, Morocco is in the midst of a health transition. Until recently, infectious diseases and undernourishment posed the greatest threats to Moroccans’ health. But due to changing demographics, diets and lifestyles, Moroccans... Continue Reading
Why does the US base its national narratives on myth rather than history? Lately, some Americans have called the world’s attention, yet again, to our society’s shocking and relentless insistence on ahistoricism. Xenophobic, fear-mongering responses to the global refugee crisis from Republicans highlight their refusal to acknowledge America’s role in the crises that drive people to our... Continue Reading
Responding to terrorism with xenophobia and intolerance toward Muslims feeds straight into ISIS narratives about the West. I am a young American woman currently living in Morocco. On November 13, I was heartbroken to learn of the attacks in Paris. Like many people, I was also deeply saddened by the voices of hatred and intolerance that emerged in their aftermath, and by the reminder of how... Continue Reading
Changing the way we shop for Moroccan carpets can help ensure that weavers are fairly compensated for their work. Despite the existence of a global market for Moroccan carpets, the women who weave them often live in poverty and benefit very little economically from their craft. This is due in part to the geographic isolation of many weavers and their dependence on middlemen to link their... Continue Reading
