Visiting lecturers host forums about Morocco after the Arab Spring

North Central College’s Office of International Programs is hosting two free “Forums on Morocco after the Arab Spring” on May 6-7 with visiting lecturers addressing different topics at each event.

The first forum will take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in Smith Hall. Visiting lecturer Sidi Hamza Tayebi will address the question, “Is the Monarchy Reforming or Tricking? A Look at the Contemporary Political Landscape in Morocco” and will discuss the monarchy, political parties and youth movement in Morocco. Re-examining the Arab Spring in Morocco with a particular focus on the independent press and human rights, Tayebi will retrace the arrival of the “democratic spring” and the ensuing response of the political regime. He is a part-time professor of English at Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Morocco.

The second forum begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, in Smith Hall. Visiting lecturer Meriem El Haitami will feature the topic, “Women and State Religious Politicis in Morocco: New Roles, New Paradigms.” She will discuss the issue of state-sponsored Islamic feminism in Morocco and explain its emergence shaped by the convergence of post-Arab Spring politics, the state’s counter-radicalization strategy and liberal feminist efforts. She is a doctoral student at the University of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah in Fez, Morocco, and conducts research in affiliation with the Moroccan Cultural Studies Centre.

For more information call 630-637-5132.