Why Study Arabic
in the Middle East?  University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

 

The former Education Minister of Norway always told students that if they wanted to make education better in Norway they should leave.  Sometimes it is hard to go away even when there is a chance because you think there will always be another, or it is something to do when you retire. Take your chances.  Regret over lost opportunity has a way of burning in your belly throughout life."
          Ambassador Thomas Loftus, University of Wisconsin Regent, Wisconsin International Education Conference, January 27, 2005

"In our Foreign Service, the United States had only eight Arabic speakers at the highest levels of proficiency in August 2004 and 27 Arabic speakers at the second-highest level. Even more troublesome is that 60 percent of our speakers of Arabic and other critical languages are eligible to retire within five years."
          Education for Global Leadership: The Importance of International Studies and Foreign Language Education for U.S. Economic and National Security, Committee for Economic Development, 2006.

"One of the criticisms that I hear about America around the world that I think is valid is that Americans don't know enough about other countries and cultures. In every speech I give, I encourage our own young people to...learn more about the languages and the traditions and the rich history and culture of the world."
          Karen Hughes, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

"When it comes to foreign languages, our students get started too late--and too few study critical languages.  We can and must turn this around."

          U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings

The number of Arab students visiting the U.S. has dropped 30% in recent years, "an  ominous trend for the U.S., which needs to build bridges to Arab youth like never before.” 

          Gregory Ofalea, author of The Arab Americans: A History, 2006

"There is an urgent need for young people from the Middle Eastern and North African region and young people from the United States to understand each other's realities and cultures."

          AIESEC, "the world's largest student organization."

The University of Jordan's Language Center is a wonderful place to begin or
continue your journey in Arabic while getting to know students from around the
world.  As challenging as the Arabic language is, why bother to learn it?

The study of other languages often helps students obtain higher GPAs and standardized test scores in comparison with their peers.  Learning languages opens new cultural vistas, enhances travel and career opportunities, and broadens horizons in ways students may not even imagine at the outset.  The benefits of learning Arabic can hardly be overstated in a world where it is spoken by nearly 300 million people.  Arabic is a primary language of Islam, a faith with over one billion adherents.  In addition to Muslims, Arabic is also spoken by Christians, Jews, and others. 

Learning another language leads to education about one's own language and culture.  The English language, for example, uses many words borrowed from Arabic.  Proficiency in Arabic is a path to a wide range of professional opportunities.  Arabic speakers are in great demand among international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank, international companies, foreign aid agencies, intelligence agencies, and many other sectors.  Lawyers, doctors, journalists, and other professionals who speak Arabic also enjoy a wide range of exciting career choices.

Though Arabic is certainly a challenging and unconventional language to learn, the cultural and professional benefits it offers are unsurpassed. Arabic is spoken throughout much of North Africa and the Middle East.  Arabic is also an official language of many international organizations, including the United Nations.

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A 2006 survey by the Modern Language Association revealed that the number of students studying Arabic at U.S. colleges and universities since 2002 has doubled.  The number of Arabic programs in the higher education community increased from 264 in 2002 to 466 in 2006.

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Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, wrote a good article about Closing the Gap in Understanding Between the Arab World and the U.S.

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Visit the website of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.  About halfway down the left side you will see a link to an audio file featuring Martha Abbott, Director of Education at ACTFL on learning foreign languages in the United States and why it matters.  The website offers other rationale and tools highlighting the benefit of language learning.

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The Journey to Jordan program enhances knowledge and perspectives on the Middle East.  Consider the points below by Campus Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum, for review and critique of Middle East studies in North America.

"Middle East studies have a special importance due to its many subjects at the heart of the public debate, such as the war on terror, militant Islam, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and others. Specialists have an extensive but subtle influence on the way North Americans see this range of topics.  They:

·    Write books and articles that influence the way the region is seen.

·    Set the tone for how the Middle East is regarded on campuses across North America.

·    Teach graduate and undergraduate students.

·    Contribute to the public debate via lectures, panels, teach-ins, newspaper articles, quotations in media outlets, and appearances on radio and television.

·    Influence government by helping candidates formulate positions, advising intelligence agencies, or providing help to congressional staffers writing briefs.

·    Conduct outreach activities in local communities.

·    Serve as expert witnesses in court cases.

·    Act as informal U.S. representatives when lecturing abroad, especially on State Department-sponsored tours."

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Another good reason to study Arabic and the Middle East is the large Arab-American community in the U.S.

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For more good reasons, see this fact sheet about Arab-Americans by The Prejudice Institute.

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For Internet resources on Arabic, visit the links page.