Al-Diwan Roundup: News and Analysis from Publishing and Academia

Al-Diwan brings you the latest news and analysis from the publishing and academic worlds that relate to pedagogy and knowledge production.

Education

On Punishability—Researching in Egypt after Regeni 
By Helena Nassif (Mada Masr)

After Giulio Regeni’s death, Helena Nassif reflects on her place and future as an academic in Egypt. She explores the importance of research during times such as these, and the greater meaning she gleans from her decisions to stay in Egypt.

U.S. Selective Ban on Visas Blocks Shuts Out Arab Students 
By Burton Bollag (Al-Fanar Media)

President Donald Trump’s executive order curtailing entry to the United States for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries poses a significant problem for Middle Eastern and North African students. Burton Bollag writes about the implications of this ban from the perspective of effected students and from the viewpoint of university faculty and staff. 

Betsy DeVos Survived a Horrific Confirmation Fight. What’s Next for Higher Ed?
By Kelly Field (The Chronicle for Higher Education)

Betsy DeVos’s cabinet confirmation leaves many educators—from primary and secondary school levels to the upper echelons of academic—wondering what is to come for the education system. The questions are not only surrounding funding and standards for teacher preparation, but also extend to the future of Title IX.

Will debt and poor financial prospects close Gaza’s al-Azhar Institute?
By Ahmed Abu Amer (Al-Monitor)

Palestinian internal politics and the siege on Gaza have taken their toll on the Palestinian al-Azhar Institute. Declining enrollment and mounting debt pose a significant challenge to the institute’s future. Officials of al-Azhar note, though, that the problems afflicting al-Azhar must be contextualized within the greater political reality.

The Saudi women taking on the kingdom’s education sector
By Abdulghani Kataya (Wamda)

Lacking funds and stable investments in education, three Saudi women are taking alternative routes to support education. Mounira Jamjoum, Basma Bushnak, and Sarah Zaini have developed various platforms to help parents find educational institutions and to assist teachers in creating curricula.

Publishing

Meet the Disrupter Trying to Upend MENA’s Stuffy Old Publishing Industry
By Christine Grove (Arabia Inc.)

 Following a lawsuit filed by J.K. Rowling against him, Ala’ Alsallal rebounded and developed the Middle East’s largest online bookstore, Jamalon. Alsallal’s experiences have lead to a great frustration with the publishing industry in the Middle East and North Africa. While he has managed to navigate the industry, Alsallal is making moves to change the norms which will, hopefully, result in increased access to recently released books in the Middle East and North Africa.