Sexual Violence Is a Crime 1

This text is very controversial.  Mikdashi states that "when two people get married, they are granted rights to each other's bodies and their resources (and yes, the fact that these two come together is interesting to say the least)" and that " civil law (largely inherited from its French counterpart) expressly exempts husbands from punishment and states that if someone other than the husband commits rape then it is a criminal act".  Is marital rape a crime and should it be penalized?

Sexual Violence Is a Crime 2

Go to the original source of the article at http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/4001/sexual-violence-is-a-crime-sometimes and write a note to Mikdashi in which you express your take (opinion) on any of the points she makes.  Copy your post on this blog as well so I don't have to follow 50 links.

Dubai & Beirut 2

Selma Zeki &  Jad Al Jamal question would like to discuss the following : Many Arab countries are being westernized in the context of building and infrastructure / architecture.  Are the projects in Dubai and downtown a better change for the people of the country or not ?  Are Arab countries losing their true identity?

Deadline:  Posts after Wednesday October 17 will not be considered.

Dubai & Beirut 1

Since there were so many suggestions, let's have several blog options:

Fatima Al Zahraa proposed we discuss the following:  "I believe that it would be interesting if we discussed the steps that Arabs need to do in order to avoid imitating the Western culture and
start creating a civilization of their own. Also, we can stress on how the Emirate rulers could've focused on making Dubai an oustanding city that represents the Arabs instead of just building copies of other worldwide cultures."

Rather than the steps, maybe we could discuss how much we imitate the Western culture and how our leaders don't do  much to encourage other behaviors.

Deadline:  Posts after Wednesday October 17 will not be considered.

A Gentle Rain in a Distant Autumn, p. 114

Hi Everybody!

Well, maybe it's time to give you a break.  I thought this time around we would do a different type of text that is shorter but very meaningful   As you are told in the headnotes, Darwish is considered as a Palestinian national poet.  His poem then speaks of his homeland, Palestine.  You will have the option of two types of writing here. Choose one of these.  Then reply to one of your peers and provide feedback.  Choose someone that has not received feedback.

1.  Write a poem similar to Darwish's in which you tackle one similar problem using metaphors.  It does not have to be long. You should talk about your homeland and discuss something with which you have issues.  You do not have to be a poet to write this.  Just spill out what you feel in a different form from the one we have been dealing with.
2.  Choose one of themes Darwish presents and discuss it.

Due Dates:  
Initial blog:  Before class on Monday, October 8 .
Response to peer:  Before class on Wednesday, October 10

Feedback:
I will be posting feedback randomly to one-third of the class.  Next time I will post feedback to another third and so on.