9-18-2019 Education Dept says Middle East Studies program has to advance the security interests of the United States in order to receive further funding - Michael Arria Mondoweiss

https://mondoweiss.net/2019/09/education-security-interests/

 

The U.S. Department of Education has determined the Duke-University of North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies misused Title VI funds and they're requiring the program to provide a revised list of activities that will use these funds over the coming year.  In June, the Education Department announced it was investigating the consortium over a conference it held in March called, "Conflict over Gaza: People, Politics, and Possibilities." On September 17,  U.S. Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Robert King published a letter in The Federal Register detailing the Departments conclusions.  King's letter accuses the consortium of pushing "narrow, particularized views of American social issues" on students. "Although a conference focused on 'Love and Desire in Modern Iran' and one focused on Middle East film criticism may be relevant in academia, we do not see how these activities support the development of foreign language and international expertise for the benefit of U.S. national security and economic stability," reads the letter.  In order to receive future Title VI funding, the letter makes it clear the program must revise its schedule and provide the department with details on its spending and "a description demonstrating how each activity promotes foreign language learning and advances the national security interests and economic stability of the United States."…

 

Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

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