Faculty Profile
Magda Siekert
(she/her/hers)Senior Lecturer in Middle East Studies (2009)
Contact Information
Denny Hall Room 10C
717-254-8146
Bio
Magda Siekert came to Dickinson in 2009 from the Department of State where she served for 22 years as a Foreign Service Officer with postings at US embassies in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Latin America and specializing in U.S. public diplomacy. She earned a Masters, and completed all the coursework and comprehensive exams for a PhD in Arabic Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She also holds a Masters in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from the American University in Cairo, Egypt. She taught at Georgetown University, the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, and at the American University in Cairo. Her research interests include US public diplomacy, Arabic language pedagogy, literature, cinema, culture and language across the curriculum, and Arabic for specific purposes.
Education
- B.A., Cairo University, 1977
- M.A., The American University in Cairo, 1980
- M.A., Georgetown University, 1981
- Ph.D.,1983
2024-2025 Academic Year
Fall 2024
ARBI 101 Elementary Arabic
An introduction to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Introduction to speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means of communication in the Arab world.
MEST 200 Arab Cinema
Cross-listed with WGSS 201-03 and FMST 210-02. This course introduces students to Arab society and culture through an exploration of Arab cinema, which has a long and rich tradition. Students will watch a representative selection of Arab films from across the Arab world that reflect the many challenges and narratives in the region. Through the films, we will explore Arab societies and cultures, especially women and sexuality, politics and revolution, and the role of religion and tradition in shaping public discourse and imagination on taboo topics including LGBTQ issues. In addition to weekly film viewings and discussions, we will read critical film and culture theory and analysis as they apply to Arab cinema. The class will be conducted in English and all films will have English subtitles.
MEST 200 Arab Feminism
Cross-listed with WGSS 201-04. This course will trace Arab feminism from its early years in Egypt and Tunisia to the present day. We will look at the work of the early pioneers fighting for equal rights for women while actively supporting nationalist, anticolonial movements in the region. We will then explore the gains that women made post-independence and the limits placed on their freedoms as voiced in their writing, filmmaking, and activism. Next, we will look at Islamic feminism in its many manifestations, its pursuit of a feminist re-interpretation of the Qu'ran, and role in shaping the dialogue on women's rights. We will focus on diverse voices from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia. Throughout, we will hear women's voices directly in memoires, historical accounts, literature (poetry and short stories), essays, documentaries, and interviews.
WGSS 201 Arab Cinema
Cross-listed with MEST 200-01 and FMST 210-02. This course introduces students to Arab society and culture through an exploration of Arab cinema, which has a long and rich tradition. Students will watch a representative selection of Arab films from across the Arab world that reflect the many challenges and narratives in the region. Through the films, we will explore Arab societies and cultures, especially women and sexuality, politics and revolution, and the role of religion and tradition in shaping public discourse and imagination on taboo topics including LGBTQ issues. In addition to weekly film viewings and discussions, we will read critical film and culture theory and analysis as they apply to Arab cinema. The class will be conducted in English and all films will have English subtitles.
WGSS 201 Arab Feminism
Cross-listed with MEST 200-02. This course will trace Arab feminism from its early years in Egypt and Tunisia to the present day. We will look at the work of the early pioneers fighting for equal rights for women while actively supporting nationalist, anticolonial movements in the region. We will then explore the gains that women made post-independence and the limits placed on their freedoms as voiced in their writing, filmmaking, and activism. Next, we will look at Islamic feminism in its many manifestations, its pursuit of a feminist re-interpretation of the Qu'ran, and role in shaping the dialogue on women's rights. We will focus on diverse voices from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia. Throughout, we will hear women's voices directly in memoires, historical accounts, literature (poetry and short stories), essays, documentaries, and interviews.
FMST 210 Arab Cinema
Cross-listed with MEST 200-01 and WGSS 201-03. This course introduces students to Arab society and culture through an exploration of Arab cinema, which has a long and rich tradition. Students will watch a representative selection of Arab films from across the Arab world that reflect the many challenges and narratives in the region. Through the films, we will explore Arab societies and cultures, especially women and sexuality, politics and revolution, and the role of religion and tradition in shaping public discourse and imagination on taboo topics including LGBTQ issues. In addition to weekly film viewings and discussions, we will read critical film and culture theory and analysis as they apply to Arab cinema. The class will be conducted in English and all films will have English subtitles.