CIEE, Amman

This course explores conflict and diplomacy in the contemporary Middle East through an in-depth examination and discussion of case studies from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Each week is devoted to a specific conflict. Additionally, the course serves as an introductory survey to the history, politics, and societies of the contemporary Middle East, as well as to the main dynamics driving conflict and conflict resolution in this region.

This course is for students with no or minimal knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic. The course begins with an introduction to the sounds and script of the language using the text ALIF-BAA. Following the introduction to sounds and script, the course uses AL-KITAAB PART ONE 3RD EDITION up to chapter 5 as its major textbook. Students are exposed to authentic reading materials, learn to speak at the survival level, give oral presentations, and prepare short written assignments.

The Internship Program gives students hands-on experience with local, regional, or international organizations and businesses to place their work experience into the broader context of professional development and development in Jordan. Students are exposed to the complex developmental, social, political, and business fabric of Jordan and gain valuable work experience. The main part of the course is the practicum, which is monitored by the CIEE lecturer through office hours, check-ins, and follow up with the internship on-site supervisor. In addition, the class meets bi-weekly for guest lecturers, planned site visits, and discussions on topics related to development in Jordan and international careers to provide practical insight into donor/host organizations and their efforts to support Jordan.

This course is designed for students to learn to communicate effectively in Jordanian colloquial Arabic. It introduces words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life, as well as various aspects of Jordanian culture and society through the study of the language. The course practices recall of simple simple Arabic words for basic communication; expressing oneself using basic conjugations of Arabic colloquial verbs; completing basic daily interactions using Jordanian colloquial Arabic such as taking a taxi; and discussing the weather, food, clothing, and cultural customs and traditions in Jordan.

This course complements the competency of Modern Standard Arabic achieved in previous studies of Arabic. There are local materials, where students will use Arabic to read and discuss relevant topics in Jordan. Attention is paid to the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. During the course, students become familiar with major aspects of the Jordan culture and many traditions related to Jordan in general. The course practices arguing the main ideas of a listening passage and discussing them in the class; expressing oneself verbally without mistakes in different situations using a language comprehensible for native speakers; formulating opinions on news articles or books and discussing issues related to Jordan, climate, economy, and culture; writing a diary and creating text on social, cultural, and political issues of Jordan and the Middle East; distinguishing between words in relation to position in the sentence, applying different grammatical structures, and distinguishing between them including changes in the meaning. 

The course explores the social, political, and economic factors of the water crisis and other environmental issues, along with the challenges and potentials of sustainable development in the country. This course uses Jordan's geopolitical position in the region and the current debates over water management, its nuclear program, its agricultural sector, access to petroleum products, growing urbanism, and exploding population as a lens for exploring local and regional issues of diplomacy and development vis-à-vis environmental issues and policy. While doing so, the course also addresses the politics of the region since Jordan and most of the MENA countries share many resources, especially water, where across borders cooperation and/or conflict play a major role in managing these limited resources. It examines different environmental NGOs and initiatives in an attempt to understand their role in environmental management, protection, advocacy, and awareness. Students also develop a better understanding of the dynamics of environmental activism in Jordan.