<aside> Join us for an engaging History colloquium workshop by Oumou and Ahmed.
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Ahmed is an MA student at the John F. Kennedy Institute, majoring in History and Political Science. He studied International Relations at the University of Milan in Italy and has a BA in Media studies from Tanta University in Egypt. Storytelling has been his passion for years, and he has incorporated it into many areas. From founding his own business in Egypt to doing historical research in both Italy and Germany. As a seasoned traveler, he has explored over 30 countries, gathering tales of people and nations and picked up some languages along the way.
My research will engage with the Egyptian-American diplomatic relations during the Nasser era. I will work on the usually neglected Egyptian perspective during three critical moments that redefined the geopolitics of the Middle East: the Suez Crisis, the Aswan High Dam negotiations, and the Six-Day War.
Shifting focus from traditional Western narratives, the thesis will primarily engage with Egyptian critiques, media portrayals, and political rhetoric, exploring how Nasser's revolutionary vision and anti-imperialist stance viewed the American performance and how has this reframed global alliances and Cold War dynamics.
I plan to analyse archival materials in Arabic, speeches, biographies and media discourses, in an attempt to work out the complex web of ideologies, miscommunications, and power struggles that shaped Egypt's unique role as both a leader in Pan-Arabism and a key player in the broader geopolitical chessboard.
đź“… Date: February 10th, 2025
đź•” Time: 18:00
đź“Ť Location: John F. Kennedy Institute, Room 340
30-minute presentation followed by commentary and Q&A
For any questions, please email
the history department at [email protected]
<aside> All faculty members, students, and interested parties are welcome to attend. The presentation will be followed by a discussion and light refreshments.
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Thesis Title:
Oumou is a MA student at the JFKI, focusing on History and Culture. She has a BA in History and Sociology. Growing up in New York City, Oumou finds inspiration in the city’s diverse cultural heritage, which shapes and informs her current thesis topic.
By the early 2000s, the New York City neighborhood of Harlem became home to thousands of West African migrants. Long celebrated as a center for Black culture, art, music, and activism, Harlem became a home for these newcomers to establish cultural enclaves, which contributed to the emergence of a multi ethnic Black community. This thesis seeks to explore the factors driving West African immigration, the process in which these migrants build communities in the United States, and the formation of a new West African- American identity. Additionally, this thesis explores how cultural identities and historical contexts influence the relationships between West African migrants, Harlem’s long established African American residents, and the United States as a whole. This research will also explore how West Africans and African Americans, whiling sharing a common heritage, navigate their distinct identities as they interact in close proximity.