Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Different Perspective on the Middle East

A group of University of North Carolina students who are traveling or studying in the Middle East this summer started a blog called Tar Heel Travelers.

Now, I like NPR's coverage of the Middle East.

The BBC does a good job, too.

But it's difficult to find news that does not focus on militants, peace talks, the war in Iraq, or Iran's nuclear capabilities. There's a lot more to the Middle East, much of which is rarely discussed in the media. I think that truly understanding America's relationship with the Middle East requires something beyond the ability to properly pronounce "Ahmadinejad."

Which I can't really do, anyway.

If you're interested in the Middle East, I encourage you to check out the blog. In the last two posts, topics included overused motifs, the public portrayal of autocratic leaders, and ghost riding across Midan Tahrir. It's interesting to read the reactions of peers who are living in the region. Pretty insightful stuff.


1 comment:

Samuel Rubenfeld said...

Readers should also look at Link TV's production "Mosaic," a Peabody award-winner, which takes unedited broadcasts from news organizations in the Middle East (both independent and state-run) and plays them in a commercial-free half hour news show.