AHU 245

In this program, Bill Moyers and several prominent experts of Arab descent explore how the image of Arabs as religious fanatics was formed. Edward Said, professor of English at Columbia University, discusses the richness, diversity, and distinguished history of the Arab culture. Former United States Senator James Abourezk, and Jack Shaheen, author of The TV Arab, discuss the dehumanization of Arabs in the American media. Part of the series The Arab World. (27 minutes)

In this program, Bill Moyers and three recognized Arab historians discuss the major historical periods in the Arab world, from its ancient past as a leader in science, mathematics, and literature, through colonization by the French and British, to the present. The Koran is discussed as a constitutional document, and the role of the West in Arab political affairs is analyzed. Part of the series The Arab World. (27 minutes)

This program featuring Islam scholars Ibrahim Kalin and Amina Wadud and Beeson Divinity School’s Timothy George examines the life of Muhammad in detail. From his birth in 570 to his death in 630, it covers key experiences both before and after his transformation to the prophet of Islam. Highlights include Muhammad’s early career and marriage to Khadija, the revelations that form the Quran, the establishing of Islam, his miraculous journey to heaven via Jerusalem, the first hajj, and his battles against the Meccans. (27 minutes)

In this program, Bill Moyers and experts discuss the religion of Islam—its history, sectarian divisions, core beliefs, and use by Arab politicians as a legitimizing force. Distortions of the Islamic image in the American media are discussed. Holy War—jihad—is defined and put into context. (27 minutes)

A quick explanation of how Islam began.

In this module, viewers will hear that during Muhammad’s lifetime, many of his policies on women were significantly different from those of surrounding cultures, including forbidding female infanticide, giving women legal rights in marriage, permitting women to divorce, and protecting women’s inheritance rights. This module explores the role of women in Islam, including differing views on the hijab and its place in society.

This program explores the nature of the Arab identity and the main cultural ties that hold the Arab world together—language, the Koran, historical vision, literature and poetry, and humor. Cultural diversity among various Arab groups is examined, along with the role of women in Islamic society. Methods of education—the ancient Arab technique stressing memory versus more modern methods introduced during the period of European colonization—are compared. (27 minutes)

In this program, Bill Moyers talks with scholar, writer, and economist Charles Issawi about the sources of Arab resentment toward the West and the possibility of better relations in the future. Issawi explains the Arab world’s reluctance to modernize and its aversion to the secular nature of Western society—especially in the area of sexual freedom. The history of Islamic fundamentalism in the Arab world is traced, and its impact on Arab/West relations is discussed. (27 minutes)

Most immigrant and minority groups face the challenge of balancing the sometimes conflicting demands of faith and traditional culture with the pressures to assimilate into modern American society. This module explores that inherent conflict.