Category: Academic
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The Graph of a Cry
My dissertation is available as a book for academics, libraries, and those who are interested to read more about the phenomenal journey of the American ghazal. This dissertation analyzes the journey of the ancient Arabic poetic form of the ghazal to America to provide insights into transnational poetry and cultural mobility. While the movement of…
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Intersectionality and Film at the Filmacademie
Almost every year I get to work with the vibrant students of the Filmacademie. An opportunity that I greatly look forward to as it always leads to powerful conversations in which I get to learn just as much as the students. The diversity and inclusion workshop involves the theory of Intersectionality and unpacking films and…
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Museum VoorLinden in a weird year
In the summer 2020, we took some time off to go visit spaces that resonated our inner landscape. It was a beautiful time for innovation, but mostly there was devastation followed by a constant creeping feeling of calamity. When my friend Marrije suggested that a visit to the Museum Voorlinden is a must. I took…
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Come Join Us: English Pronunciation in a Global World
Hello everyone, We sincerely hope that you and your loved ones are doing okay. With the current mandate on social distancing, these are indeed challenging times, especially for the most vulnerable amongst us. Please know that you are not alone, we are in this together. There is no opportune moment, but we wanted to share…
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When a poem is written like a telegram addressing a painting…
I am putting it on my agenda to feed the mind everyday with things of beauty, insightful words, and objects that inspire thought. It is an informal resolution for 2020, which so far has gone reasonably well. Recently, I read Sharon Olds’ Poem in the Form of a Telegram to Someone Looking at Henri Rousseau’s…
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English Pronunciation in a Global World MOOC Great Success
I had posted earlier that our MOOC had completed its second run. We had such an amazing time organizing and running it. It presented us with such great learning opportunities. It gives me immense pleasure that our MOOC – this wonderful, empowering, educational miracle created by Dr. Laura Rupp has created an outstanding record by…
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Last Controversial? Day in Basel
On our last day in Basel we decided to visit the Kunstmuseum. The museum boasts of the largest and most significant art collection in Switzerland. I can confirm that they indeed have a vast array of artworks, which needs much-much-much more than one day for viewing. The art pieces that stood out for me included…
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When the Mixed Classroom is Online
A Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC as they are called, is a powerful tool to make education accessible to everyone, especially those restricted by borders. Here, I write borders mindfully, being aware that there are artificial ones to demarcate the limits of a country, and then there are those governed by economic status, physical…
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Alicante is a State of Mind
A well-needed break came in the form of a short summer holiday to Alicante. We stayed at the Hotel Sercotel Suites del Mar; a delightful property with both sea and port views. I especially liked the attention the hotel has paid to little details that made our stay comfortable: extra sockets and USB points in…