Host institution:
Centre d'études maghrébines à Tunis (CEMAT)
Language:
Arabic
Levels:
Advanced beginning, intermediate, and advanced
2011 was a monumental year in Tunisian history. The
Tunisian Revolution signaled the beginning of the “Arab Spring,” a series of
grass-roots demonstrations across the Arab world. Order was quickly restored in
Tunisia and the CLS Program returned to Tunis for its sixth year.
Location:
Located in North Africa along the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia is a
fusion of Arabic, French, Ottoman, and Berber influences, languages, and
cultures. Algeria sits to the west of Tunisia and Libya is to the east and south.
Tunis, the capital, is an historic and fascinating city. Walks in the Medina, hammams (Turkish baths),
and the Bardo Museum are just a few of the numerous cultural activities to
explore. Near the CLS Institute site are
the ruins of Carthage and the Punic Ports.
Academics: The
Tunis Arabic institute covers approximately one academic year of
university-level Arabic coursework during the eight-week program, and is
designed to meet the needs of students from a variety of language levels and
backgrounds, from students who have one year of university-level Arabic training
or the equivalent (advanced beginning) to advanced learners. Formal classroom
language instruction is provided for an average of four hours per day, five
days per week, with a minimum of 20 hours per week of classroom instruction.
The instruction is focused on Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), with classes also
provided in the Tunisian dialect.
 |
| Sidi Bou |
The host families are located in the Sidi Bou Said/La
Marsa suburbs, just outside of the center of Tunis. Students have found this
area to be a lively place to study Arabic, with an active café culture,
wonderful restaurants, specialty shops, and bookstores. Some meals are
provided, and a stipend covers additional meals and incidentals.
Cultural
excursions and activities:
During the week, guest lecturers regularly visit the
Institute. Notable visits include high-ranking members of the Tunisian
government, noted authors, and cultural specialists. In 2011, students had the unexpected
treat of meeting El Général, the
internationally-renown Tunisian Rapper, whose song, “Rais
Lebled” became the unofficial theme song for the Tunisian Revolution.
Students also have opportunities to infuse their
classroom learning with cultural excursions throughout Tunis, including visits
to the Medina, mosques, museums, and other historical sites.
Suggesting Reading
Material:
·
Christopher Alexander, Tunisia: Stability and
Reform in the Modern Maghreb (The Contemporary Middle East): Routledge,
2010. ISBN 0415483301
·
Kenneth Perkins, A Modern History of Tunisia, Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004.
ISBN 0521009723
·
Stephen
J. King, Liberalization against Democracy: The Local Politics of
Economic Reform in Tunisia, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2003. ISBN
0253342120
·
Albert
Memmi, Pillar of Salt, Beacon Press, 1992. ISBN 0807083275
·
Moustafa
Tlili, Lion Mountain, Lynne
Rienner Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0894108786
Alumni Spotlights:
 |
| Katie Bentivoglio |
Katie Bentivoglio
(’10 and ’11 Tunis, Tunisia)
“Before last summer, I
could barely find Tunisia [on the map] but today, I consider it my second home.
The history, the language, its relationship to the rest of North Africa and the
Arab World –I can’t even begin to thank my teachers and host family for their
patience and for how much they have taught me over these past 2 years. I also
had the invaluable experience of studying in Tunisia 6 months before the
revolution and six months after, so I’ve been able to watch Tunisia’s
transition from a dictatorship to democracy from the inside and as a microcosm
of everything else that is happening in the Arab World.”
Katie is a Senior Alumni
Ambassador for the CLS Program and currently attends Columbia University. Read
more about her experiences in Tunisia and view her profile here: http://www.clscholarship.org/alumni/ambassadors/2011/KatieB.htm.
Emily Parker (’09
Alexandria, Egypt and ’11 Tunis, Tunisia)
“My CLS experience allowed me to develop an intense
appreciation for the Tunisian people.
Never in my life have I met a more inspiring and welcoming culture,
which was a main factor fueling my decision to remain in the country after the
CLS program ended. I could not bear to leave such a fascinating place,
especially one in which I felt so welcomed and at home.”
After completing the CLS Arabic Institute in Tunisia,
Emily found a job with an independent Tunisian news agency called Tunisia Live,
where she worked as a journalist and an editor. Read more about her experiences in post-revolutionary
Tunisia here:
 |
| Leanna Pohevitz |
Leanna Pohevitz
(’09 Cairo, Egypt, ’10 and ’11 Tunis, Tunisia)
“Coming back to a
post-revolutionary Tunisia, everything I thought I knew changed quite
drastically. I guess the most important thing I learned this time has been the
power of the Tunisian youth. After meeting with El Général
and hearing his words I have no doubt in my mind that Tunisia is headed toward
a beautiful tomorrow.”
Leanna is a Senior Alumni
Ambassador for the CLS Program and is a senior at Hampshire College. Read more
about her experiences in North Africa and view her profile here: http://www.clscholarship.org/alumni/ambassadors/2011/LeannaP.htm.
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