Ripon College Librarian Valerie Viers talking about her trips to Morocco...
Language and gender issues
Cultural conflict between Arabists and Francophiles -- language use in higher education and elsewhere. Primary students learning both.
Coke and Sprite signs in Arabic
Colonial legacy very much in evidence in Moroccan schools -- French were there 130 years.
Independence movement meant many Arabs didn't want their kids to go to school.
Moroccan Arabic is very far from classical Arabic -- they weren't able to communicate effectively
with other Arabs. Arabist movement working to reverse.
Different languages: French (language of status, business, etc.), Arabic (language of religion and literature, Al-Jazeera), Berber -- each Berber has its own script, attempts to codify
Class differences become apparent in written culture.
Very high unemployment -- but people from Senegal come to Morocco looking for jobs.
Literacy rate among women: 11%
Some rural schools -- kids live up to 6 miles away, no motivation, especially for girls
Teaching academics along with trades make schools more acceptable.
6% of tribes don't have even basic rural schools.
Koranic schools -- where kids go to memorize the Koran. No critical thinking skills taught or encouraged.
Large numbers of people want to leave -- kids want to grow up and be emigres.
Al-Akhawayn University
Mohamed VI Library (named after king)
beautiful woodwork
Hand of Fatima: "don't touch my country" -- warding off terrorists
Moroccan scholars typically don't do leisure reading -- oral culture; they'd rather talk than read.
Fulla the Muslim Barbie -- with appropriate clothing
Bush Bin Laden game: Path Cra 911 (YouTube video)
Beyond the Veil
women going into public spaces causes chaos
concern about who sits next to whom
a woman's reputation is her most precious possession
avoid strange men
Food: really good organic, mint tea with lots of sugar, couscous on Friday
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