From the Foencians to the Phrench: A Brief History of the Empires of the Maghreb

May 30, 2026

When Islamic armies from the Arabian Peninsula swept through North Africa in the 7th century C.E. and eventually conquered the region, their empire encompassed nearly 6 million square miles of land and stretched from modern-day India to Spain. Colloquially, they divided their empire into two regions – in Arabic, the Mashreq (“The Place Where the Sun Rises”) in the East and the Maghreb (“The Place Where the Sun Sets”) in the West. Read More

Echoes of Al-Andalus: Iberian Influence Across the Strait

May 29, 2026

One of the themes that stayed with me throughout the MENA/SWANA Field Seminar was the enduring presence of Al-Andalus across North Africa. Before this trip, I understood Al-Andalus primarily as a chapter in Spanish history. Read More

Maghreb through Art: Living and Breathing Art History

May 28, 2026

The faculty field seminar provided ample opportunities for Harper faculty to experience the art historical past, living craft traditions, and contemporary art scene of the Maghreb. Read More

Ritual Purifications and Cultural Heritage in North Africa

May 27, 2026

We were able to experience a Hammam in Morrocco, and the experience was unforgettable. Read More

Peace Corps Morocco and the Investment in Artisan’s Cooperatives

May 22, 2026

During my recent travels to Morocco, I had the privilege to visit a women’s weaving cooperative that was started by local Moroccans with the help of a former Peace Corps volunteer. Several of my fellow faculty members and I were given a lesson in pile rug weaving. Read More

The American Legation in Tangier: An Emblem of Strong Allyship

May 21, 2026

A brief history and walkthrough of the American Legation in Tangier, Morocco and its connection to the long, fascinating history of US-Moroccan relations. Read More

Forced From Home

May 20, 2026

We visited Fondation Orient-Occident, a non-profit which serves migrants in Rabat.  We ate a traditional West African meal and then heard from Amir, a migrant from Sudan.  Read More

Here There Are No Survivors - A Sudanese Refugee’s Migration Story

May 20, 2026

On a hot morning in mid-April 2024, Amir Ali woke earlier than usual, anxious about his treatment for a congenital heart condition. Once a month, the 15-year-old from El Fasher, Sudan made the 15-minute walk to the hospital for a painful and exhausting injection. Read More

What the Moroccan Table Tells Us

May 20, 2026

As someone who teaches intercultural communication, I often tell my students that culture speaks long before language does. It speaks through gazes, gestures, silence, music, traditions, and perhaps most engagingly, through food. Read More

Dar al-Hadith al-Hasaniyyah: An Intellectual Bastion of Islamic Thought and Modernity

May 19, 2026

Over tea and a variety of traditional Moroccan sweets, the Harper Field Seminar class participated in a lecture and discussion with faculty and administration at Dar al-Hadith al-Hasaniyyah, a premier higher education and scientific research institution founded in 1964 by King Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco. Dar al-Hadith was born out of a royal vision to train Islamic scientists capable of navigating both classical theological traditions and the rapidly changing socio-political realities of today. Read More