The Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies (CIMES) at Cal State San Bernardino held its first-ever academic conference with the journal Arab Studies Quarterly at the university on April 20-21.

The conference, which commemorated the 40th anniversary of Arab Studies Quarterly, centered on the theme, “U.S. Hegemony and the Arab World,” examined multiple subthemes, including U.S. involvement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and its role in support of the state of Israel in Palestine, and its impact on the indigenous Palestinian population.

Held at at the university’s Santos Manuel Student Union, the first day featured  two panels: “Orientalism, Anti-Zionism and Decolonizing Imperial Education” and “Women’s Activism in the Arab World and Beyond.” It then culminated with a dinner and keynote address by Ghada Karmi of the University of Exeter, who spoke on “Israel/Palestine at 70: Still Married to Another Man.”

The second day of the conference featured three more panels “U.S. Hegemony and Regional Conflicts,” “Conflict in the Gulf Region,” and “The Arab Spring, U.S. and (Political) Islam.”

In addition, the documentary “1948: Creation & Catastrophe” was shown, followed by a question-and-answer session with filmmakers, Ahlam Muhtaseb, CIMES’ associate director and CSUSB professor of communication studies, and Andy Trimlett.

The closing keynote address by Hatem Bazian of the University of California, Berkeley, focused on “Arabs, Muslims and Embedded Intellectuals: Empire and Academia in 21st Century.”

Visit the Center for Islamic and Middle East Studies website for information on the center’s programs.