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About the Authors

Perspectives: Arabic Language and Culture in Film

by Zainab Alwani, Nasser M. Isleem and Mbarek Sryfi

Zainab Alwani

Zainab Alwani is a professor and the Director of Islamic and Arabic studies at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). She also teaches Arabic studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University (SAIS), where she developed courses in Arabic Studies that focus on the link between Islamic Philosophy, language and culture. In addition to her many publications in both English and Arabic, Professor Alwani brings over 15 years of teaching and curriculum development experience in Arabic and Islamic Studies, is the first female Jurist on the Fiqh Council of North America and a board member on numerous academic, civil and social service organizations. Professor Alwani is also an educator at a number of Consortium institutions including Cordoba University, the Washington National Cathedral and Wesley Theological Seminary.

Nasser M. Isleem

Nasser M. Isleem is a native of Palestine and brings many years of experience teaching all levels of Arabic language and culture at UNCChapel Hill, Duke University and Meredith College. Professor Isleem specializes in teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speaking students and his professional interests include Arabic language and culture as well as Egyptian and Palestinian dialects. He is also deeply committed to training teaching assistants to help them better realize their potential through the integration of culture in language teaching. Professor Isleem is the recipient of the 2006 UNC-Chapel Hill Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Award.

Mbarek Sryfi

Mbarek Sryfi is a native of Morocco and professor of Arabic language at the University of Pennsylvania. Professor Sryfi is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Arabic Literature and Islamic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in the area of Modern Literature. He also holds a Masters degree in Education and is Assistant Professor Adjunct at Mercer County Community College. Professor Sryfi has co-translated several short stories from Arabic to English and is currently co-translating an anthology of contemporary short stories.