The Arab World and the West : a History by Jean-Pierre Filiu

On Thursday, January 21, 2016 a panel discussion on The Arab World and the West : a History Jean-Pierre Filiu. In conversation with Rashid Khalidi, moderated by Madeleine Dobie Jean-Pierre Filiu discusses his book, Les Arabes, leur destin et le nôtre, which aims to shed light on struggles in the Arab World today by exploring the entwined histories of the Arab World and the West, starting with Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt in 1798, through military expeditions and brutal colonial regimes, broken promises and diplomatic maneuvers, support for dictatorial regimes, and the discovery of oil riches. He also discusses the “Arab Enlightenment” of the 19th Century and the history of democratic struggles and social revolts in the Arab world, often repressed. This event is co-sponsored by the Columbia Maison Française, the Alliance Program, the Middle East Instiute and the Institute for African Studies.