The late correspondent Eric Sevareid once said, “The chief cause of problems [in international affairs] is solutions.” The Middle East confirms that wisdom. Major sources of division today are a trail of failed solutions, according to Lisa Adeli, who will explore this theme in a 3:30 p.m. lecture at the Arizona Senior Academy on Thursday (Aug. 6).
Adeli’s professional mission is fostering understanding of the Middle East, including the advancement of human rights initiatives in the wider region. She pursues these goals in her regular job at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Arizona, in her teaching of Middle East Studies classes in high school, and in her work with various rights oriented non-profit organizations.
This will be her second appearance at the Arizona Senior Academy. Last year her talk at the ASA focused on the events and actors at the close of WWI that laid the foundation for Middle East conflicts. This time she will provide an overview of the current conflict and multiple perspectives relevant to any proposals for peace.
Her credentials include a BS from the Foreign Service School of Georgetown University, two master’s degrees—in history and applied ESL, and a doctorate in history from the UA. She has received various awards to pursue research and take groups to the Balkans and the Middle East, and she has a husband who hails from the region.
An Arizona teaching credential gives her access not only to relevant high school classes but getting appropriate teaching materials to other teachers. Within the university her Center supports a wide variety of co-sponsored activities with programs like Arab Studies, Judaic Studies, Global Studies, and regional languages
Academy Village is an active-adult community located off Old Spanish Trail six miles southeast of Saguaro National Park East. Its residents support the Arizona Senior Academy, a non-profit charitable organization whose mission includes offering free concerts and lectures to the public. These events are held in the Great Room of The ASA Building adjacent to the Academy Village Community Center.
Due to the popularity of cultural events, non-residents who wish to ensure priority seating are advised to make reservations by email at info@arizonasenioracademy.org or by phone at (520) 647-0980. To learn more about the Academy, go to www.asa-tucson.org.
Written by Brack Brown, Academy Village Volunteer
