Understanding begins with a robust pedagogy

    How and what I learn shapes my orientation towards you as well as your orientation towards me. The components of pedagogy that are expressed in our education define how the image of the "other" looks when we look in the mirror.

As such, building a sound pedagogy is an important issue given to its sensitivity as the first stage that shapes a healthy mentality for our generation since childhood. 

By Henry A. Giroux. www.worldpress.com 

In fact, the concept "Pedagogy" that included in the title sounds familiar when coming across stuff shows it. We, however, disregard the magic, the influence, and the logic it contains when passing by. It refers to a very obstructive matter even highly sensitive when we talk about what forms the orientations of our generation from scratch towards many various issues. Therefore, the more well-braided pedagogy those who in charge of shape, the well-oriented generation is. The topic is an interesting interview is written in Arabic conducted with a German expert in multicultural education, titled "Islam and immigration in the school books: Diversity as part and parcel of daily events."In her answer to the question "why don't school books deal much with the issues of Islam and immigration in Germany?" Viola B. Giorgi states that "there are currently three focal points are deliberated in research of the school books. Firstly, Islam is presented as an old and not contemporary. So, they usually focus on the dogmatic side until the medieval, while the development of Islam afterward isn't mentioned. Under these circumstances, pupils don't learn the comparison between religious rules and texts from one hand and cultural history on the other hand," and she continues,"Thus, there is a missing ring and there is a vacuum being shaped in the information between the medieval and modern age, between crusader wars and terrorist onslaughts on 11th Sep, which could be rapidly obtained by multimedia in schools. Because of this vacuum, there is a belief created indicates that the European modernity was set up (on the contrary of the fact) far away from the Islamic communities. In result, these communities stayed undeveloped. Secondly, the inclination towards portraying Islam and culture affected civilization as something unchanged, even the sub-differences within Islam aren't highlighted. Thirdly, Islam is often conceived as kind of rigid rules related to violence and oppression against the woman."
Indeed, and undoubtedly, such perception gives me today the complete answer of why some of my German friends or close colleagues whom I ran into in Germany last year kept asking me investigative questions about Islam and the horrors they had been watching and hearing about before bringing up this topic.
I, simply comment on, they know nothing since childhood because they didn't learn the correct and logic Islamic narrative, it's negligible in their pedagogy. Thus, they are blameless when relying on the novel of contemporary media outlets to learn about this topic which draws attention out to mostly negativity because I'm -as a daily media observer- totally aware of how do media instrumentally shape the perception not the people in this modern technological era where everything goes viral in the blink of an eye.
For me as a moderate Muslim, I do admit that my religious background has been drastically relapsed into the danger of rejectionism and insularity in many countries, this is incrementally taking place as long as there are heinous deeds are committed by irresponsible groups who attribute themselves to Islam.
As for those who oversee the German pedagogy, should be aware that Islam represents approximately 2.18 billion in the world over, it's not only related to the MENA region where insufferable crimes being committed in some war-torn areas which the influential media are breathlessly waiting for documenting them, to be portrayed as "this is the face of Islam" or an outmoded phenomenon. It's worth to be learned to build up an understanding with. Otherwise, how can those pupils encounter the existing fact around when they grow up.
Moreover, diversity within German society erects the demand for creating a role model of tolerance and serenity, like the head of the German Protestant Church bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm called last year for Islam to be taught at schools claiming that it provides Muslims with a chance to adopt a critical approach to their own religion, and the chance to introduce it for Germans themselves.
It's preferable to promulgate the fact that setting up a successful model of diversity in Germany is inevitably stirring up the need for facilitating channels for all faiths to be included in the pedagogy.
Professor Viola answered the question "how to do these impressions impact on pupils?" saying that "I here talk about conceptions that are difficult to compare between them and the existing stereotypes more than the situation between them and the previous misconception over things. They conceive migrants as lazy, unable, and needy people victims of the conditions of their societies. Therefore, the functions are often shaped in the school books from the perspective of dominant society."
As these books are dominated by this perspective, German pupils won't be able to pave their path to taste multiculturalism that their society is characterized by. I can't be judgmental to say that the confinement to this restrained perspective contributes to clamping down on critical thinking and understanding the other until is proven by Germans themselves. Probably, multicultural education which is one the most important issues that Germany should put into consideration is useless at this phase though I firmly assert its significance due to the critical junctures it passes through at this time.
Viola refers to how the exercises are applied in the curriculum determine pupil's certain resources like, "Ask one of the pupils from immigrant origins in your classroom about how did his/her family come to Germany?"
I think such exercise creates a status of alienation inside the educational periphery which transfers its impact to the surrounding communities as well, it keeps reminding the refugees or immigrants of the fact that they haven't German origins which "impedes developing the feeling of belonging," as she addresses.
Basically, the writers of pedagogy don't aimlessly put the teaching material without standardized educational regulations. For instance, considering the prevailing culture that distinguishes the cherished national identity, which is naturally every country has its rules of keeping this identity vivid. It, presumably, ought not to lead to obliterating the allocated place for other cultures as well. Therefore, those writers have the mechanisms to tackle the problem of pedagogy unbiasedly by considering the fact that German society is diverse and multiethnic necessitates strenuous efforts for building up peaceful cohabitation.
By this way, those writers contribute to putting up the hurdles in the way of enhancing mutual respect and understanding, because it's not always the social perspective that represents the entire society is correct. So that, I don't think that social perspective toward Blacks in the U.S.A. is an ideal treatment that the curriculum designers must include it.
Viola concludes by answering the question if there is an opportunity for reformation, "I hope that there would a transformation in the intellectual model," and continued "at least we hear that in the latest recommendations of the ministry of culture about the global diverse cultural education and school as of 2013."
I find Viola's orientation towards potential pedagogical reformations is valuable in the time Germany is in dire need for a holistic approach to redefining pedagogy for the growing generation. Germany with the refugee crisis is facing up the obstacle of ethnic integration not just with the new community that has just arrived from Syria but with other minorities at their differentiation. So, meeting the needs of coexistence based on the principles tolerance won't come about without considering the other as equally as the aborigines, which set off on the platform of pedagogy. 
Of course, it doesn't mean that sweeping the privacy of German culture, I don't endorse such hegemonical attempts whatever the reason is. 
I, finally, recommend supporting groundbreaking educational institutions under the auspices of religious or irreligious leaders to open up channels to be dedicated to dialogue among all diverse groups in Germany. By this stride, Germany can be a role model of peaceful coexistence. 

     


  

  
    

      

U.S. Tomahawk bombardment at Syrian military airbase is all about, "Take heed Mr. Putin we are here!"

  Does history repeat itself? This proverb has a funny story in my archive, it's related to my formal professor's antagonistic attitude towards it, he's a knowledgeable sociologist who lost his temper once when a student at the lecture argued the reason behind a historical phenomenon that he was asked about, "Well, my professor, it's simply attributed to the proverb, "history repeats itself." Then, happened what's unexpected when my professor reluctantly and deniably replied to this apparently unsubstantiated theory without bringing up the real postulates that prove it. Since then, this theory or proverb has been a title of a funny story. 

Getty/Reuters

Today in the morning, I woke up to find that my friend had posted on his FB wall;

"Is it a coincidence or well-concerted has something aftermath?! 

On April 6th, 1917, the U.S.A. declared war on Germany, and president Wilson justified it with moral motives accusing Germany of using chemical weapons. Therefore, it will be the war that will end all wars, because of breaking out wars in Europe.

On April 6th, 2017, the U.S.A. bombarded Syria, and president Trump justified it with moral motives as a reaction to using chemical weapons by the regime." 

This synchronization is thinkable sets a big question mark after the probing question, "is this synch well-orchestrated?" It may be ascribed to what my colleague once argued, "history repeats itself," and then full-stop to become a comic story.

In fact, and although the U.S. bombardment operations including airstrikes have been operative since December 2014 when the U.S. administration unanimously declared war on ISIL -has been extensively expanding in the Syrian territories- by allying with other countries to form Multinational Air War in Syria, and the latest U.S. Tomahawk missiles bombardment at Syrian airbase proved to have been a new phase of military confrontation between the international fighting forces in Syria.

Emotionally, President Trump stated, "Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians. Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women, and children. It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack."

In reaction to this uncoordinated stride, president Putin said, "the strike had seriously damaged ties between Moscow and Wahington," and regarded it, "an aggression against a sovereign nation." Thus, he declared the suspension of the agreement that prevents direct conflict with American forces in Syria.

In the light of this new transformation, I can argue that the U.S. military escalation won't be a reliable to step forward which carries a promise over into new cooperative relations among fighting factions that Russia and the U.S.A lead, to sit down on one table for negotiating this crisis. On the contrary, as had been proven regarding the history of a long series of the U.S.- led military interventions without excluding Russia from this cycle as well, that these overseas military operations mostly have been implemented away from the approval of supranational bodies, and have never brought about peace except if it was brought about through an understanding made by conflicting sides. 
However, I can't deny when NATO military interventions in Bosnia-Herzegovina contributed to trickling down the Serbian military power in favor of stricken Bosnian Muslim minority in 1995 and 1999 consecutively, which ended the bloodshed. 

The U.S. recent attack in Syria came to fulfill mainly the purpose of showing that the military balance is not overburdened in favor of Russia, we shall not forget that the U.S.A represents NATO in this region, and needless to explain the far-sighted goals of this military coalition. Consequently, the U.S. sixth fleet shouldn't miss out on the chance of showing off its muscles in the Mediterranean Sea.  

I, also, think that with this direct military confrontation with Russia doubles the intensity of military competition. For instance, Moscow straight away ordered more reinforcements for Syrian arsenal, on the other hand, U.S. Congress will keep organizing the same activities on the ground by pumping more weaponry into the cells of U.S.-led insurrectionist groups if there wouldn't be another direct well-backed military bombardment from the Meditteranean Sea again.
The scene of the Cold War is quite ostensible, who says that prolonged war ended long years ago with the collapse of former USSR?! It's baseless!
The question is, why doesn't the U.S.A. mobilize an international campaign for drumming up influential voices at U.N. or ICC ... etc, to finally decide on "No more Blood-socked war machines in Syria!" Didn't it peacefully intervene in Northern Ireland communal conflict when former president Clinton sent the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland in 1990s? Or this matter confined to the doctrine of conflict between interests and values in which the military choice always tops the list? Why peaceful choice is unlucky in managing the international crises? Or, rather than, when has peaceful choice been remarkable in the archives of history? maybe for very few times. 
The U.S. administration is carefully watching out how the phenomenon of Tomahawk will end up, the assumption is either the closest allies of Assad's regime back it up with high-range weaponry especially Moscow which will drift the situation out of well-meaning diplomatic control where a fierce fatal military confrontation will break out to include Moscow and Washington directly, or a rational solution will suddenly come about to end the crisis which I pretend the Sudanese the Sudanese Paradigm in 2011 would be reiterated in Syria. 
Taking a look at the military situation today, we stick up with the question, how will the crisis be resolved with the status quo? Who controls Syria today? it's incredible how has the terrorist Islamic State seized these formidable acres? Maybe Tomahawk arsenal would flip the situation over sooner or later to defeat ISIL? Then, what's the proposal to close down this bloody civil war?
Really, it's mind-boggling and I don't know how catastrophic the division would be if the grand sponsors of this war planning it where one of radical opposing factions will be a ruler side-by-side Assad who I think won't be ousted because he has been that role model ruler in the Middle East for many international aspects in terms of maintaining on security equation in this region since 1967. Therefore, it's uneasy to leave him. 

Source: Syria-war-map 2017

This is my analysis at the moment, hopefully, none of these imaginative potentials above will take place as analysists pretend. Otherwise, the inflammable situation is conducive to such tragic end.

  

 It was an interesting course though the dissatisfying note!

   How impressive when you find yourself owning the keys of other cultures! How amazing when you have that capacity to go smoothly into the minds of those from the other cultures! How incredible the feeling of tasting multiculturalism! 

This scene was the last moment in the class. It shows me (the gentleman who wears the tie) including our teacher in between us (two guys on her right hand and vice versa) and also my colleagues. Taken at Goethe Institute- Ramallah

Indeed, these expressions are faithfully coming out of my heart, make me energetic and very zealous to explore more of what's unexplored through this linguistic bridge. Because, I totally believe in what the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami said, "Learning another language is like becoming another person."

Yet, nothing remarkable has been accomplished with the end of the first part of the second intermediate phase that classified (B1) of this majestic German language. The only thing I could say is that am glad whatever was the outcome. I, however, inwardly not that much satisfied if comes to show the real mathematical estimation which reminds me of many previous disappointing linguistic experiences. 

It's naturally to pass through this disappointment in our tireless attempts to get to the summit. Otherwise, success won't come out without failed rounds might be sometimes intractable to overcome. This is the nature of life, it's a matter of luck. This luck, however, contingent on an assiduously arranged work to get the intended success. 

Eventually, tasting a new culture is enjoyable despite being complex at some point, but it doesn't freak you out as long as you have a noble goal looking forward to achieving which the language is your ship to embark on. But, if that goal is waiting for you in the realm of other culture where language is the only weapon to count on in the mid of battle for breaking down the barriers, then, it requires you not giving in to the impediments, just go after it.
What's the mystery behind this language?
At first, this fact makes the theme thinkable when we find out that German (Deutsch) is a widely spoken language in central Europe by approximately 118 million, including native and second language speakers. It dates back to at least the 6th century AD. It derives most of its vocabularies from Germanic branch of  Indo-European language family, part is derived from Latin and Greek, and fewer are borrowed from English and French.
Structurally and grammatically, every language has a special identity, German has a unique wonderment I have impinged on thus far. It's like an endless thread, the more you go into, the more intertwined complex elements you delve into where you can't make sense of what's going on around you at the first glance! So, you get stuck, then you get out, you get back again, and you move on, and on, and on in desperate attempts to figure out this mysterious periphery. It's an inevitable upshot for the newborn in the language.
At this phase, the leads I came up with provide me with a modest sensation to describe an open-ended perception towards German. I can just bring up some funny adventures were deliberately made to stir up the desire of catching up with this language all the time whether inside the classroom or outside. Otherwise, I felt that frustration burdened me down in the battlefield where German grammar alone guarantees my fatal defeat per se!
It's imaginable, and of course, it's quite clear when considering, for instance, the article "the" has three types in German "Der, Die, and Das" which are used in 16 forms according to different rules of feminine, masculine, and neutral that you must abide by. It's mind-boggling and leaves us wondering how can we distinguish if this concept classified as one of the aforementioned types rapidly and on time? My German teacher after explaining a bit the answer said, "Das ist Deutsch!" (This is German!).
Learning a second or a third language is totally confined to the merit, and my meritocracy is a relentless fondness for being a multi-lingual person. And, of course, nothing cost less, it requires time, efforts, and money ... etc. Thus, enjoying multiculturalism and showing off with impressive linguistic capacities cost you sacrificing.
I, actually, used to have a great deal of courage from my multi-lingual sister who fluently speaks four languages, she is insatiable with this, to the degree prompted her to inform me recently that she's looking towards owning the fifth language. All due respect for courageous and brilliant people!
The problem I encountered is the vulnerability in managing eagerness of learning the language wisely. The nature of my research in German affairs opens many channels up where German all the time is present, so, I can't wait for enough to explore what's written in a certain corner which ends me up confused with enormous complicated concepts that supposedly useless in my level, I could barely speak German.
German has its share in the writings of Mark Twain, who showed his ominous orientation towards his German experience as this majestic language is really as bad as he explained more than a century ago when argued in his essay "The Awful German Language,"

"The inventor of this language complicated it all he could. When we wish to speak of our "good friend or friends," in our enlightened tongue, we stick to the one form and have no trouble or hard feeling about it; but with the German tongue it is different. When a German gets his hands on an adjective, he declines it, and keeps on declining it until the common sense is all declined out of it. It is as bad as Latin."

And he concludes arguing that reforming German with remedies that he explains his readiness to do so through some suggestions,

"In the first place, I would leave out the Dative case. It confuses the plurals; and, besides, nobody ever knows when he is in the Dative case, except he discover it by accident and then he does not know when or where it was that he got into it, or how long he has been in it, or how he is going to get out of it again. The Dative case is an ornamental folly- it's better to discard it."

Conspicuously, German leaves an impact that sometimes makes learners run down given to cognitive complexity that not all people have good mental capacities to cope up with. Hence, Mark Twain ended up suggesting some modifications to the language in order to make it easier. I think he hadn't an expectancy that what he was thinking about is a figment of the imagination. It's a language spoken by millions of masses transferred it to this generation as they had used it. So, we still grapple with "Dative." Can we erase the fact that "Vladimir Lenin was the founding father of Bolshevik Revolution of 1917" from the historical documents?
Practically, as a German learner, I see he was somewhat right, let's take an example of how does it grammatically work in the following table;

It clarifies how the adjective (applied on male personal pronoun "Sein means His") before the noun is being changed based on the grammatical status. This is a constant draft that the inventors of German Language set up and mustn't be overruled because it's applied on millions of vocabularies. It seems a draconian rule for Mark Twain!

To make it more understandable, the whole things written in the table are obligatory to apply on every single German word. Otherwise, your German is wrong. Beginning with the first column on the left some abbreviations are put consecutively (Nom. "Nominative," Acc. "Accusative," Dat. "Dative," and Gen. "Genetiv"). The sentences are shown in the table can be simply used in English as such;
Singular, from "Nom" to "Dat" cases (two forms for each one): This is a nice friend. His nice friend.
For "Gen": Of this nice friend. Of his nice friend.
Also the same thing with neuter, but here another word is used (Kid); This is a nice kid. His nice kid.
"Gen": Of this nice kid. Of his nice kid.
Plural, from "Nom" to "Dat": these are nice kids. His nice kids.
"Gen": Of these nice kids. Of his nice kids.
But, hold on! the story is incomplete yet, there are cases with the other pronouns (Sie-she, Ihr-you, sie-they (plural), Sie-she or he (formal), euch-you all, and wir-we)

Do you understand now why Mark Twain was upset? Why should we constrain ourselves with this linguistic process as he claims? I could say as my teacher once said, "Das ist Deutsch!" Accept it or leave it.
On the other hand, there are trolls who fiercely defending German believing that it's a majestic language like me. As James Lane states,

"Well, Mr. Twain, you have been dead for over a century now, so maybe it's about time to have another look at your marvelous essay and see it anything has changed in the intervening years. Most of your suggestions for how to slim German down into a more manageable tongue have been ignored. I regret to inform you that the Dative case is well and truly alive, and in fact it is the Genitive case -the one which adds the sneaky -S- to its nouns as in "Wegen des Regens," "because of the rain,-" which seems most under threat."

 Going back to what said that Japanese writer, I feel that owning another language makes me a different person, I could touch upon this transformation.  The last experience at the company where I work is one of many I've gone through, which is indicative, my boss called me in to oversee an oral translation meeting between a Bulgarian delegation of businessmen has been visiting us for setting up a cooperative business, the head of board introduced himself mentioning, "I spent 7 years in Berlin where I studied business administration." After translating to my staff, I commented jokingly in German, "Ich vermute, dass Sie sprechen sehr gut Deutsch," "I guess you speak very good German." He surprisingly replied, "Natürlich spreche ich deutsch, aber wo hast du Deutsch gelernt?" I answered him in German while my colleagues were staring astonishingly at me and their facial expressions insinuated that "Wow you speak German also Nasser, we really had no idea." They actually don't know precisely the fact how poor still my German is! But, understandable.
Then, we chatted together in German over the plenary session whenever we had intervals. His reaction is actually familiar for me, it ascribed to stereotypes of how do people in the West portray us in the East as we still live in the darkness, or in a nomadic life where no modern technology, knowledge and so on and so forth. I totally have an aware about this fact, so, probably, the first inquiry he came up with is how come a guy from the other hemisphere or what's so-called MENA region speaks German or trying to? 
I really don't know why this perception overflying my head, maybe it's a mere obsession caused by getting infected of the Orientalism of Edward Said and his argument about Eastern-Western civilizational links. This businessman has never been to Palestine before. This, indeed, gives more courage.
By the way, I run into people with the same thinking from time to time. For instance, we have to talk to soldiers at Israeli checkpoints to deal with different matters like permits and other vetting measures we are exposed to. I don't speak Hebrew, many of them have asked me this question, "Where and how did you learn English?" It seemingly this a globally spoken language is weird to be spoken by a Palestinian about whom he/she used to nurture his/her mind with negative stereotypes.  
Anyhow, this German course carries the hope for more promising linguistic experiences in the foreseeable future. I'm dissatisfied with my performance at the moment. However, with perseverance, everything will hopefully be perfect.

   

Capitalism is not all about KFC as I thought!

   John Maynard Keynes once said, "Capitalism is the astounding belief that the wickedest of men will do the wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone."

And also, Karl Liebknecht said, "For Capitalism, war and peace are business and nothing but business."

Definitely, when we come across such statements, the first impression will come out is that there is a probing controversy going on behind which didn't come aimlessly. So, those observers or writers had gone through a protracted observation to the phenomenon they captured analytically to come up with this argument at the end.

In fact, the whole thing I had in my mind is that Capitalism is all about corporations like KFC and other industrious manifestations that made everything consumable, without a sound logic of how the argument and postulates work behind.

The kick start regarding capitalist issues is ascribed to my MA program in American Studies, there was a course with a one-sided narrative about the culture of Capitalism in the U.S.A. and how it is marketed overseas. I learned about a global series of KFC, Hotdog restaurants, Coca-cola …etc. Their ostensible symbols are ingrained in our daily scenes that we grow up with. Furthermore, the copycat process of whatever U.S.-made products encounters a big demand on by foreign consumers, to the degree they became part of a global culture. This is all I had concerning a small part of the capitalist novel in the U.S.A.
Afterward, I haven’t deeply delved into this topic though its significance to be enough aware of.

The last academic journey in Germany at the University of Wuppertal specifically, came out to put some points on a blurry immature knowledge that I had about this issue. Luckily, I was hosted by an expert in capitalist affairs, a professor has profusely published around.

So, I felt at the first glance, it’s time to go through it and share what was learned over the time of the stay that this blog comes to show a simple reaction intersected with probing questions capture the argumentation that being shrewdly published by experts and professors, who are incessantly watching out the phenomenon of Capitalism to prove its repercussion on the human life, and substantiating this by the existing Marxist theories. Also, I would like to bring up a quick review to some facts I went into written in a paper published by my host professor titled, “Capitalism, democratic education (Bildung), and the crisis of Democracy.” It actually starts off showing the event of the Great Depression which is called “the last big crisis in capitalism,” (Heinz Sünker). It’s the topic that my MA thesis revolved around also, but from another angle.

It consequently, caught my attention to come up with the idea of picking this paper out of many other publications that were given to me, due to the Depression Crisis of America which Sünker interpreted in his argument as a crisis entailed by destructive implications later on which represent a conclusive evidence of the frailty of Capitalism.

Therefore, Prof. Sünker claims that, “The last big crisis in capitalism -in the late 20s/early 30s of the last century- became in some nations a crisis of democracy with murderous consequences for many human beings.”

My thesis captured this historical event, with special emphasis on the revolutionary movement “the Communist Party of the United States (CPUSA)” that exerted much effort in order to flip the restive situation over aiming at dispatching the class-struggle approach into the U.S.A. and creating a new reality during that dark era.

The Communist experience in the United States is a very interesting narrative to explore though the dream of overthrowing capitalism was faded away. It also, aimed at introducing the vulnerabilities caused by the Depression at the time the people were in dire need, for one thing, is getting out of the misery. Needless to mention, racism exponentially inflamed against black masses who were driven by communist debaters into their revolutionary class-struggle plans. 

The Communist Party ended up facing a firm rejection even violent confrontation within the U.S. society especially after WW II during McCarthyism in the 1950s when the Party’s activities were totally banned. As a result, some communist leaders faced trial like Rosenberg who was executed by an electric chair after had been convicted of an espionage in favor of Russia.

Many factors had played a role in repelling off its influence mostly foreign ones caused by ongoing fluctuations of the grand communist leadership in Russia at that time. So, undoubtedly, the Great Depression was a difficult test for the Communist followers in a capitalist nation especially the environment had a vivid argument in which Communists with their Marxist revolutionary tenets found it a hit point to apply the class-struggle doctrine. This event or “Stock Market Crash of 1929” impacted the world’s economy, it became an adopted evidence for the community of analysts who all the time claim that, the Depression of the U.S.A. proved the crumbliness of the Capitalism resulted by the failure of its economic dogma at that time. On the other hand, contributed to ascending fascism at political landscapes in many countries especially Europe.

As well as, the Depression actually constituted a focal point to prove this argumentatively that, "Capitalism isn’t spotless and transparent, but it’s the trap of elitist wealth that digests human and natural energies and converts them into currency." 

Since then, I haven't had a nominal idea within the theoretical and educational peripheries of Capitalism, whether this topic is just a theory or a well-designed rhetoric is shaped by Marxists in order to gain political dominance by applying a concerted “propaganda,” for this purpose or not.

After having been involved in this debate, I touched upon a fierce intellectual confrontation between Capitalism and Marxism, it’s a crystal clear fact we used to grapple with. For instance, the reality of the Cold War between both Eastern and Western camps that our forefathers experienced left an inheritable legacy, it's simply can be seen in the surroundings of popular culture like the renowned series of James Bond movies is rampant especially among young people who like action movies, it plays a crucial role in keeping the memory of the Cold War viable. Thus, if we go onto the street and ask whoever about that Capitalist-Marxist confrontation, he would probably say, yes, we feel that there is something running around us, it’s touchable, probably many don’t know what’s precisely the argument that this confrontation based on. 

Sünker seemingly means that the "Stock Market Crash of 1929" in the U.S.A. led to an uncontrollable crisis lasted for a decade and harshly impacted the world over, which is one of the main reasons of raising fascist sensation.

Obviously, the peoples felt ideologically disappointed and tried tirelessly to find the alternative to what had plundered their pockets and then ended up saluting fascism that came to fill the vacuums caused by the economic crisis in Europe like Nazism was applauded massively. 

In regard with political mainstream at that era, in their paper "Right-Wing Political Extremism in the Great Depression," Alen de Bromhead and others examined the impact of the Great Depression on the share of votes for right-wing anti-system parties in elections in the 1920s and 1930s, they hypothesized that, 

"While fully 24 European regimes can be considered democratic in 1920, this number had fallen to 11 by 1939. In the tumultuous conditions of the 1930s, National Socialist and Communist parties, both of which fall under the anti-system rubric, along with a number of less well-known anti-system parties gained electoral support at the expense of parties committed to democracy." 

This indicatively shows how the economic crisis played an instrumental role in shattering the whole political sensations apart deviating from political idealism. Hence, Sünker argues, that the repercussions of this event led to a crisis in democracy, “this crisis left murderous consequences for many human beings.” I can argue that when the vicissitudes after WWI synchronized with the impact of the Depression, the world plunged into the slope of anti-trust. It naturally left the court for fascist ascendancy including the heinousness of Nazism. One of the consequences of this crisis was proven in the way Franklin D. Roosevelt applied with his failed New Deal ventures for retrenchment to manage the crisis, he ended up embroiling his nation militarily in WWII in order to push the heavy burden of the Depression out by investing in war machines, and then creating job opportunities, it was the fruit of Pearl Harbor, in 1941. 

Also, Sünker argues that capitalist-based societies are inherently undemocratic,   

"No capitalist society nowadays is able to be properly seen as democratic because this must go hand in hand with the securing of personal freedom and socially responsible and made responsible dealing with power. When looking at "politics" and its constitutional conditions, in the USA and elsewhere, this basic deficiency has not only been remedied, rather it even gained strength after the collapse of the state capitalist systems of Central and Eastern Europe."

 Sünker brings up his argument with a logic requires more simplification to be understandable for readers who are not at the same level of knowledge refers to how capitalist societies are always undemocratic. It's important for us to see how is this theoretical argument linked with the reality. For instance, tangible cases how democracy is eroded within these societies, how do people react stemming from suffocating situation that could be attributable to the impact of Capitalism. Hence, the reader gets drawn into an unfathomable controversy where he ends up understanding nothing.                         

I, indeed, believe that not every democratic entity is really democratic even within the frontiers of the land of freedom the U.S.A., it's far away from impeccability in terms of violating certain liberties that supposedly are protected under the constitutional jurisdiction, they are infringed in some way. However, the U.S.A. is still democratic in comparison to North Korea or other Communist-ruled countries. For example, Homeland Security Act of 2002 was made under the pretext of securing territorial integrity after the terror onslaughts of 11th Sep, 2001, it was warrantless and made American masses grumpy at given to infringement of freedom of expression. But accusing the whole capitalist societies undemocratic is a complicated argument for me to figure out at the moment. 

I, probably, response to this by showing the conventional perspective that doesn't fit into his argument towards what does democracy mean. I, admittedly used to judge on this society or that rule a democratic as long as has principally freedom of expression, free assemblage, rule of law, accountability and so on. Otherwise, the matter necessitates me to apply some measures to make sense how these societies are undemocratic and how collapsed the capitalist systems of central and Eastern Europe.

Sünker continues with a quotation by Chossudovsky in his study "The Globalization of Poverty, Impacts of IMF and World Bank Reforms," to the descriptive conclusion of how democracy is fragile in these societies, 

"Marked by conflicts of interest and as a consequence of its ambivalent relationship towards private economic and financial interests, the state system in the West is experiencing a crisis. Under these conditions, parliamentary democracy has become a mere ritual. There are no alternatives available for the voters. Neo-liberalism has become an integral part of the political program of all the great political parties. Like in a one party state election outcomes today have practically no effect on the actual path of state economic and social politics."

 Neo-Liberalism, is the dogma of Adam Smith that privatizes wealth off governmental intervention is incontrovertibly a phenomenon of economic unfair that I used to observe how Sünker describing it as a neo-fascism in Germany.
On this track, there are questions overflying my head are, can we say that Danish, Canadian, Scandinavian...etc are undemocratic societies where parliamentary democracy is a mere ritual? Or the way Marxists apply in defining democracy is different than the way I interpret it accordingly? What about Russia, China, North Korea, are they democratic? Was the realm under communist rule before the collapse of Berlin Wall democratic? 
Probably, there is a special criterion is used to interpret democracy in the anti-capitalist point of view. 
The Marxist-Capitalist confrontation has a been central concern that I find it interesting to explore. The world in this millennium faces up new impediments in different spheres, too many still haven't achieved their economic welfare struggling with small pittances, the "Third World" is entirely still suffering poverty, social fragmentation is remarkably deepening, chronic diseases, and organized homicides due to marginalization from governments. Therefore, understanding the root causes behind these contemporary pitfalls is contingent on understanding why the aforementioned confrontation is existent which has the required answers.

Turkish-Dutch diplomatic fray and recalling the UN General Assembly Resolution "2131"

   Turkey has gone through diplomatic aggravation since firstly collided with that stumbling block on its relation with Russia when Turkish warplane shot down Russian military aircraft in November 2015 on the border with Syria. President Putin stated describing the incident, "a stab in the back by accomplices of terrorists." Secondly, the round that made the matter worse, when Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was gunned down in December last year by a Turkish nationalist police officer believed to be an off-duty. As came out reportedly, this assassination was a retaliatory reaction to the Russian military intervention in the ongoing Syrian civil war.

Protesters wave flags outside the Dutch consulate in central Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue, the main shopping road of Istanbul, early Sunday, March 12, 2017. The escalating dispute between Turkey and the Netherlands spilled over into Sunday, with a Turkish minister unable to enter her consulate after the authorities there had already blocked a visit by the foreign minister, prompting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to call the Dutch fascists. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Most recently, a new episode of diplomatic turmoil Turkey is experiencing now with Netherlands, it broke out when the permission to Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's airplane to land down in Netherlands was denied at official level which prompted political leadership in Turkey to firmly react to this step drove Turkish President out of diplomatic protocol describing Dutch leadership, "Nazi remnants and fascists." The visit aimed at drumming up the support of Turkish community in diaspora for the upcoming constitutional referendum on April 14.On this scene, there have been hostile calls sweeping off supporting voices to the current Turkish leadership, which are believed to be anti-JDP rule within political community of some EU's countries so far. In Germany, Turkish officials had been denied access to set up political campaigns within Turkish community, and followed by Austrian rejection as well. Therefore, Germany did take its share of Erdogan's accusations of its policies as "Nazi practices." It seemingly the Turkish communities in Europe -though they live under other rules and some aren't Turkish citizens anymore- have a political influence on the political landscape in Turkey can't be underestimated. It's a giant asset prompts Turkish officials to polarize their voices for the ongoing political reformations process.

This event sharpened my interest to look at it from another angle, the hosting countries of expat Turks who are a target to Turkish political leadership as a pressuring factor in any political process have sovereignty. It obliges Turkey to consider the rules of respecting this sovereignty. It, furthermore, reflects the Turkish diplomatic performance that was harshly criticized by Holland. However, none of the official statements mentioned that Turkish attempts of political rallying is kind of intervention in the affairs of other countries and violation of territorial integrity, considering that Turks who live now in Holland and Germany are not Turkish anymore, despite the fact that most of them still keep their Turkish citizenship.

There is nothing refers to the status of "if there is a refugee community could play an effective role in both the country of origin or hosting country, it's inadmissible to set off on political campaigns through recruiting those refugees in the soil of hosting country. But, contingent on a total agreement between rulers." I don't think that Turkish attempt to set up that campaign was out of diplomatic rules because it had already asked for the permission of Dutch government. I, therefore, can't be certain if Germany and Netherlands refused this due to the matter of sovereignty violation, or they attempt to clamp down on JDP's far-sighted goals to keep ruling the country.

It's worth mentioning, the Turkish population or "expat Turks" is estimated over 400.000 people, and in Germany alone approximately 4 million. So, this a huge existence of Turkish population in these hosting countries makes a remarkable political impact if it would be garnered wisely.

Reportedly, Holland fended off the Turkish official rallying on their soils, justifying this action in a formal statement that, "because of risks to public order and security" caused by the Turkish official visit, as well as, Germany justified with the same reason. I actually, didn't observe that there are overtly another reasons justify this stepping up against the Turkish formal visit, which is considered a violation of diplomatic rules. Holland and Germany didn't state other than the aforementioned reason. And, moreover, this diplomatic unrest takes place between countries are members of NATO. It might be an antagonistic attitude toward Turkish ruling party that has been controversially the top of topics being discussed at the international arena because of allegedly oppressive policies have been conducted by since that failed military coup on 15th of July, 2016.  

The question is, does Turkish action of recruiting its citizens who are refugees in Holland and Germany pose violation to diplomatic rules and their jurisdiction?

In terms of legality, the international laws arrange relationships among countries, or non-intervention in the affairs of other countries. Thus, for instance, there is a Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention and Interference in the Domestic affairs of States (UNGA resolution 2131 XX 1965). It at the core stipulates that any kind of intervention is condemned including all forms of militarily intervention and security threats,

"No State has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever in the internal affairs of any State. Consequently, armed intervention and all other forms of intervention or attempted threats against the personality of the State or against its political, economic and cultural elements, are condemned."

It's interesting to provoke the legality behind this issue at the international arena because the issue of refugees or minorities is "a de-facto" constitutes a pressure leaf in arranging certain international affairs. The rift between Germany and Turkey over Syrian refugees is an evidence of how Turkey is trying to reap as many advantages as it can in return to offering concession in favor of this issue. Therefore, the Turkish official attempt to campaign on the hosting countries’ soil to shore up its interior political process could guarantee successes at some point. It, however, contingent on the extent of its legality and consequences aftermath. This issue is debatable has much behind to understand, because the future holds more unexpected answers in its folds to the running analyses on Turkish fate with EU where the latest diplomatic fray indicates to a relentless rejection to Turkish ruling party's policies.   

A salute for those who carried us 9 months in their wombs

    Women's struggle that came to light when the UN declared the 8th of March as the International Women's Day in 1975, couldn't have been reaped without a fierce struggle had been shaking off the main streets of cosmopolitan cities like New York when the Socialist Party of America held that event "Women's Day Observance in Feb 1909, and so as in the capital of Russian Empire -Petrograd at that time- where a demonstration of textile workers broke out in 1917 shortly before the Bolshevik Revolution. These events inspired parades in many other places in the world.

Tracing back the history, we can touch upon the fact how socialists played a pivotal role in reviving the women's voice over the course of 20th century, passing through the second International Women's Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, was conducted in August 1910 inspired by U.S. socialists, it turned out to be a watershed of Women's Socialist Movement that awakened women's voice one way or another. Then consecutively supporting events were held internationally by socialist and communist activists as well in many countries. 

This legacy is still celebrated as a pillar women rely on and a sanctuary they resort to, where they expressly get their message across to people. Hellen Keller, for instance, was an American outstanding member of (SPA) believed in working class solidarity and had her voice for women, said, "the inferiority of women is man-made."

Women issues have occupied a spacious place on my agenda over the past couple of years, which are stirred up from time to time in debates highlighting these issues on social media where my open destination to the world. Persecution and other forms of violence against women have been mainly the forefront issues that I feel desperately when hearing distressing stories for women suffering, just because they're women, or in another word, the weak human components as portrayed. 

Therefore, these issues -as I observed- are deliberated in the rhetoric of many Women Rights Organizations, which is seen commendable by whoever speak out for them. I however, conceive some aspects turn a blind eye to violations against women up-close to the place where these women rights fighters are stationed to tirelessly direct their efforts in order to show the dark side of other nations where women are nefariously treated, then end up just criminalizing the other applying a lopsided way in analyzing the issue. It's totally indicative when we capture the nature of rhetoric that picks up on Middle Eastern women issues, where reportedly violations occurring.  

Actually, my experience in human rights field gave me an insightful vision on how stricken people with grief due to certain violations are rained down over their heads managing their restive life, geared me up to be a conscientious objector with responsibility for doing as minimally something as possible. Thus, the ongoing debates are a path which suits my current modest capacities where my sensation has been expressed with many friends from different countries each of which has a perception towards women issues in our region "the Middle East," and arguably being used to think that "it's a stifling environment for women." This is an inherent perception inscribed in the dictionary of the Western communities which has made me upset especially with tons of incessant analyses are shot up to me like it does happen because of either religious or the nature of mentality that Middle Eastern peoples manage the situation of women accordingly.
In terms of religion, and contrary to what's said, Islam ensures unalienable rights for women, many verses of Muslim sacred book "Qur'an" sheds light on, even prophet Mohammad (PBUH) teachings urge believers to consider women's rights, he  said in the last ceremony, 

"O people, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have right over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Tread your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers."

Believing that it's an unbiased role should be played, women rights issue must be tackled according to our transparent human values which are documented in international covenants. It's not an issue only to practice certain agenda or follow up prejudices for defamation. Nevertheless, I can't leave out any case of violations -if reliably documented in our region- without debating it. For instance, the situation of women in Afghanistan is really saddening, the country has been under the influence of radical groups applying the twisted interpretation of Islamic teachings on women, as we hear from time to time about violations occur.
   Most recently, there was a hot debate conducted on my Facebook wall around prostitution, it's a controversial issue even in the West where it's legalized in some countries like in Eastern Europe where shocking news come out on media sometimes. It was interesting to have a various bunch of orientations toward this issue, that I consider a human rights violation women are bearing due to the social consequences aftermath. However, some of my encounters in the debate saw the matter from a different angle, woman has the right to practice her freedom in the way she likes, but in terms of prostitution and exploitation of her body for gaining profits or evading certain social trouble which force her to drop into prostitution, is kind of violation per se. 
This debate was fomented after I had come across a sad story of an Indian actress called Nisha Noor had been a famous with a successful performance and budding career, but the trap of prostitution led her to end up shunned among her colleagues and was found dying along on the street because of HIV.   

I indeed touched the big gap in conception toward what does woman mean for those in the mostly conservative Islamic-based Eastern communities and that in the West. It's imaginable how uneasy to converge these views though their significance in vitalizing understanding. 
The occasion of "International Woman's Day," reminds us that we're females, not the only ones who've done miracles and successes on this planet, but women have left their footholds in all fields as well. So, we must not belittle or look down on them thinking that they are in contrast to what's said. Their struggle is self-evident that they represent an uncompromising human force we can't relinquish for making this world better off. It was proven when a tremendous Women's March broke out in Washington D.C. in January this year, it inspired women and feminists in general around the world. Therefore, it's incumbent upon us paving the way to set up unified strategies for secure place where our creative women can step up building this beautiful planet away from biases and using the issue for only smearing the others, because women have suffered in almost all parts of this globe not only in my region and yours.
Women are doves that we mustn't be like hawks trying to onslaught them to hold back their aspirations. Because I do believe in "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt.

       

A stunning linguistic experience at Goethe Institute gave me an impetus to re-explore the poor situation of my rich language

   Consecutive visits to Germany over the past three years left a perpetuating impact on my personal intellectual trends. Naturally, when you had never navigated a theme or an area irrespective was it cultural, social, or political. There are stereotypes overflying your head, and these shape your perspective toward it especially when the first-hand experience for you is suddenly brought up.

It’s very smooth nowadays, that many topics are thoroughly available to us whenever there is a need to explore wittingly or spontaneously due to the existing modern technology that made the universe a small realm, where a heterogeneous social fabric is susceptible to be understood smoother than expected by all people.

This is the estimation to how human behavior is formed by any phenomenon; unknown unless the bubble of ambiguity that revolves around it is blown up through bringing out the uncertainty to make it clear. It undoubtedly requires making a crack in that wall in order to figure out what’s going on behind. Otherwise, the things you see or the changeable phenomenon you watch will remain blurry, and consequently, you’ll keep stereotypically thinking about.

Thus, the process of convergence of views has proven to be a promising toward a better off world where diversity, heterogeneity, and the fascination of multicolored nature, if applied extensively in terms of understanding the other, and then accept his orientation. Therefore, the globalized universe is in dire need for breaking the barriers down more than ever, given to its expansion interminably to the degree we feel that the newborn after incubation period begins wondering what’s going on in the other hemisphere! It’s a real fantasy! But, of course, this is metaphorically used to express how we touch upon this at the present. We need just to understand and taste of the amazing experience of multiculturalism because we come across myriad of things on social media alone for instance, which put us into the circle of inquiries under the title what’s going on on the other side of the world. It’s imaginable how rich our knowledge would be if we exceed watching things virtually to experience them on the ground in which language acts as a focal point!

Well, space here is insufficient to express my sensation toward how cultural exchange leads to convergence of views. So, I want to set off on narrating an experience drove me to enroll in a series of German courses at Goethe Institute in Ramallah -a well-known institute for teaching German aims at bridging understanding between Germany and outside world at the international arena- and what affected my intellectual trends aftermath.

In the second half of 2015, I eagerly and unconditionally decided to delve into German culture after I had been two times to German academic community through a short project organized by the Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena in 2014, and in a high-profile conference by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in cooperation with Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) in Frankfurt in 2015. I had no hope that I’ll go back to Germany again later on. However, this didn’t hold me back carrying on exploring the affairs of this nation.

It was a stride didn’t come into being aimlessly, but there had been a simulation running led me to end up being a darling for this culture that I must find a bridge to be hooked up with all the time. Consequently, I went ahead seeking out a good institute to have German courses that put up the bridge to climb over and catch the reins of German culture.

At that time, and unexpectedly, an email popped up informing me regarding a new academic opportunity to spend a semester at one of Nord-Rhein Westfalen (NRW) universities, it was an interesting email sent by a professor, friend of mine lives in Jerusalem. It was a full-paid bursary sponsored by the Ministry of Innovation and Science in NRW, this encouraged starting off with German rapidly.

One thing must be admitted that the tendency to learn foreign languages within my society is barely implemented for the purpose of voluntarily exploring other cultures and deepening personal knowledge. I bet, most of the students who learn foreign languages doing so other than academic and rarely commercial purposes. Otherwise, the potentiality of learning foreign languages and spending much money and time just to explore other cultures isn’t very common.

Probably, would be more obvious if the administration at Goethe Institute conducts a survey in a task of exploring why cohorts of students regularly resort to their institute for learning German, without leaving out the cases of family unification where some go to have German courses for the chance of winning permanent residency which requires a good command of German.

At the beginning of 2016, that marginal desire came into effect, I began learning German at Goethe Institute-Ramallah with an endless flood of hopes to be a promising experience, in which that minor plans or probably -pipe dreams- would be fruitful. Who knows it would be so after having been taking courses for almost a year on a separate basis, including a course during three months research leave at the Bergische University of Wuppertal where I had a very stunning academic host.

By returning to home at the end of the last year, the journey of learning German was not over yet, it followed by a new enrollment in an intermediate course (B1) to build on what had been earned before either at Goethe Institute or in Germany. At this point, the change and the new perspective I’ve come up with thus far will be brought out to show that it has been a watershed linguistic experience where I saw my lingual background through, it moreover mixed up with a taste of intellectualism. It’s an imaginable to be as such despite the fact that it’s still booming incrementally.

To be honest, I haven’t accomplished remarkably in this field yet though the interesting thoughts I have had. However, and without overestimation, this experience conceals too much behind the curtain to be explored.

Deviating into another angle, I can capture the overwhelming feeling towards what I would share, it’s a multidimensional feeling is formed by two factors, firstly, the current linguistic experience, and secondly, my native language “Arabic” in which I had a protracted linguistic experience as well. The amazement of the first mentioned experience is what pushed me to think over the existing impediments on the path of progression of our own Arabic language, intellectualism, identity, and missing horizons will be clarified on the other hand. I actually hadn’t this sensation to share 5 years ago to think over the matter of -why do they have these cultural efforts, but we don’t have them?!- during my first linguistic experience at a well-known U.S. institute (AMIDEAST) for teaching English and building understanding with the U.S. nation in the entire Arab World.

First of all, and admittedly, Goethe Institute is a great success story of bridging civilizational understanding, it’s a success story of how the German historical character and its cultural elements weren’t outmaneuvered despite undergoing to historical vicissitudes, came to an end with the debacle of the mastermind of Nazism “The Führer.”

Who could imagine that German civilizational character would have been totally eradicated in line with the unbearable repercussions of WWII aftermath, had it not found courageous patriots who worked hard to keep it vivid until this moment!

This is what do I believe about Goethe Institute since was established in the 1950s. It’s a global network works on spreading not only German culture but also the German core message to the world over by which Germans could have a positive reaction toward their policies through this absolute openness. So, to what extent has contributed to strengthening the bonds of understanding where Germany could have minimally resolved previous dilemmas? To what extent has managed to disseminate the German word around the globe or make revenues by bringing great talents and gifted people in?

These inquires might have open-ended answers which this article hasn’t enough space to go into. I, therefore, consider them as a reminder to the reader to keep looking into them, because there is an interesting conundrum behind this immense cultural edifice to figure it out.

This success story worth to say, congratulation Germany! Congratulation for those who are indefatigably working for maintaining their identity and heritage! It makes me thrilled and proud of something I wished I had the similar, but I don’t have it now as something represents my background though integrating with day in and day out in order to fulfill my goals.

I actually, paved my path firstly in the academic field to learn Arabic.  Although it’s my mother tongue, doesn’t mean it’s all about proficiently using four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). No! Arabic is more than that, Arabic is a deep-seated culture, heritage, an identity, magnificent literature, the well-structured linguistic character can assimilate myriad of sciences due to its enrichment and conformability. Arabic is what distinguishes us; our civilization, and our interesting eventful history that was carved by our predecessors in monuments that narrate it. Not to mention, that this history was the most prosperous in one of the epochs centuries ago.

“In fact, for a period stretching over seven hundred years, the international language of science was Arabic. For this, was the language of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, and thus the official language of the vast Islamic Empire that by early eighth century CE, stretched from India to Spain.” Jim Al-Khalili 

To make it clear, very important theories and postulates were drafted by Arab-Muslim scientists to become adoptable by many Western scientists later on. They proved their credibility and logical linkage with the interpretation of different manifestations running around us.

In this regard, former U.S. president, for instance, in his June 4, 2009, speech in Cairo, praised Muslims for their historical scientific and intellectual contributions to civilization:

“It was Islam that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed.”  

Back to the main theme, during almost daily attendance at Goethe Institute, I’ve observed –without overestimation- a remarkable number of cohorts of German learners who are flooding into on a daily basis. Well-equipped classrooms are occupied and full of the incessant thread of German language is being taught. I can imagine how it constitutes a far-sighted lens that the students or whoever interested in German can look through to watch the German landscape from different angles many miles away.

It has for several times drifted me out of this track to think out of German classrooms and ponder what’s going on around me, to find myself embarking on a platform of different thinking. But that thinking is leashed with a previous Arabic intellectual experience intervened in my own debate where I debate what’s running in my mind. So, I’ve been alone debating myself about these inquiries and what’s occurring within that special realm of German culture or “Goethe Institute.” I sometimes couldn’t cope with that unfathomable momentum that has burdened me down several times, it could be ascribed to a cluster of complex overlapping ideas. Eventually, these questions were raised in, what are the tangible outcomes that both German language learners and Germany itself reap by this cultural edifice? How does German individual who lives in Deutschland now feel when he realizes that his language is being taught globally, so his cultural identity is existent almost everywhere?  

Again, I leave this to the reader as an attraction to keep thinking it over, it seemingly inquiries drives me out of this thread to think of many sources could be purposeful to answer. I, however, shed some light on to show a glance of the indicative scene that the argument is reliant on what precisely want to talk about and why?

To simplify this, I believe in an approach to understanding one another, it states that “look at your image in the mirror of others whenever you want to unravel the mystery behind it.” What doesn’t make it a quite suitable way to find the answer while going through a new linguistic experience at Goethe Institute? But, didn’t Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said once,

“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.”

And, as Nelson Mandela said also, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Basically, there are other inquiries have frequently been brought up in this self-debate from the other hand, what about the Arabic language doesn’t have foreign conduits overseas by its own native speakers irrespective who are they intellectuals or leaders have a staunch zealousness to open up cultural institutes teach Arabic and introduce our culture to whoever interested?! Doesn’t Arabic represent the identity of a formidable nation and distinguishable on the international map stretches from the Arabian Gulf in the East to the Atlantic Ocean in the West? It mathematically consists of 22 recognized countries their native language is Arabic. Don’t they acknowledge the undeniable fact that Arabic represents our historical identity inwardly and outwardly? Doesn’t this language -spoken by approximately 300 million people- frame the concept of the term Arab World abroad as contextualized in the international charts or formal documents like on the map? Why don’t we have a successful network of well-known institute sponsored unanimously or individually by Arab countries for teaching Arabic Language and transferring the message of Arabic World through as the strenuous efforts being done by those who in charge of Goethe Institute?

These propping questions are endless. So, two factors play a role to think them over all the time. First, my experience at this institute where I’ve seen how are Germans and French on other hand applying their professional mechanism, which they attract learners at local community who sometimes drive for long distances carrying the burden of unbearable Israeli roadblocks to reach Ramallah from other cities including the surrounding rural areas in order to learn either language (French or German). Needless to highlight the reasons why those foreign languages learners within Palestinian society dart into Goethe Institute seeking out linguistic proficiency, because they are quite clear like sophistication, richness, stability in many fields and so on and so forth in either country.

I incredibly feel that it’s admirable how French and Germans working for keeping their culture viable in different parts of this world. I however, feel indignant toward an incomparable case between a successful linguistic and cultural story of Germany-France and distressing story of Arabic language that was experienced during my BA degree which I dived into a deep ocean of knowledge that inheritably delivered generation by generation, especially its wonderful literature by which I tasted my own heritage, identity, and cultural character. It’s really magnificent when you explore the Arabic language through profusely written by great and gifted authors and poets, through their productions we enjoy that taste. Those pioneers helped in accentuating the Arabic cultural character over the past two centuries passing through Ottoman Empire.  

As far back as 19^th and the first half of 20^th centuries, for instance, we can touch upon Arab authoring movement, it reached peak with the Awakening Movement “Al-Nahda,” Arabic word for “renaissance,” was a cultural renaissance set off on an intellectual journey in late 19^th and early 20^th centuries in Egypt, then later reached out many Ottoman Arabic-speaking regions including Syria, Lebanon, Iraq …etc. It was known as Arabic intellectual modernization movement aimed at strengthening the Arabic culture and identity.

There were many outstanding Arab intellectuals who contributed to and left their fingerprints like Rifa’a al-Tahtawi, (1801-1873) an Egyptian scholar is widely seen as the pioneering figure of the al-Nahda, was sent to Paris in 1826 by Mohammad Ali’s government to study western sciences and educational methods. Butrus Al-Bustani, (1819-1893) a Lebanese polyglot, educator, and activist left a big impact on authoring movement.  Hayreddin Pasha al-Tunsi, (1820-890) was brought into contact with the Western ideals, as well as with the Tanzimat reforms of the Ottoman Empire. As well as, the remarkable impact was carved out by Jamal Al-Din Al-Afghani, (1839-1897), kept up with modernism to modernize Islamic interpretation during his anti-colonial and radical dogmatic plans.

In addition to some minor initiatives incepted throughout the first half of 20^th century came as a reaction to the obliteration strategies to Arabic culture during colonization era in the Arab World.

Later on, exactly since the beginning of Cold War till this time, Arabic intellectual movement hasn’t produced much. Moreover, other than aforementioned pioneers including the ones who appeared after WWII, the Arab World hasn’t known new intellectuals carrying the message of Arab World through this language on their shoulders. It’s probably attributable to obstructive and contemporary issues that have our countries been suffering from passing through colonization era of the 20^th century to this revolutionary time that characterized by modern painstaking reformations Arab peoples are bravely making in order to change the general democratic situation. New rulers and new titles have been showing up since the “Al-Jasmine” revolution occurred in Tunisia  in 2010, was the kick-start of series of “Arab Spring” revolutions aimed at overthrowing totalitarian regimes with their anachronistic political dogmas, this is what have led millions of people till this day to dart onto streets for a new life.  The ongoing Syrian bloody civil war is an exclusive example.

Consequently, Arabic language is a dysfunctional method can’t be acting at international arena to represent an old history full of values as long as there are no zealous patriots work for, either the Arab leaderships have been uninterested in setting up projects for supporting Arabic language as Germans do through Goethe Institute, or Arabs themselves are careless to maintain this valuable culture. And, of course, there are impediments hold them back, but nothing impossible at the end. Because I don’t think that Japan and Germany the countries that have a groundbreaking background of development didn’t exert too much to reach this result after were totally ruined. It’s a matter of perseverance.

“Since history reveals that Arabic was a language of universal civilization and that it displayed its ability to meet the scientific and cultural requirements of the past, we should prove today that it is still able to create new concepts for all arts,” stated Dr. Mustapha Benkharefa, Theory and practice in language studies, 2013.

It’s not the end; Arabic was praised by great leaders. For instance, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy called Arabic “the language of the future, of science and of modernity,” and expressed that, “we must invest in the Arabic language to teach it symbolizes a moment of exchange, of openness and of tolerance, and it brings with it one of the oldest and most prestigious civilizations of the world. It is in France that we have the greatest number of Arabic and Muslim origin. Islam is the second religion of France.”

Obviously, and based on his statement, there is nothing clamps down on learning or spreading Arabic in the West, though Arabic was included among its working languages by the UN general Assembly in 1973. It indicates that Arabic hasn’t been that significantly required for the purpose of understanding the Arab World. Therefore, France is a receptive environment calls for diversity; why not there are no concerted efforts to install the pillars of understanding and rent some nice offices abroad for teaching Arabic sponsored formally by Arab diplomatic channels in other countries as well. Maybe it’s a figment of imagination at the moment due to some reasons, like our Arab World isn’t interesting and attractive for outside peoples to visit and explore, or the ongoing crises where no safety, the issue of Islam that recently has been the top of talks at media given to the heinous crimes are committed by irresponsible extremist groups like notorious group so-called (ISIS)… etc. Not to mention, there are vilification campaigns that portray Arabs and Muslims negatively abroad which enhances misconception within Western communities.

I assert that these reasons are enough to sever the cultural ties with the Arab World that considered a strong receiver to foreign cultures. But doesn’t mean to stay idle doing nothing, Arab foreign channels must take it considerably.

As Prof. Abdullah Muhareb said, “The situation of Arabic is an issue of great concern for us,” and continued, “Promoting Arabic and developing and upgrading education in Arabic is very important but this needs huge investments. We have good ideas, initiatives, and proposals but we don’t have the money. The Arab States have it and they have to play their role to protect and expand Arabic.”

Yes, indeed, Arab countries have a huge amount of money to set up such a project.

In conclusion, I have no doubt that my readers will criticize that my article has many unanswered questions that supposedly this article refers to. I reply, this article comes to lamentably express my feeling toward our valuable language that represents our civilization and identity, but sadly it’s marginalized doesn’t have a strong attention in order to keep our heritage off negligence and lose. Thus, I used this random way to show the nature of reckless eagerness of exploring other cultures but addressing the issue of Arabic puts me into a position to be responsibility for doing something, though I admittedly don’t have that power to do something. I only own my pen and this paper to express my modest words. It’s therefore, a mixed feeling of happiness toward a third language I’m learning nowadays at an institute represents an insurmountable cultural platform was built by patriots who realize its value for them to be as such for their posterity as well.

Watching what’s going on inside Goethe Institute and reading whatever refers to, made me somewhat jealous to end up wondering about the aforementioned questions. Because I totally know what does the old history of Arabic language and literary production was made by those who spent their life to transfer it to the next generations.

I finally recommend that whoever interested to keep working hardly by any available means in order to keep this heritage viable which I humbly express my appeal to Arab countries also putting this important matter into considerations in their diplomatic relations abroad.