The Doha Experiment: Arab Kingdom, Catholic College, Jewish Teacher by Gary Wasserman with foreword by Dick Durbin is a fascinating and illuminating look at the front lines where Arab and American cultures confront each other, written by a professor of American politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Doha, Qatar for eight years. Wasserman’s decision to head to Qatar to teach at Georgetown sounds questionable, at best. Written with a sharp sense of humor, The Doha Experiment argues that Americans need to go beyond a ‘clash of civilizations’ to the story of a welcomed and largely successful American involvement in the Arab Gulf. Most importantly, his experiences counter the despair many Americans feel toward the Middle East. Georgetown joined a significant, largely successful yet little-understood movement to introduce liberal values into traditional societies. The Doha Experiment offers a clear-eyed view of where the region is going, how Western universities can positively influence that direction, and why Americans need to understand this vital overseas challenge.
www.garywasserman.net