Ali Abdullatif Ahmida

ahmida
Professor, Chair
Department of Political Science
(207)283-0170 extension 2804
Fax: (207)282-6379
Email: aahmida@une.edu

Fields of Study
Political theory, comparative politics, historical sociology. Focus on third world politics (Middle East and Africa)

Languages

Fluent in English, Arabic, Italian and French (reading).

Education

  University of Washington, Seattle, Ph.D., Political Science, 1990.
   
  University of Washington, Seattle, M.A. (Distinction), Political Science, 1982.
   
  Cairo University, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo, Egypt, Political Science, B.A., 1976.

Teaching and Research

  Professor of Political Science, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, 2003
   
  Founder and Chair, Department of Political Science, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, 2002 - present.
   
  Associate Professor of Political Science, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, 1997 - 2002.
   
  Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, 1994-1997. Roots of Modern Culture, American Politics, State-Society Relations in The Third World, Modern Political Theory: Nationalism. Politics and Culture, The Politics of Power, Comparative Revolutions: Iran, Nicaragua and South Africa, Vietnam War, The 1996 American Elections, Egypt Through the Eyes of Mahfouz.
   
  Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington, 1991-94. Introduction to Comparative Politics, Revolution in the Third World, Middle East Politics, American Foreign Policy, The Middle East and North Africa through Films, Ancient and Medieval Political Theory, American Political Thought, Political Thinking, Contemporary Political Theory.
   
  Visiting Assistant Professor of Government, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, 1990-91. Introduction to International Politics, Introduction to African Politics, Middle East Politics, North Africa through films.
   
  Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Summer 1988 & 1989, Introduction to Comparative Politics, and winter and spring 1990, Comparative Politics in the Middle East and North Africa, the Arab Israeli Conflict.
   
  Teacher Assistant, Department of Political Science, University of Washington, Seattle, 1982-1986. Introduction to Politics, Political Theory, International Relations.
   
  Teacher Assistant, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, 1982-1989.
States and Capitalism, The Origins of the Global System, State and Society in the Third World.

Publications/Books

Editor. Beyond Colonialism and Nationalism in North Africa: History, Culture and Politics. New York: Palgrave Press, (October, 2000).

The Making of Modern Libya: State Formation, Colonization, and Resistance 1830-1932. State University of New York Press, January, 1994. (An Arabic translation was published by the Center for Arab Unity Studies, Beirut, Lebanon, January, 1995, second edition,2000).

Forgotten Voices: Power and Agency in Colonial and Postcolonial Libya,  Routledge press, 2005.  It is being translated to Italian and Arabic languages and expected to be published in 2007.

Publications/Articles

"Class and State-Formation in Colonial Libya" (Forthcoming, in Mia Fullar, ed., Italian Colonialism, 2003)

“Al-Dawla Wa al-Majtama Fi al-Qurn al-Tasi Ashar: Al-Usul, al-Tahawulat, wa al-Iqtisadiyyat al-Jihawiyya,” {State and Society Relations in 19th Century Libya: Origins, Transformation and Regional Economies} (Forthcoming, in Libyan Society: 1835-1950, Libyan Studies Center, Tripoli, 2003)

"The Libyan Jamahiriyya: Historical and Social Origins of a Populist State," In Ahmed I. Samatar and Abdi I. Samatar eds. The State in Africa Reilluminations (Heineman, 2002).

"Interest Groups in the Middle East And North Africa," (Forthcoming, in Clive S. Thomas, ed. Handbook of Political Science Literature and Research on Interest Groups, Greenwood Press, 2003).

"The Libyan Revolution," in Jack A. Goldstone. edt. Encyclopedia of Political Revolutions, Washington D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc., 1998.

Guest Editor, "Beyond Colonialism and Nationalism in North Africa," Arab Studies Quarterly, (Spring, 1998).

"Inventing or Recovering Civil society in the Middle East," Critique, (Spring, 1997).

"Colonialism, State Formation and Civil Society in North Africa: Theoretical and Analytical Problems," International Journal of Islamic and Arabic Studies, XI:I (1994).

"Al-Atraf, al-Musta’marat, wa Jadaliyat al Indimaj fi al Nizam al-Ra’ismali al-’Alami" {Peripheries, Colonies and the process of Incorporation in the World System,} Arab Journal of International Studies, (Fall, 1995).

Guest Editor, "Nazariyat al’Alaqat al-Dawliyya al-’Amriqiyya wa mantaqat al-Sharq al-’Awsat", (American Theories of International Relations and the Middle East), Arab Journal of International Studies, (Fall 1995).

"Explaining Islam, the State and Modernity," Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, 20:1(1994).

"Al-Isti’mar wa Takwin al -Dawla al’Arabiyya," (Colonialism and the Formation of the Arab State), Journal of Historical Research, 14:2 (1992).

"Al Dawlah wa al-Tahawilat al-Ijtimahiya fi Tunis Wa Libya", (The State and Social Transformation in Tunisia and Libya, 1830-1932), Arab Future, (October, 1991).

Publications/Reviews

Review of Amal Obeidi, Political Culture in Libya, International Journal of Middle East Studies, (Winter, 2004).

Review of Dirk Vandewalle, Libya Since Independence: Oil and State-Building, American Political Science Review, 95:3, (Fall, 2001).

Review of Ralph Coury, The Making of an Arab Nationalist: The Early Years of Azzam Pasha, 1893-1936, Reading, UK: Ithaca Press, 1998, International Journal of Middle East Studies (Fall, 2001).

Review of Patricia M.E. Lorcin, Imperial Identities: Stereotyping, Prejudice and Race in Colonial Algeria, London: I.B. Tauris, 1999, Bulletin of The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, 2:2 (Fall, 2000).

Review of Derek Vandewalle, edt. North Africa: Development and Reform in a Changing Global Economy, New York: St.Martin’s Press, 1996, Middle East Studies Association Bulletin ,33 (1999).

Review of Derek Vandewalle, edt. Qadhafi’s Libya New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995, Middle East Studies Association Bulletin , 32 (1998).

Review of Jay Spaulding and Lidwien Kapteijns, "An Islamic Alliance, Ali Dinar And The Sanussiya, 1906-1916", International Journal of Middle East Studies, ( Winter 1998).

Review of Scott L. Bills, "The Libyan Arena, The United States, And The Council of Foreign Ministers, 1945-1948," International Journal of African Historical Studies, 31:1 (1998).

Review of Bassam Tibi,"Islam and the Cultural Accommodation of Change," Ozay Mehmet " Islamic Identity and Development," and Nazih Ayubi "Political Islam," Humboldt Journal of Social Relations 20:1 (October 1994).

Review of Aijaz Ahmad, "In Theory: Classes, Nations and Literatures," Philosophy and Literature 18:1 (April 1994).

Review of Bruce St. John, "Historical Dictionary of Libya," International Journal of Islamic and Arabic Studies, IX:2 (1992).

Review of Lisa Anderson, "States and Social Transformation in Tunisia and Libya, 1830-1980," Arab Journal of International Studies 2 (1988).

Op-Ed

"The Myth of Benign Italian Fascism," San Francisco Examiner, 7/10/94.

Translation

From Arabic to English with Allen Hibbard, "The Chairs" by Ibrahim al-Kuni, Suitcase 3:1:2 (1998).

From English to Arabic, The Making of Modern Libya (Beirut, Lebanon, 1995).

Work in Progress

"Forgotten Voices: Power and Agency in Colonial and Postcolonial Libya" Routledge Press, (Forthcoming, 2005).

"Post-Orientalism: Critical Reviews" Or Du Tembs Press, Tunisia (Forthcoming, 2005).

"The Political Economy of Nationalism in North Africa, 1789-1956"

Papers and Professional Activities

Coordinator for Featherman Humanities Lectures, click here for more information.

"Beyond Colonial and Nationalist Categories: A History of the Name Maghrib/North Africa" A paper presented to the "Seminar Series: Mapping North Africa" Middle East Center and African Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, September 23, 2003.

"The Discovery of the State of Awlad Muhammad in Fezzan: Sources, Origins, and Ideology" A paper prepared for delivery in a conference on The Maghrib and Bilad al-Sudan, Vassor College, NY, November 7, 2002.

"Researching State-Society in Libya 1943-1951: Sources and Problems, Libyan Studies Center, Tripoli, Libya, June 2002.

"Engaging Modernity: Two Arab Intellectuals from North Africa." Paper delivered at "Arab Modernities Conference," University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada, May 2002.

"The Use and Abuse of the Concept of Civil Society in North Africa." Paper delivered at Annual Conference of the Association of Arab Americans, Beirut, Lebanon, 2000.

"Theorizing the Jamahiriyya State in Libya." Paper delivered at 42nd African Studies Association, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1999.

"The Libyan Jamahiriyya: Historical and Social Origins of a Populist State." Paper delivered at a conference on Recasting the African State, South Africa Council of Social Sciences, Pretoria, South Africa,1999.

"Rethinking Middle Eastern Politics: the view from the Periphery." Paper delivered at the 30th Middle East Studies Association, Providence, RI, 1996.

"For God, Homeland and Clan: the Politics of the Libyan Anti-Colonial Resistance 1911- 1932, 1996." Maghreb Review, conference on Tribe and State in the Maghreb, University of London, 1996.

"State- and War-Making in North Africa: the cases of Morocco and Libya." Paper delivered at the 29th Middle East Studies Association, Washington, DC, 1995.

"Identity, Cultural Encounter, and Alienation in Ahmad Faqih's Trilogy." Paper delivered at the 28th Middle East Studies Association , Phoenix, Arizona, 1994."

"Literature as a Source for Teaching Middle Eastern Politics: Mahfouz, Khalifah, Al-Kuni, and Al- Shaykh." Paper delivered at Regional Middle East Seminar, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 1994.

"Nationalism and Modern Themes in Arab Cinema." Paper delivered at Middle Eastern andNorth African Cultural Festival, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 1994.

"State Formation, Colonialism, and Resistance." Paper delivered at Middle Eastern and North African Cultural Festival, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 1994.

"Peripheries, Colonies and the Process of Incorporation in the World System." Paper delivered at 27th Middle East Studies Association, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 1993.

"Teaching the Middle East Away from the Mainstream: the Middle East Through Novels and Films." Paper delivered at the Northwest Regional Middle East Seminar, Portland, Oregon, 1993.

"The Palestinian Question in Libyan Politics." Paper delivered at the 25th annual meeting of the Arab-American University Graduates, Washington, D.C., 1992.

"Libyan Responses to Italian Colonialism: the Politics of Collaboration and Resistance, (1911- 1943)." Paper delivered at the 26th Middle East Studies Association, Portland, Oregon, 1992.

Panelist on a Round Table, Regional Perspectives on Third World Political Economy, Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, CA, 1992.

"A Non Nation-State State Formation: The Case of the Sanusiyya, 1895-1932." Paper delivered at the Western Political Science Association, Seattle, WA, 1991.

"Regionalism and State Formation in Nineteenth Century Libya: A Reassessment." Paper delivered at 22nd Middle East Studies Association, Los Angeles, CA, 1988.

Panel Discussant, Political Development in Africa. 44th Pacific Northwest Political Science Association, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR, 1988.

Courses Taught

Religion and Politics
Globalization: Origins, Culture, and Politics
European Fascism
Political Science as a Social Science
Human Traditions
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Introduction to International Relations
Revolution and Counter-revolution in the Third World
Comparative Social Revolutions: Iran, Nicaragua, South Africa
Politics in the Middle East and North Africa
North African Politics
Introduction to African Politics
The Middle East and Africa Through Novels and Films
Ancient and Medieval Political Theory
American Political Theory
Introduction to Political Thinking
Roots of the Contemporary World (UNE Core Course I&II)
Nationalism
Politics and Culture
Vietnam War through Films
The 1996 American Elections
Egypt Through the Eyes of Mahfouz
State and Society Relations in North Africa

Dissertation

Dissertation Title: "For God, Homeland, and Clan: Regional and Social Origins of Collaboration and Anti-Colonial Resistance, Libya 1830-1932."

Selected Awards/Grants

Awarded the Kenneally Cup for distinguished academic service, University of New England, 2003.

Awarded Outstanding Achievement in Faculty Research and Scholarship, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New England, 2002.

Nominated and voted by University of New England as a finalist for Teacher of the Year Award, 1997, 2000 and 2002.

Voted by UNE students as Faculty Community Builder of the Year, 2001.

Chair of the International Conference "The Arabs and America at the Turn of the 21st Century," The Association of Arab American University Graduates, Beirut, Lebanon, June, 2000.

Awarded The American Institute For Maghrib Studies Grant, Summer 1997, (Declined).

Awarded Social Science Research Council Grant, Summer 1997.

Middle East Studies Association, A finalist for the Albert Hourani's Award for the best scholarly book on the Middle East for 1994, (The Making of Modern Libya).

Middle East Report, Philip Shahadi's Yearly Award for the Best Essay by a Young Scholar, 1993, "Colonial Libya: Recovering History from Below, 1830-1943. "

University of Washington, Seattle, Graduate School Dissertation scholarship, 1987.

University of Sabha-Libya, graduate study scholarship, 1979.

Libyan Ministry of Education Scholarship Award to study political science at Cairo University, 1972.


Membership in Professional Associations

  • American Political Science Association
  • Middle East Studies Association of North America
  • Arab-American University Graduates Association
  • American Institute for Maghrib Studies
  • African Studies Association
  • Saharan Studies Association
  • An elected member of the 1999 board of directors of the Association of Arab-Americans University Graduates, (1999-2001).
  • A member of the Editorial Board of the journal The Human Factor, (1999 - present).
  • A member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Arab Studies (1993 - 98).

Field Study

Egypt, Libya, 2000
Tunisia, Egypt, 1997
Libya, Egypt, 1992,1995
Italy, Libya, 1985

Public Lectures and Interviews

"The Politics of Identity and Alienation in North Africa" Arab Festival, Arab-American Cultural Center of Washington, Seattle, WA, October 19, 2003.

"Researching State-Society Relations in Libya During the 1940's: Sources and Problems" Center for Libyan Studies, Tripoli, Libya, June, 2002.

"Libya: A Terrorist or Revolutionary State?" UNE Faculty Colloquium, Biddeford, ME, April, 2001.

"The Sahara as a Contexted Space," African Studies Distinguished Lecture Series, 1999 - 2000, Africa at the End of the Millennium, Center for International Studies, Washington University and University of Missouri - St. Louis, October 2000.

"Theories and Models of Citizenship", University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, May 1999.

"Colonialism and its impact on Racism Today" University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, February, 1999.

"Colonialism and State Formation in North Africa in Comparative Perspective," University of Tunis, Summer, 1997.

"Teaching Exploration Courses at University of New England," Faculty Development, UNE, Biddeford, ME, Spring, 1997.

"Teaching Roots of Contemporary Cultures at University of New England," Faculty Development, UNE, Biddeford, ME, Spring 1996.

"The Crisis of Governance in North Africa," Presentation, 28th annual meeting of the Association of Arab-American University Graduates, Washington, DC, 1995.

"The Politics of Islamic Fundamentalism," Faculty Forum, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington, December 5, 1993.

"American Libyan Relations," Voice of America Radio, Washington, D.C. February 5, 1993.

"An Islamic State? Reflections on the Crisis of the Nationalist State in Algeria," Faculty Forum, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, June 20, 1992.

"Culture, Resistance, and the Recovery of History," Faculty Cultural Legacy group, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, June 4, 1991.

"The Aftermath of the Gulf War: What is Next?" Canton Presbyterian Church, Canton, NY, April 5, 1991.

"Chances for Peace in the Aftermath of the Gulf War," North County Public Radio, Canton, NY, March 20, 1991.

"The Making of the Gulf Crisis," Brown University, Providence, RI, March 4, 1991.

"Alternative State Formation: The Case of the Sanusiyya [North Africa]," Southwest Asia/North Africa Program, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, January 31, 1991.

"The Origins of the Gulf Crisis," North Country Public Radio, Canton, NY, January 30, 1991.
    
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