Research

The Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR) supports research by students and faculty members on topics related to the center’s objectives and interests. Through the efforts of both faculty members and students, CASAR promotes and disseminates research on matters of national, regional and international concern.

    • How Stable is Egypt? by Magda Shahin.

    To read this paper, click here.

    •  Notions of Nationalism, Public Spaces and Women in Egypt, Contemplating Between Constitutions After 2011 by Magda Shahin and Yasmeen El-Ghazaly

    To read this paper, click here.

    • The Importance of Egypt to U.S. Regional Policy by Magda Shahin

    To read this paper, click here.

    • A Tale of Two Americas by Erin Mitchell

    First Prize winner for the CASAR Call for Papers Award 2016-2017
    To read this paper, click here.

    • University in Limbo: the Case of the American University in Cairo by Aseel Osman

    Second Prize winner for the CASAR Call for Papers Award 2016-2017.
    To read this paper, click here.

    • From Existing to Resisting: Re-writing the negative stereotypes of Arab women in Mohja Kahf's "Toward des Odalesque at the Matisse Retrospective" by Nada El Beshlawy

    Third Prize winner for the CASAR Call for Papers Award 2016-2017.
    To read this paper, click here.

    • Pathways For Peace & Stability in Yemen by Shoqi Maktary and Katie Smith

    Within the framework of CASAR's roundtable discussion - held on April 24, 2017 - in regard to the intriguing situation in Yemen and whether a coherent policy is still possible, CASAR is uploading this recent document prepared jointly by Shoqi Maktary and Katie Smith (2017).

    Rather than digging deep in the reasons for the war that has been plaguing Yemen for more than two years, and in looking for potential and practical solutions, the document reflects on the possible entry points for peacebuilding in Yemen. 

  • 1) Islam and the West, Global Challenges, Concerted Responses by Reda Shehata, 

    This research paper written by Ambassador Reda Shehata (adjunct professor at the Prince Alwaleed Center for American Studies and Research) sums up the sources he so vividly and devotedly discussed with AUC undergraduates following CASAR’s course titled, Dialogue of Civilization: East West Encounter (AMST 2096-01). As a professor he felt the desire to share with CASAR’s community, his enthusiasm to debate with students on a diverse list of readings that address, in a substantive and objective manner, the many challenges we face today in regards to the rise of Xenophobia, Islamophobia,  anti-Americanism and anti-Western sentiment. This paper acknowledges the essence of unity to defeat extremism, the need to understand and respect different cultures, and sees no replacement to a constructive and civilized dialogue as the only way out to tackle today’s challenges of terrorism and political Islam.
    To read this paper, click here.

    2) To read samples of research papers written by American Studies undergraduate students:

    • Western Induced Islamism: From Radicalism to Extremism, click here.
    • Art in the Arab Spring, click here.
    • CASAR hosted the Graduate Studies Transnational American Studies Seminar at Ain Shams University on March  23, 2015. Here is the call for the participation announcement for this workshop titled Reflections on Race in America. For a detailed report, click here.
    • CASAR  hosted a three-day retreat at the Mövenpick Resort in Ain Sokhna titled The American Century in Retrospect: Rethinking US-Middle East Relations on April 23 - 25, 2015. Read the papers presented here.
    • CASAR also hosted a roundtable discussion titled Egypt-U.S. Relations in a New Era: Future Prospects on May 7 - 8, 2014 at the Cairo Marriott Hotel. 
    • Read our call for participation for the first and second annual Graduate Student Workshop in Transnational American Studies for 2013 - 2014 and 2014 - 2015.
      Click here for the announcement for the first workshop in Fall 2013 - Spring 2014.
    • Click here to view the conference program after the 2013 - 2014 workshop concluded, and here to read the full report covering this event.
    • After the 2013 - 2014 workshop concluded, CASAR was represented at the American Studies Association (ASA) Annual Conference in November 2014 in Los Angeles, CA, USA. 
    • Furthermore, CASAR hosted a symposium titled Egypt-U.S. Relations in a New Era: Challenges and Possibilities on June 23, 2013, at the Cairo Marriott Hotel.