<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;
panose-1:2 11 0 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Helvetica Neue";
panose-1:2 0 5 3 0 0 0 2 0 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
h2
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2 Char";
margin:0in;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
font-weight:bold;}
h3
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 3 Char";
margin:0in;
font-size:13.5pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
font-weight:bold;}
h4
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 4 Char";
margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.Heading2Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2";
font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif;
color:#0F4761;}
span.Heading3Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 3 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 3";
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
color:#0F4761;}
span.Heading4Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 4 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 4";
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
color:#0F4761;
font-style:italic;}
span.applelinksdark1
{mso-style-name:applelinksdark1;
color:#3F4443;}
p.last-child1, li.last-child1, div.last-child1
{mso-style-name:last-child1;
margin:0in;
text-align:center;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Helvetica Neue";
color:black;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}
/* Page Definitions */
@page
{mso-endnote-separator:url("cid:header.htm\@01DC6912.0AEE4EF0") es;
mso-endnote-continuation-separator:url("cid:header.htm\@01DC6912.0AEE4EF0") ecs;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-footer:url("cid:header.htm\@01DC6912.0AEE4EF0") f1;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="2050" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="2" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body bgcolor="#F4F4F4" lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<div id="mail-editor-reference-message-container">
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="1" height="1" style="width:.0104in;height:.0104in" id="_x0000_i1039" src="https://osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/open.php?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=3e64b99ddf&e=6b437f4be7"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:#F4F4F4;border-collapse:collapse" id="bodyTable">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse" id="root">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="mceColumnId--4"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:495.0pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="mceColumnId--5">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="b18">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:495.0pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="mceColumnId--6">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="b17">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:.75pt"><span style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3F4443">Middle East Studies Center at The Ohio State University: Update on Our Middle East Studies Community
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:#EFF1F2;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#999999"><img width="231" height="33" style="width:2.4062in;height:.3437in" id="_x0000_i1038" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/logo-OhioState-horiz@2x.png" alt="The Ohio State University logo"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:22.5pt 0in 7.5pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:11.25pt 0in 11.25pt 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F">MIDDLE EAST STUDIES CENTER<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 18.75pt 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.0pt"><span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3F4443">December 9, 2025 Update<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:11.25pt 11.25pt 7.5pt 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:300.0pt">
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:300.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:15.0pt">
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=47f300af7e&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQMZuzE9W$" target="_blank"><span style="color:white;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="600" height="400" style="width:6.25in;height:4.1666in" id="_x0000_i1037" src="https://mesc.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2025-12/2025_oia_Holiday%20Card%20MESC_1202.jpg" alt="image"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:28.5pt"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Wrapping Up the Semester<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:50px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="max-width:37.5pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid #BA0C2F 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Welcome to the December 2025 issue of the Middle East Studies Center (MESC) newsletter. We hope everyone enjoys a restorative winter break, happy holidays, and
meaningful time with friends and family. Before we close out the semester, we wanted to wish you a happy holiday and share recent highlights from our projects and programs before closing the year. We will will also give you a preview of upcoming opportunities
in Spring semester, 2026. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:15.0pt 0in 22.5pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="200" style="width:150.0pt;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:37.5pt">
<td style="background:#BA0C2F;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:37.5pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=84155720ed&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQBtgjN9W$" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">Learn
More About Our Community</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:28.5pt"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Recent Events and Announcements<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:50px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="max-width:37.5pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid #BA0C2F 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<h3 style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Courses Next Semester<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Courses being offered next semester related to the Middle East and surrounding regions span a wide range of disciplines. Language, history, the arts, political
science, sociology, and other departments offer courses on all eras. You can learn from what was left on tomb walls, written in medieval manuscripts or through the novels and movies people are consuming today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Many of these classes fulfill core general education requirements or offer progress on curricular pathways like the Intercultural Competence of Civil Discourse
certificates<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">For more information and a full list of upcoming classes, please browse the course list at
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=cf0361f759&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQBg6rv7q$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">mesc.osu.edu/courses</span></strong></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Outreach to Kettering High School<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">This October, the MESC continued its commitment to public outreach with two classroom presentations at Kettering Fairmont High School. At the invitation of Jennifer
Richardson, MTSS Coordinator and social science teacher, Ohio State graduate student Tomas Mora visited two sections of an IB-aligned global politics course to speak on "American Soft Power in the Middle East: A Discussion on Theory and Practice."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Drawing directly on the class curriculum, Mora opened with core international relations concepts, including competing definitions of power, structural realism
and its limits, and Joseph Nye's idea of soft power. Students examined how power can operate through coercion, agenda setting, and the shaping of interests, and considered how culture, political values, and foreign policy contribute to a state's influence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">The second half of the session put these theories to work in a case study on U.S.-Iran relations and the Iranian nuclear program. Mora walked students through
the evolution of negotiations and policy choices across several U.S. administrations, highlighting how different combinations of "hard", "soft", and "smart" power affected American credibility and regional dynamics. Students raised questions about how current
U.S. posture in the Middle East, the security dilemma, and how misperceptions can inflame conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">According to Mora, students were highly engaged, asked careful and well-prepared questions, and even approached him after class to continue the conversation. Richardson
expressed appreciation for the Middle East Studies Center's role in connecting classroom theory to real-world policy debates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">This visit is one example of how the Middle East Studies Center brings university expertise to K-12 classrooms and other community venues. Through guest lecture,
workshops, and collaborative projects, MESC helps students and the broader public see the Middle East not as an abstract topic, but as a complex region whose politics, societies, and cultures shape the world they inhabit every day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Are you a faculty member or advanced graduate student who would like to contribute to our work? Please let us know at
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=b21c8a5b53&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQD81Roif$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">mesc.osu.edu/contact</span></strong></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Job Openings, Fellowships, and Graduate Position Openings<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">The MESC has recently received information regarding academic, higher education administration, government, think tank, and non-profit jobs. These jobs span across
all fields and experience levels, so we encourage you to pass this information around to those who may be interested. A full list of jobs can be seen on our website at
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=7232b42653&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQIVpDkaa$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">mesc.osu.edu/jobs</span></strong></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:15.0pt 0in 22.5pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="200" style="width:150.0pt;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:37.5pt">
<td style="background:#BA0C2F;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:37.5pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=6341d30663&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQD-NKhSL$" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">MESC
Website</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:11.25pt 11.25pt 7.5pt 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:300.0pt">
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:300.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:15.0pt">
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=f2dad83844&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQClp0Qoa$" target="_blank"><span style="color:white;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="600" height="400" style="width:6.25in;height:4.1666in" id="_x0000_i1036" src="https://mesc.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2025-01/IMG_1372.jpeg" alt="image"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:28.5pt"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:50px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="max-width:37.5pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid #BA0C2F 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">During the fall semester we continued to expand upon our
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=cc0506a5db&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQEG-wFF5$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture</span></strong></a> project through community outreach and the creation of educational materials. This project is aimed to promote food sovereignty
by connecting Middle Eastern culinary traditions with the local Columbus community. Food sovereignty is the idea that people should have access to healthy, culturally meaningful food and a voice in how their food systems are shaped. Through this project, we
highlight the importance of Middle Eastern plants and foodways, while also supporting local, sustainable farming and cultural exchange here in Ohio.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Our team continued developing youth engagement, giving young people hands-on experiences that connect farming, cultural heritage, and community action. As we continued
our work with All THAT - Teens Hopeful About Tomorrow to connect Columbus youth with Middle Eastern foodways. This included a cooking demo on Lebanese Okra Stew, where the kids learned about the cultural relevance of okra in Middle Eastern and West African
cooking. We also explored Egyptian foodways through traditions of feasting and fasting and tasted some of the most significant Egyptian foods including fresh figs, Basterma, and sesame candies. These activities directly support our mission to connect youth
with food sovereignty, culture, and agriculture to offer increased awareness of Middle Eastern and North African agricultural and culinary heritage, offer youth positive, hands-on learning experiences, build relationships with local educators, and facilitate
intercultural learning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">On September 12th, we explored the Legacy of Winemaking in the Middle East with Dr. Barb Petzen as part of our Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture: Food Sovereignty
Project. Dr. Petzen illustrated how ancient vineyards functioned as proto-industrial complexes, complete with presses, vats, and amphorae designed for large-scale production and long-distance Mediterranean trade. She also highlighted the diverse ways Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam have historically engaged with wine, and how class shaped access and consumption. The presentation concluded with a look at how climate shifts and regional politics have continually influenced winemaking, a dynamic that still shapes
foodways today. Conversations like this deepen our understanding of Middle Eastern history and culture while showing how traditional agricultural practices remain relevant in modern food sovereignty efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">We also continued to attend local farmers markets to engage the public in conversations surrounding Middle Eastern foodways, important culinary crops, and culturally-rooted
farming practices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Through our "From Soil to Souq: Middle Eastern Foodways" working sessions, we were able to connect with local business leaders, restaurant owners, cultural organizations,
local farmers, and education professionals to cultivate a plan for expanding this project and making wider impacts in our community. If you would like to join in the effort, please reach out to us through our website at
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=8b13558438&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQFsIhQ2c$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">mesc.osu.edu/contact</span></strong></a>, as we would love for you to join us!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">We have also begun working on a manuscript about the Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture project for a publication in Frontiers Sustainable Food Systems. This is in
progress as a collaboration between the MESC's Dr. Joy McCorriston and Dr. Melinda McClimans, along with Brandy Ellen and Dr. Mark Anthony Arceno from Ohio State's Department of Comparative Studies. The article highlights the Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture's
youth-centered programming, foodways education, and the project's connections to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">These developments reflect a significant moment of growth for the Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture Project, made possible through generous support as we expand
our partnerships and community engagement. We are very thankful for our co-sponsors, especially the Office of Outreach and Engagement at Ohio State, as well as the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, the Department of Anthropology, the Department of History,
the Department of Comparative Studies, and the Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures, whose support has made this project possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:15.0pt 0in 22.5pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="200" style="width:150.0pt;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:37.5pt">
<td style="background:#BA0C2F;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:37.5pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=153ae6b17d&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQDnG8Wq6$" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">Learn
More About Seeds of Middle Eastern Culture</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:28.5pt"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Upcoming Events<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:50px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="max-width:37.5pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid #BA0C2F 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:11.25pt 11.25pt 11.25pt 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;float:left">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" width="288" style="width:3.0in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:0%"><span style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=c582edee5f&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQDkZWv4r$" target="_blank"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="285" height="190" style="width:2.9687in;height:1.9791in" id="_x0000_i1035" src="https://mesc.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2024-11/pexels-naimbic-1618898.jpg" alt="image"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right" width="288" style="width:3.0in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:21.0pt"><span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">"Read and Feed"<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<h2 style="line-height:15.0pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">This Thursday from 12:00 to 2:00 pm in Hagerty Hall<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Join us this Thursday December 11th between 12:00 and 2:00 pm for "Read and Feed", just outside of Crane Cafe in Hagerty Hall. Lavash will be serving lunch, so
be sure to grab a plate while you're there! This is a great way to take a break from studying for finals, or just to catch up with friends and colleagues. This event is open to both students and faculty, so we would love to see everyone there in support!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:11.25pt 11.25pt 11.25pt 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;float:left">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" width="288" style="width:3.0in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:0%"><span style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=7c37aa6a34&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQHFvLzR9$" target="_blank"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" height="190" style="height:1.9791in" id="_x0000_i1034" src="https://mesc.osu.edu/sites/default/files/styles/news_and_events_image/public/2025-12/CHR-Feb-23-web-icon.jpg?h=252f27fa&itok=sfHHWvQO%20width=" alt="image"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right" width="288" style="width:3.0in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:21.0pt"><span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">How Persian Slaves Freed Themselves in Nineteenth Century Central Asia<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<h2 style="line-height:15.0pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">February 23, 2026 at 3:30 pm<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:15.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=a2cfc841de&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQAY1VJu-$"><strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">Learn
more</span></strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:#BA0C2F"> </span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">On February 23rd at 3:30 pm The Ohio State University's Department of History is hosting a panel discussion with Jeff Eden and Sun Joo Kim to explore how enslaved
individuals in nineteenth century Asia and early modern Korea resisted their bondage and reshaped trajectories of slavery in their regions<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Jeff Eden is an Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University and he will be giving a presentation on 'How Persian Slaves Freed Themselves in Nineteenth
Century Central Asia'. In his presentation, Eden uses two dramatic case studies to challenge the claim that it was Russia's conquering of Central Asia in the 1860s-1870s that brought an end to Central Asia's vast slave trade and liberated its slaves. The first
case study shows how, on the eve of Russia's conquest of the capital city of Khiva in 1873, the city's slaves formed the largest slave uprising in the region's history, which prompted the abolition of slavery throughout Central Asia. The second case study
reveals what happened to former slaves who escaped their Central Asian owners, fled to the Russian border, and sought protection from the purportedly "abolitionist" Tsar — only to find a surprising fate awaiting them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Sun Joo Kim is the Harvard-Yenching Professor of Korean History in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. She will be
giving a presentation on 'Runaway Slaves and the Paradox of Korean Slavery's Longevity and Decline.' In her presentation, Kim uses several compelling cases of runaway slaves to challenge the view that Korean slavery's persistence — and its spontaneous decline
in the eighteenth century — can be explained simply through institutional or economic change. The first set of cases traces how Korean slaves, who rarely engaged in open revolt, nevertheless fled in large numbers, creating a persistent undercurrent of resistance
that some scholars argue slowly destabilized the system. The second set of cases examines what happened when these fugitives were pursued and captured: the violent methods employed by slave hunters, the state's efforts to restrain such brutality, and the unexpected
outcomes that await recaptured slaves. Together, these cases reveal a central paradox - that the state's attempts to recognize the humanity of slaves inadvertently prolonged the institution even as the continual fight of enslaved people quietly undermined
it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">For more information about the event and registration, please visit the Ohio State History Department Website
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=2a9008b890&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQOcrWA-8$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">here</span></strong></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h4 style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">The MESC is always adding new events to its calendar, so stay tuned for more updates at
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=01ae235cc5&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQF5hT1HR$">
<strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">mesc.osu.edu/events</span></strong></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:15.0pt 0in 22.5pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="200" style="width:150.0pt;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:37.5pt">
<td style="background:#BA0C2F;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:37.5pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=f89d5d9dba&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQPfRhHUO$" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">MESC
Event Page</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:28.5pt"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Faculty Achievements<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:50px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="max-width:37.5pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid #BA0C2F 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<h3 style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Congratulating Dr. Jane Hathaway<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">We are delighted to congratulate Professor Emerita Jane Hathaway in the Ohio State University Department of History for her national recognition with the Annual
Mentoring Award from the Middle East Studies Association (MESA). Dr. Hathaway has been a longtime member and supporter of the MESC, and we admire the tremendous support she has provided for her students and junior colleagues. She is known widely for her impact
on the discipline of Ottoman Studies, and is now recognized nationally for her outstanding mentorship as well. To learn more about Dr. Hathaway and the MESA Mentoring Award, please visit the
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=b941630972&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQKsECWzc$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">MESA Website</span></strong></a> where her recent achievement has been highlighted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:22.5pt 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 4.5pt 0in">
<h2 style="line-height:28.5pt"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">Contact & Feedback<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:white;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:50px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="max-width:37.5pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-top:solid #BA0C2F 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:21.75pt"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#3F4443">MESC uses your feedback to drive continuous improvement. Please share your suggestions, resource needs, or ideas for collaboration. For more
information, visit mesc.osu.edu or contact Center staff directly at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=81d06cebc5&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQA_A0w3t$">
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#BA0C2F;font-weight:normal">mesc.osu.edu/contact</span></strong></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:15.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;min-width:200px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:37.5pt">
<td style="background:#BA0C2F;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:37.5pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=26091381ad&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQDGwkr2F$" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none">Contact
Us</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center">
<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:#F6F7F8;border-collapse:collapse;min-width:600px">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 11.25pt">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="max-width:6.25in;border-collapse:collapse;float:left">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid #DFE3E5 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" width="425" style="width:318.75pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:22.5pt 0in 18.75pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><img border="0" width="231" height="33" style="width:2.4062in;height:.3437in" id="_x0000_i1033" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/logo-OhioState-horiz@2x.png" alt="The Ohio State University logo"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:18.75pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3F4443">© 2024 | Middle East Studies Center
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.5pt"><span class="applelinksdark1"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">2009 Millikin Road, Columbus, OH 43201</span></span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3F4443">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3F4443"><a href="mailto:mcclimans.2@osu.edu"><span style="color:#646A6E">mcclimans.2@osu.edu</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3F4443"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=8e2694c5d4&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQMXoejWk$"><span style="color:#646A6E">mesc.osu.edu</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right" width="155" style="width:116.25pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:22.5pt 0in 7.5pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 3.75pt 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;line-height:12.75pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#646A6E">Middle East Studies Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;float:right">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=4ff031c86d&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQIufFD6k$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1032" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/facebook-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View our Facebook"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 7.5pt">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=a0a5ee11c9&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQPdKOS0M$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1031" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/instagram-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View our Instagram"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 7.5pt">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=7041b4eedf&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQAM1q7fm$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1030" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/twitter-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View our X"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 18.75pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 3.75pt 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;line-height:12.75pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#646A6E">The Ohio State University
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;float:right">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=3f17b55906&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQFxPwY-s$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1029" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/facebook-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View The Ohio State University Facebook"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 7.5pt">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=bb870c0dfa&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQI4mkg96$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/instagram-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View The Ohio State University Instagram"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 7.5pt">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=7663483451&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQIg5II4Q$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/twitter-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View The Ohio State University X"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 7.5pt">
<div align="right">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr style="height:21.0pt">
<td width="28" style="width:21.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:21.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=00f51c8ba9&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQIYftdk1$"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="28" height="28" style="width:.2916in;height:.2916in" id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://osu.edu/assets/web/email/assets/socialicons/youtube-lightgray@2x.png" alt="View The Ohio State University YouTube"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:15.0pt 0in 15.0pt 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" width="300" style="width:225.0pt;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.5pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="%5b%5d"><span style="color:#646A6E">View as Webpage</span></a> |
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=2772f18d97&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQDiu9LbE$">
<span style="color:#646A6E">Privacy Policy</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="background:#F4F4F4;padding:6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt;border-radius:0" id="b11">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse" id="section_4585c8932913d852dd7171cb8e6d5e36">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="background:#F4F4F4;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="mceColumnId--3">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="gutterContainerId-9">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="b9">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;border-radius:0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:9.0pt 12.0pt 9.0pt 12.0pt;border-radius:0">
<div id="d9">
<p class="last-child1"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/mailchi.mp/c1acd0b68095/middle-east-studies-center-update-oct-5843335?e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQPpOMCvq$"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;color:black">View
email in browser</span></a><span style="font-size:8.5pt"><br>
The Ohio State University, Middle East Studies Center · 2009 Millikin Rd · Suite 145 · Columbus, OH 43210 · USA
<br>
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/profile?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=6ec33245b5&e=6b437f4be7&c=3e64b99ddf__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQK8RZ5Xx$"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;color:black">update
your preferences</span></a><span style="font-size:8.5pt"> or </span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=6ec33245b5&t=b&e=6b437f4be7&c=3e64b99ddf__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQO2JcqHC$"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;color:black">unsubscribe</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;border-radius:0" id="b-2">
<div align="center">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse;background-size:cover;background-position-x:50%;background-position-y:50%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="mceColumnId--7">
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in" id="b10">
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/osu.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8aad9a415882af05c91822d20&id=d2f30c287e&e=6b437f4be7__;!!KGKeukY!wHdoqIS3jpTu63B9wuSfCtPbNjPAzruKEjyHSsR-PUKdJgu5plE6hGeTWSHKbiM8GLwBBUxMo6Hzo1SWU8QcfjQV0Xv7HbULQP1DkikE$" target="_blank"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue"><img border="0" width="137" height="53" style="width:1.427in;height:.552in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/monkey_rewards/intuit-mc-rewards-1.png" alt="Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp"></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>