Hi, my name is Brandon and I'm a '25 from just outside of Chicago. I study Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies, and am involved with multimedia journalism and videography on campus. I am passionate about documentary filmmaking and using film as a tool to present lived human experiences in subjective visual, aesthetic, and sonic terms. In my free time, I love to spend time with my cat, follow the Chicago Bulls, and study Arabic. Please enjoy these snapshots of my life in Hanover!
This was definitely my favorite class of fall term—the readings were heavy, but they all felt incredibly relevant to the coursework. For each class, we read both Jewish and Arab perspectives throughout history. Moreover, Professor Avishai has a vast network of connections with important members of Israeli government, and even figures who we read about in the history books (including former prime ministers!). Overall, that class was a lot of work but very effective in helping me understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Professor Smolin's lectures were always something for me to look forward to. In this intro class, a wide variety of subjects regarding the Arab world were covered. Topics such as culture, Islam, literature, poetry, politics, and history were covered from the pre-Islamic period to the more recent Arab Spring. The readings were fascinating, and the professor also incorporated a wide variety of video resources to accompany the readings. I loved this class!
I found myself regularly engrossed in Professor Fishere's lectures in Arab Political Thought. Tracking the development of political ideologies from the 1800s until today was fascinating, the discussion-based classes helped me get to know tons of my peers.
While in Morocco this summer, I had the chance to take intensive Arabic 21 and Arabic 22. Working with a local teacher, Ilham, I had the chance to study both standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic .My favorite part of the class was the opportunity to engage with the language in cafes and shops.
Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy was definitely a class that took me out of my comfort zone. Having never taken a class on philosophy, I had lots of fun studying readings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Furthermore, I liked that the class focused heavily on group-work, with weekly group meetings and write-ups being a critical component of the class.
This class made me think critically about how we use different media, and how different media use us. I always considered media and technology as tools we use to navigate life, but never thought about the ways that media influence us and perceptions of the self. Taking this course inspired me to be involved more with digital humanities in order to think critically about how different media can alter the meaning of a message.
I had a great spring term living in Kuwait while interning at the American University of Kuwait! Working as an intern with the Oral History Project and International Relations departments, I met many amazing friends and gained experience with oral history and digital humanities. As someone who wants to continue doing research on the Arab Gulf, this experience was incredibly valuable.
Filmmaking & Visual Culture was about the intersection of filmmaking and anthropology, and I really enjoyed the course. The course looked at film through a post-colonial lens, thinking about how it can be used as a tool to tell stories, empower communities, and challenge structural violence. As a final project, we were required to make our own films with the broad requirement that they had to tell some kind of story or narrative. Having this sort of creative freedom was lots of fun: I did a short film project about a farmer in the Upper Valley.
This was the first science course that I had ever taken at Dartmouth, and I actually really enjoyed it. The course was focused on being able to identity the names and functions of the bones and muscles in the human body: we covered a lot of ground in a short 10-week term. In addition to studying human anatomy, we also studied the anatomy of monkeys and chimps, comparing their evolutionary trends to those of humans. We also had the chance to visit the Geisel School of Medicine cadaver lab on multiple occasions to review for exams, which was definitely a unique experience. Overall, I'm glad I took the opportunity to go outside of my comfort zone a little bit with this class!
I love to make and watch documentaries, so taking ethnographic film was a great way to look at filmmaking in academic, anthropological terms. We watched and analyzed many documentary films throughout the course, considering factors like documentary ethics, filmmaking style, and multi-media approaches. We also did a lot of critical media analysis, looking at how the medium of a piece of work impacts the message it is trying to convey. Additionally, we were able to work on and submit our own short documentary films as final projects for the course.
At Dartmouth, there are tons of opportunities to get involved in a wide array of political organizations. More recently, the Dartmouth Palestine Solidarity Coalition has begun doing events again; as a Middle Eastern Studies major, having this opportunity to celebrate Palestinian culture and history has been excellent! This week, we had a really fun Arab American poetry night to enjoy some Middle Eastern snacks, chat with each other, and share poetry related to Arab heritage.
At the beginning of the night, we distributed authentic Hirbawi Keffiyehs to everyone who attended. The Keffiyeh is a checker cloth type of scarf, and is a symbol of Palestinian culture and solidarity. Afterwards, we were able to begin with some original poetry written by Hamed Sinno, lead singer of Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila. He is currently a graduate student at Dartmouth, and hearing his original poetry was truly touching; in his work, he explores the intersection of Lebanese and queer identities in the modern world, and does so artistically and personally.
Soon, other participants shared the poetry of Etel Adnan, Ghassan Kanafani, Lisa Suhair Majaj, and other Arab poets. These poems explored themes of immigration to America, Arab identity, and relationship to homeland; listening to them was enriching, and it was especially interesting to hear why individuals selected certain poems and what those poems meant to them.
A photo of me at the poetry night!
A wide variety of Middle Eastern and American snacks were provided: pita chips with hummus, along with cupcakes and other sweets. While sharing snacks, people shared their own Arab identities, from Lebanon to Syria to Morocco. Getting to know so many new people was great, and I think that's one of the best things about Dartmouth. The wide variety of student organizations means that there is something for everyone, and it's really easy to find people who share similar interests and passions.
For future students ('26s!) I encourage you to fully immerse yourselves in the wealth of student organizations available on campus, as these can be some of the most enriching experiences during your terms at Dartmouth. Personally, being involved with organizations like the Arabic Club, Palestine Solidarity Coalition, World Outlook, and many others have allowed me to meet so many different people and have so many unforgettable experiences. Being able to bond over shared interests with classmates outside of an academic setting is beneficial both socially and mentally.
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
