Thursday, August 13, 2020

Published/Broadcast Stories

The Latest in Language Confusion: Morocco Switches Back from Arabic to French

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Photo Credit: Rachel Berets.

The following article was written by Rachel Berets, an alumna of the SIT: Field Studies in Journalism and New Media fall 2019 semester.  Her piece was published in Al-Fanar Media on March 2, 2020.

RABAT—For three years as a young public-school teacher in Morocco, Abdelghani Erraki taught physics and chemistry in French without a hitch. But in 1983, following a wave of Arab nationalism, the Moroccan government decided to change the language of instruction in science, math, and technical classes from French to Arabic.

Erraki was given two weeks of training from the Ministry of Education and was expected to begin teaching completely in Arabic at the start of the school year.

Moroccan families mourn drowning of 45 who used risky migration route to Spain

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The following article was written by Ryley Graham, a fall 2019 alum of SIT: Field Studies in Journalism and New Media.  On February 7th, 2020, her story was published in USA Today.

ZENATA BEACH, Morocco – Just a few hours after Brahim Lhlo laid eyes on the Atlantic Ocean for the very first time, it almost swallowed him whole.

“I was crying and asking God for help and the waves kept crushing us,” he said. “I never thought I was going to survive this experience – I was dying.”

After years of struggling to contribute to his family’s income, Lhlo, 27, left his central Moroccan village and joined 45 young Moroccan men and one woman on a voyage he had been considering for as long as he can remember – traversing the waters between Morocco and Spain to find work.

Morocco’s Media: Beacon or Endangered Light?

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The following article was written by Ellie Zimmerman, a student from the fall 2019 class of SIT: Field Studies in Journalism and New Media, and was published in U.S. News and World Report in October 2019.

RABAT, MOROCCO – Journalist Omar Radi is straightforward when explaining why he attended a recent rally to protest the detention of fellow journalist Hajar Raissouni: “There’s no neutrality in journalism,” he said after he and dozens of other Moroccans publicly protested the jailing of Raissouni, whom authorities in this conservative North African country arrested on Aug.

‘Hey, sexy’: Long road ahead to combat sexual harassment in Morocco

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By Olivia Lewis

This article was published in Middle East Eye. See it here: https://www.middleeasteye.net/in-depth/features/morocco-sexual-harassment-2007805324

CASABLANCA, Morocco – Book bag in tow, Wissale Elhaial, 20, pins her eyes straight ahead as she strides past cafes where men congregate in Casablanca’s downtown area.

Vendors entice customers to their halal stands; some call out for her, but not to tempt her with the spiced aroma of falafel.

“Hey, sexy.”

“Praise God! You’re so beautiful!”

“Come here! I would just like to talk to you!”

Elhaial tries to ignore them, but finds herself glaring, and says she sometimes wishes she wore a headscarf, though she doesn’t really think it would make much difference.

Out in the Cold: Development Transforms Moroccan City But Doesn’t Address Most Difficult Problems

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This article was published in U.S. News and World Report. Find it here: “Out in the Cold”

By Olivia Fore

RABAT, MOROCCO – AT night under the orange light of new street lamps, residents stroll along the Bouregreg River. Vendors sell toys and kites; children ride miniature cars on the pavement and musicians entertain a friendly audience.

A new Grand Theater, still under construction, looms in the shadows. A new bridge extends tram service to commuters from the city of Salé, across the river.

The five-year “Rabat City of Lights” program launched in 2014 aims to put Morocco‘s administrative capital on equal footing with other major world cities by “promoting its cultural heritage, preserving green space, improving the economy, access to social services, governance and road infrastructure,” according to the country’s Ministry of Culture and Communication.

Morocco’s Film Industry Gets Mixed Reviews

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Young extras get a brush with fame, but at what cost?

By Mackenzie Ritter 

OUARZAZATE, Morocco – Strolling this town on the western edge of the Sahara Desert, you might hear a man relating a conversation he had with Brad Pitt. Or a 20-something talking about how he saw Tom Hanks on the street. Or a girl gushing about how beautiful Emilia Clarke is in person.

Ouarzazate may be far from Hollywood, which hosts the Oscars this weekend, but it is a well-established location for international film shoots. It already was a tourist center when Atlas Studios, one of Morocco’s biggest movie makers, brought film work here decades ago.

One Man’s Death Points to Shortcomings in Morocco’s Mental Health Infrastructure

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By Molly Mulroy

This article was published in Global Health Hub on February 7, 2017. Find it HERE

CASABLANCA, Morocco — When Driss Joundy helped check his father into Casablanca’s Notre Dame Polyclinic, it was only to get a respite from the psychological problems that made it difficult for the older man to sleep. He didn’t know the horror that awaited.

The next morning, Driss was notified that his father, 77-year-old architect Rachid Joundy, had burned to death in an overnight fire in his room. Worse yet, he had been tied to his bed.

Morocco harnesses the power of the sun

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By Danielle Douglas

This article was published in Al Jazeera English on February 3, 2017. Read it HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ouarzazate, Morocco – The southern sun bakes down upon Morocco’s 580-megawatt solar plant, in line to be the largest in the world upon its completion in 2018.

This $9bn plant, known as Noor – “light” in Arabic – positions Morocco as a global leader in sustainable energy development. Situated in a dry, rocky, rust-coloured plain 13km outside the southern city of Ouarzazate, the plant has contributed energy to the country’s national power grid for the past year.

Bigger, but Not Necessarily Better

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By Darren Spirk

This article was published in US News and World Report on July 5, 2016. Read it HERE. 

TANGIER, Morocco — At cafés on Tangier’s Mediterranean coast, rows of young Moroccans sit facing the hazy, yet ever present outline of Spain a mere 8.5 miles away. The idea of escaping to Spain is deep-set in Tangier. Stories often surface of overnight boats transporting Moroccan migrants. Some even attempt to swim the distance and drown. Driving this exodus is unemployment in Morocco which stands at close to 40 percent, according to the World Bank.

Morocco’s colonial heritage in higher education

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By Jennifer Kwon

This article was published in Aljazeera English on June 17, 2016. Read it HERE. 

Teaching in Arabic was appealing to many Moroccans, a sign of their independence from France. But Arabic never reached the university level, especially in math and science [Jennifer Kwon/Al Jazeera]

 

Rabat, Morocco – When Widad Houmaid, 20, earned good marks in high school, she decided to enrol in a biology class at Hassan II University in Casablanca.

There was only one problem; Moroccan university professors teach science in French. Houmaid, a graduate of Moroccan public schools where maths and science are taught in Arabic, does not speak French.

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