# CMES Outreach Program announces line-up for Spring 2014 Book Launch Series January 15, 2014 In the spring 2014 semester the CMES Outreach Program will continue its successful book launch and author talk series with a line-up of seven talks by Middle East scholars and commentators who have recently released new work. The seven books featured highlight the depth and diversity of Middle East studies today. As a leader in Moroccan studies, CMES is pleased to be hosting two book launches featuring new scholarship on the country: Jonathan Smolin's *Moroccan Noir* and Susan Miller's *A History of Modern Morocco.* The growing field of Gulf studies is well represented by *Impossible Citizens* by Neha Vora, *Professing Selves* by Afsaneh Najmabadi, and *The Struggle for Iraq's Future* by Zaid Al-Ali. Rounding out the program are two books on Israel and Lebanon: Ari Shavit's *My Promised Land* and Lara Deeb and Mona Harb's *Leisurely Islam.* All talks are open to the general public, with Harvard undergraduate and graduate students especially encouraged to attend. A limited number of free copies of each book will be available at the talks to Harvard students on a first come, first served basis. All talks will be held at CMES, Room 102, 38 Kirkland Street, unless otherwise noted. Sort ![shavit cover](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/shavit-cover-160px_1.jpg?itok=aHzI34pf) #### [My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel](/event/book-launch-author-talk-ari-shavit-my-promised-land-triumph-and-tragedy-israel) Ari Shavit, Israeli journalist, commentator, and columnist for Haaretz. Moderated by Susan Kahn, Associate Director and Director of the AM Program, CMES; Lecturer on Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, Harvard University. *Tuesday, January 28, 2014, 12:00–2:00pm* | *CGIS Knafel Building, Rm K262, 1737 Cambridge Street* [More details » ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-ari-shavit-my-promised-land-triumph-and-tragedy-israel) ![vora](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/vora-cover-106px.jpg?itok=UHhIRIAX) #### [Impossible Citizens: Dubai’s Indian Diaspora](/event/book-launch-author-talk-neha-vora-impossible-citizens-dubais-indian-diaspora) **Neha Vora**, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Lafayette College. Moderated by **William Granara**, CMES Director and Gordon Gray Professor of the Practice of Arabic, Harvard University. ***Thursday, February 6, 2014, 12:00–2:00pm*** [More details » ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-neha-vora-impossible-citizens-dubais-indian-diaspora) ![najmabadi](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/najmabadi-cover-106px.jpg?itok=oTukx69J) #### [Professing Selves: Transsexuality and Same-Sex Desire in Contemporary Iran](/event/book-launch-author-talk-afsaneh-najmabadi-professing-selves-transsexuality-and-same-sex) **Afsaneh Najmabadi**, Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History and Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Harvard University. Moderated by **Michael M.J. Fischer**, Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Anthropology and Science and Technology Studies, MIT. ***Thursday, February 20, 2014, 6:00–8:00pm*** [More details » ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-afsaneh-najmabadi-professing-selves-transsexuality-and-same-sex) ![smolin](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/smolin-cover-106px_2.jpg?itok=m1ylwIUY) #### [Moroccan Noir: Police, Crime, and Politics in Popular Culture ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-jonathan-smolin-moroccan-noir-police-crime-and-politics-popular) **Jonathan Smolin**, Associate Professor of of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Literatures, Dartmouth College. Moderated by **William Granara**, CMES Director and Gordon Gray Professor of the Practice of Arabic, Harvard University. ***Thursday, March 6, 2014, 12:00–2:00pm*** [More details » ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-jonathan-smolin-moroccan-noir-police-crime-and-politics-popular) ![al ali](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/al-ali-cover-106px.jpg?itok=W0mXc-jV) #### [The Struggle for Iraq’s Future: How Corruption, Incompetence and Sectarianism Have Undermined Democracy](/event/book-launch-author-talk-zaid-al-ali-struggle-iraq%E2%80%99s-future-how-corruption-incompetence) **Zaid Al-Ali**, Senior Adviser on Constitution Building, International IDEA. Moderated by **Noah Feldman**, Bemis Professor of International Law, Harvard Law School. ***Thursday, March 27, 2014, 12:00–2:00pm*** [More details »](/event/book-launch-author-talk-zaid-al-ali-struggle-iraq%E2%80%99s-future-how-corruption-incompetence) ![harb deeb](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/harb-deeb-cover-106px.gif?itok=fBueugrG) #### [Leisurely Islam: Negotiating Geography and Morality in Shi’ite South Beirut](/event/book-launch-author-talk-lara-deeb-and-mona-harb-leisurely-islam-negotiating-geography-and) **Lara Deeb**, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Scripps College, and **Mona Harb**, Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Politics, American University of Beirut. Moderated by **Susan Kahn**, Associate Director and Director of the AM Program, CMES; Lecturer on Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, Harvard University. ***Thursday, April 10, 2014, 12:00–2:00pm*** [More details » ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-lara-deeb-and-mona-harb-leisurely-islam-negotiating-geography-and) ![miller](/sites/g/files/omnuum9116/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/miller-cover-106px-border.jpg?itok=ftWdWd2j) #### [A History of Modern Morocco](/event/book-launch-author-talk-susan-g-miller-history-modern-morocco) **Susan G. Miller,** Professor, Department of History, University of California, Davis. ***Thursday, April 17, 2014, 12:00–2:00pm*** [More details » ](/event/book-launch-author-talk-susan-g-miller-history-modern-morocco) See also:- [ CMES News ](/news-type/cmes-news) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)