I. Archeology and Ancient History

Ancient Egypt
Call Number: VT 3090
Length: 47 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor:Films for the Humanities, 1999

For almost 3,000 years, the pharaohs ruled a civilization that was arguably the grandest of the ancient world. This program sheds new light on this enigmatic empire, offering information on the construction of the pyramids; the god-kings, including the only female pharaoh, Hatshepsut; the Rosetta Stone; religions and cults; mummification and burial rites; and the treasures of Tutankhamen. Interviews with noted Egyptologists, a professor from Cairo University, the chief inspector at the archaeological digs at Gaza, and the son of the guide who led Howard Carter to the tomb of Tutankhamen.

Ancient Egypt: The Sun and the River
Call Number: VT 2278
Length: 56 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Time Life Video, 1980?

Shows examples of ancient Egyptian art and architecture while briefly outlining Egypt's history. Traces the development of Egyptology and includes interviews with Egyptologists and archaeologists currently working in Egypt.

Ancient India
Call Number: VT 3093
Length: 47 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

"This program examines the religious tension between Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, and the historical events that shaped the great Indian civilizations from the Morian Empire through the Mogul Empire ... provides insight into a culture that remains vibrant and diverse today," according to the description on the cover.

The Big Dig
Call Number: VT 3010
Length: 22 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1987

Follows a team of archeologists and students working on the Gezer Archaeological Expedition as they explore the remains of the city of Gezer in ancient Philistia, now Israel.

Fayum: Land of the Crocodile God
Call Number: VT 2778
Length: 39 minutes, color, 3/4" tape
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1994

A team of archaeologists, followed by cameras, dramatically uncover the tomb of a wealthy non-pharaonic citizen of the Middle Kingdom, Prince Vage. At the Fayum oasis, using forensic techniques, scientists reconstruct Uage's image from the mummy's facial bones, and "rebuild" the tomb complex using sophisticated computer-assisted technology. This program also traces the history of the area through previously discovered archaeological sites.

The Forbidden Goddess
Call Number: VT 2784
Length: 28 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1993

Recent work in archeology is revealing the role of the goddess Asherah in the religion of the early Israelites.

In Search of the Trojan War
Call Number: VT 262
Length: 50 minutes, 6 volumes, VHS, color
Distributor: BBC 1985

Homer's tale of the siege of Troy has gripped the imagination for more than 3000 years. Are the stories of the Wooden Horse and the fabled beauty of Helen of Troy myths, or do they tell of real events? Historian Michael Wood goes "In Search of the Trojan War" to find the answers.

1. The Age of Heroes. In the late 19th century, Heinrich Schliemann began the modern search for Troy with spectacular digs in Turkey and Greece. Now, many archaeologists accuse him of fraudulence.
    
2. The Legend Under Siege. Excavations by Schliemann, Wilhelm Dorpfeld, and Arthur Evans prompted each in turn to ask: Were these the walls on which Helen stood and watched the heroes die?
    
3. The Singer of Tales. When he retold stories around the Aegean, Homer relied on an oral tradition that had passed them down for more than ten generations. Wood retraces the battle as described by Homer.
    
4. The Women of Troy. Helen of Troy is known as "the face that launched a thousand ships." Was there really such a Greek queen, and was she carried off by the Trojan prince, Paris?
    
5. Empires of the Hittites. Finds in central Turkey have helped us to reconstruct the diplomatic crisis that could have precipitated a real-life Trojan War.
    
6. The Fall of Troy. Was Troy actually destroyed by the Greeks? Wood pieces together the archaeological, historical, and literary evidence to uncover what really happened to Troy.
   

Jesus, His Life and Land
Call Number: VT 419
Length: 60 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Doko Video, 1983

This one hour video program travels the holy land in the footsteps of Jesus, exploring his life and ministry. Its expertly photographed sites and holy places provide a valuable addition to a collection of Biblical materials..

Yemen: Land of the Queen of Sheba
Call Number: VT 3617
Length: 54 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

Explores Yemen's glorious past in the ruins of the Biblical kingdom of Sheba.

II. Arab and Islamic Culture

Arab Calligraphy
Call Number: Located in Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 90 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: CAIS, July 31, 1992

Taped lecture: Dr. Nasif Skaf traces the historical steps Arab calligraphy has taken since 250 a.d., focusing on the script's two major stages. Skaf expands upon calligraphy's pragmatic approach in the first stage and its functional, though largely aesthetic, objective in the second stage. He emphasizes three forms -- kufic, nasr and diwani -- using brilliant slides to illustrate them.

Arab Culture and Society Series
Call Number: Located in Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 60 minutes each, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: CAIS, July 1992

A series of taped lectures dealing with Arab culture.

Dr. Samir Khalaf: Arab Culture and Society

Dr. Shams Inati:
1. Introduction to Islam.
2. Islamic Law.
3. Theological Factions.
4. Islamic Philosophy I.
5. Islamic Philosophy II.
6. Notes on Sufism, Culture and language.

Beirut to Bosnia: Muslims and the West
Call Number: VT 3065
Length: 156 minutes, 3 videocassettes, VHS 1/2", color
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1993

Part 1: The Martyr's Smile (52 min.)
Part 2: The Road to Palestine (52 min.)
Part 3: To the Ends of the Earth (52 min.)

"Why have so many Muslims come to hate the West? In this controversial three-part series filmed in Lebanon, Gaza, Israel, Egypt, and Bosnia, Robert Fisk, award-winning Middle East and Balkans correspondent for the London Independent, reports on Muslim unrest as ideology, religion, history, and geography come into conflict. The martyr's smile ... documents the guerrilla war of Lebanon's Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad movements to free southern Lebanon of Israeli occupation forces and Western interference, beginning with the destruction of the American Marine barracks during the early 1980s. The road to Palestine ... examines the displacement of Palestinians by Zionist immigrants and Jewish refugees. To the ends of the earth ... investigates the desperate situations of Muslims in Egypt and Bosnia who, though worlds apart, are plagued by a common feeling of betrayal by the West."--www.films.com, 11/19/1999.

The Born Again Muslims
Call Number: VT 3359
Length: 52 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Filmmakers Library, Inc., 1999

Variations in policies toward veiling in Sudan, Turkey and Iran reflect variations in Islam in these three countries.

Cairo: 1001 Years of Art and Architecture
Call Number: VT 3213
Length: 103 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Fons Vitae, 1999

"This four-part presentation offers an introduction to the art and architecture of a great medieval city. Certain monuments make several appearances and are viewed from different aspects. This arrangement is intended to give the viewer a better understanding of the structures, forms and functions."--Discription on the cover.

Common Table: The Faith of Islam
Call Number: VT 893
Length: 28 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Maryknoll World Productions, n.d. (1980s)

This program provides an accurate view of Muslims, a religious group that is sometimes misrepresented by the mass media. A Muslim religious leader explains the basic tenets of Islam and a Maryknoll missionary who lived and worked among Muslims, comments on the Islamic faith.

Crescent and Cross: Rise of Islam and Age of Crusades
Call Number: VT 3058
Length: 58 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Describes the rapid rise and spread of Islam followed by the Crusades. Then discusses the various orders of Christian monks and their contribution, the Inquisition, witchcraft and magic in the Middle Ages.

The Five Pillars of Islam
Call Number: VT 2777
Length: 30 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1988

The essential principles on which Islam rests--the five pillars--are discussed, described, and put into historical perspective in this program. Viewers are introduced to the huge international mosaic of Moslem believers, and the conflict between traditional teachings and the effects of industrialization.

Four Religions
Call Number: VT 865
Length: 58 minutes, 1/2", b&w
Distributor: National Film Board of Canada, 1990

The first part examines the differences and similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism. The second part focuses on the tenets of Islam and Christianity and the influence of Judaism on them.

Great Religions
Call Number: VT 2509
Length: 19 minutes, black and white, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: National Film Board of Canada, 1962

This film traces the history and the philosophy of three religions: Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Currently we have only the segment on Islam.

The Guests of God
Call Number: VT 976
Length: 51 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Islamic Publications International, 1991

Video documentary on the pilgrimage (hajj) from the perspective of a German convert to Islam, with excellent scenes of prayers in the mosques in Medina and Mecca.

The Holy Warriors
Call Number: VT 3360
Length: 52 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Filmmakers Library, Inc., 1998

This film examines the reasons for more radical interpretations of the Quran in Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Analysis of the jihad helps Westerners perceive why some Muslims believe that they can escape Westernization only through violence and how one man's terrorism may be another man's patriotism. How then can differing cultures find a common basis for mutual respect?

How Do Christian and Muslim Traditions Want to be Represented?
Call Number: Contact Dr. Veverka in the Theology Department
Length: 119 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Villanova University Production, March 13, 1994

An interfaith dialogue cosponsored by Gratz College: discussion, questions and answers, and presentation on Islam. The sound quality is awful, sometimes barely audible. See "Particularity and Pluralism" for additional tapes of the same set of meetings.

In the Gardens of Delight
Call Number: VT 3627
Length: 44 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2000

"For devotees of Islam, paradise is said to be a celestial garden. Who created the marvelous eartly gardens of Kashmir, which stand to this day as a living symbol of the Muslim faith? This program tells the story of the Mogul empire in India, from the victory of Babur at Panipat through the reign of the syncretic-minded Akbar, who dreamed of integrating Islam and Hinduism. The intricately designed gardens of Kashmir, with their emblematic plantings and waterways, and the remarkable Hindu/Islamic architecture of Fatapur Sikri are featured."--www.films.com.

Indian Journeys
Call Number: VT 3357
Length: 52 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Filmakers Library, 1999

Layer upon layer of archaeological ruins in India mirror its history of religious strife. Historian William Dalrymple guides viewers through the remains of edifices in the City of Delhi that played a role in religious confrontations. He shows where the Muslim Turks from Afghanistan built their mosque from the ruins of Hindu temples. Hindus and Muslims were always at war with only Sufism, a mystical religion of Persia, able to span the two religions. Currently the BJP, the right wing Hindu Nationalist party, threatens warfare against the Muslims. Will India be able to survive in an age of fundamentalism?

Introduction to the Arab World
Call Number: VT 675
Length: 48 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: AMIDEAST, 1988

The Arab world is too big, too diverse, and too complex to be captured in words alone. A new videotape production, "Introduction to the Arab World," introduces the people and places of the region and addresses the most important concerns confronting the Arab world today -- in a format designed for those with little or no prior knowledge of the region.

Iran: Departure into the Unknown
Call Number: VT 3216
Length: 49 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

In Iran, even laughter is considered sinful by the nation's strict Shi'ite regime. Yet after revolution and war, Iranians cherish hopes of a freer future. This program describes the impact of life in a modern fundamentalist society on Iran's diverse population, which includes Muslims, Christians, and Jews. It also spotlights the joyful celebration of Sizdah Bedar, which welcomes the spring; the incomparable Iranian crown jewels; monuments such as the magnificent palace of Shah Abas the First, the huge Imam Mosque, the ruins of Persepolis, and the wind towers of Nain; and the lifestyles of artisans, craftspeople, laborers, and students.

Iranian and Persian Classical Music
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 68 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Villanova University Production, April 30, 1994

Performance by five Philadelphia-area musicians, including Kazem Davoudian and Dr. Abdol Hossein Zarrinkub.

Islam and the West
Call Number: VT 2733
Length: 27 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1996

Ben Wattenberg talks with Milton Viorst, Fouad Ajami, and John Esposito about the political turmoil in the Islamic world, its relationship with the West, and the conflict between fundamentalism and democracy in Islamic countries.

Islam, Faith and Nations: The Story of Islam
Call Number: VT 875
Length: 120 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: MPI Home Video, 1983

This film takes us on a journey through the Story of Islam, from its beginnings 1300 years ago, to its place in the world today. We are introduced to the culture, philosophy, and staples of the way of life which is increasingly embraced by many in the West. It also expresses the similarities that Islam shares with both the Christian and Judaic traditions.

Islam Today
Call Number: VT 2774
Length: 30 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1988

"Oil is, of course, the impetus that brought Islam into the late 20th century. The conflicts between traditional values and modern lifestyles, between vast wealth and indigenous poverty, between the civilization that once believed eternally monolithic and the thousands of voices each demanding satisfaction on a different level- these are the seismic fracture points of the Islamic scene today."- description on the cover.

Islamic Art
Call Number: VT 1038
Length: 30 minutes, color, video
Distributor: Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1988

Part of The World of Islam series, this video discusses the architecture and sculpture of mosques and Koranic schools, the illumination and calligraphy of sacred texts, music, the art of the garden, and the influence of the abstract arabesque on Western art.

The Islamic City
Call Number: VT 2776
Length: 30 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1988

Describes the architecture and important areas of several Islamic cities in various areas of the Moslem world.

Islamic Conference: March 12, 1990 at Trenton State College
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 3 pts (90 minutes each), 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Trenton State College, 1990

Session I - "Islamic Philosophy and Culture: Tradition and Modernity," Dr. Sayyed Nasr;
"Misrepresentations of the Muslim World," Dr. Shams Inati;
Hon. David T. Schneider; Dr. S. M. Matin.

Session II - "Arabic as a World Language," Dr. Sayyed Omran;
"The Impact of American Society Upon the Values of Pakistani Muslims," Dr. S. Sultan Ahmed;
"Growth of Islam in the U.S.," Dr. Dawud Assad;
"Islam and the Contemporary Muslim World: Conflict and Common Ground with the West,"
David T. Schneider.

Session III (March 13, 1990) - "Islam and the West: Is Greater Mutual Understanding Possible?"

Islamic Conversations, Authority and Change
Call Number: VT 1366
Length: 6 videocassettes, 180 minutes, color,1/2"VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1994

What is a fatwa? Who is qualified to issue one? What is the role of traditional scholars in the Muslim world today? Egypt today is a battleground between liberal and radical Muslims, as the more secular states and traditional scholars are being challenged by more militant forces. In this program, Sheikh Sayed Tantawi, Mufti of Egypt, explores these and other vital questions that underlie current developments in Egypt and elsewhere in the Islamic world. Contents:

Tape One: Islam and Pluralism
Tape Two: Islam and Christianity
Tape Three: Islam and War
Tape Four: The Islamic State
Tape Five: Authority and Change
Tape Six: Women and Islam

Islamic Knowledge
Call Number: VT 2773
Length: 30 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1988

Describes how Islamic knowledge made significant contributions in the fields of astronomy, physics, medicine, and engineering.

Islamic Mysticism: The Sufi Way
Call Number: VT 2538
Length: 30 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Wellspring Media, 1997

Traces the history of Islam and shows ruins of its empire which stretched from India to Spain. Presents the rituals, dance, art, music, and philosophy of Sufism, the heart of Islam.

Le Destin: Destiny
Call Number: VT 3430
Length: 135 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: New Yorker Video, 1999

When a disciple of 12th-century philosopher Averroes is burned at the stake for heresy, his young son Joseph journeys to Andalusia to study with his father's mentor. There he joins Averroes' disciples uniting against an evil sheikh intent upon destroying the philosopher's work.

Living Islam: The Challenge of the Past
Call Number: VT 1620, volume 2
Length: 50 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Ambrose Video Publishing, 1993

The three major empires' greatness and subsequent decline explain many differences in Muslim thinking today. The Ottomans were confronted by Europe and Christianity, accounting for the "western" approach of many Turkish Muslims. The Mughals achieved a synthesis with Hinduism that produced such beauty as the Taj Mahal. And the Safavid dynasty in Iran was characterized by the shi'a/sunni split which is still acted out in southern Iran in the taziya pageants.

Living Islam: Struggling With Modernity
Call Number: VT 1621, volume 3
Length: 50 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Ambrose Video Publishing, 1993

The West often associates Islam with technological backwardness, religious intolerance and a harsh penal code. Is this justified? Or should the concept of "modernity" be seen in the context of the Third World and a fundamentally different world view? This program looks at the tensions within Islamic states as they attempt to make their laws and practices compatible with the twenty-first century which remaining true to the spirit of their faith.

Morocco's Carpets, Cloaks and Daggers: Trends in a Tradition
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 90 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: CAIS, 1992

Dr Michael Bazinet (University of Pennsylvania) lectures on Morocco's decorative arts, with a particular focus on textiles and jewelry. He examines both rural and urban sources, the latter including Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh, and Rabat.

Mosque
Call Number: VT 870
Length: 29 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Maryknoll World Productions, 1992

News reports from the Middle East have made Americans more aware of the importance of Islam, but the 900 million Muslims and their faith are still a mystery to many. This program, filmed in Cairo, Egypt, introduces a mosque and Muslims and shows that believers in Islam are not the fanatics that the media frequently portrays.

Muhammad: The Voice of God
Call Number: VT 3614
Length: 43 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

This program narrates the biography of Muhammad, a merchant from Mecca, reportedly called by God to be his prophet and spread the Muslim faith. Why was Islam so readily accepted by so many? What is the secret of Islam's appeal? And why do many non-Muslims fear the religion's spread? The answers to these and many other questions are powerfully illustrated by footage of holy sites and rituals, as well as modern desert life in Saudi Arabia

Mystic Women in Islam
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 90 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: CAIS, 1993

Lecture at Villanova by visiting scholar Dr. Ruth Roded (Hebrew University) on October 28, 1993.

Particularity and Pluralism: Educating for Religious Identity and the Common Good
Call Number: Contact Dr. Veverka in the Theology Department @ (610) 519-4730
Length: 6 tapes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Religious Studies Department, 1994

The complete videotape of the conference of Muslim, Jewish and Christian educators at Gratz College and Villanova on March 13-14, 1994, organized by Dr. Fayette Veverka and the Religious Education Association.

Persian Music and Poetry
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Department
Length: 87 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Villanova University, April 21, 1993

Recorded at Villanova on April 21, 1993. Hasan Shahpari reads poems by T.S. Eliot and Thomas Ricks reads poems by Nima Yushij, Nader Naderpour, and Farough Farrokhzad. Mostafa Shaygan performs on the santur and Farad Afsharvand on vocals.

Disappearing World Series: Saints and Spirits
Call Number: VT 1012
Length: 25 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Film Incorporated Video, 1991

Muslim women in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh rarely attend mosque and hold their rituals and celebrations at home. Female pilgrims often make the arduous journey to the mountain shrine of Saint Sidi Chamharoul and a shawafa (seer) performs the annual ritual of sacrifice that binds her to the spirit Sidi Mahmoun.

A Secret Order: The Druzes
Call Number: VT 872
Length: 27 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1985

Examines the theology of the Druze, an offshoot of the Shiite Muslims, and the most secretive sect in Islam. Shows a marriage ceremony and the unique situation of the Druze residing in Israel.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr: The Islamic Mind
Call Number: VT 2780
Length: 28 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1994

A discussion with Islamic scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr.

Shiites: Followers of ALi
Call Number: VT 871
Length: 27 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1985

Examines the Shiites, the first dissident group in Islam. Shows the custom of self flagellation and explains the religious background of this group.

Simon Shaheen
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: ??
Distributor: CAIS

Taped performance in the Cinema, Connelly Center, Villanova University, by the Palestinian musician Simon Shaheen. He performs both classical and folkloric music with a chamber orchestra and a belly-dancer.

Summer Training in Japanese and Arabic
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 28 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Villanova Production, 1989/1990

Dr. Thomas M. Ricks, Director of International Studies, explains the program to train in Japanese and Arabic language and culture.

Sunnis and the Prohibited Mecca
Call Number: VT 873
Length: 27 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1985

Examines the Sunni Muslims in Arabia, the guardians of orthodoxy and of the Kaaba. Describes the rites of hajj (pilgrimage) where 2 million believers come to Mecca for several days' rituals.

There is No God but God: The Long Search
Call Number: VT 894, episode 5
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Time Life Videos, 1989

The program explores the experiences of Islamic worship in Egypt. It includes interviews with several Muslims who discuss their personal attitudes and approaches to their religion.

The Traditional World of Islam
Call Number: VT 2257
Length: 6 videocassettes, 25 minutes each, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Landmark Media, 199-?

Focuses on the classic Islamic empire and the realm of its lingering existence from Africa through the Arabian heartland to Indonesia, stressing the universality of Islam. Examines the influence of Islamic doctrine and traditional practices, and shows important contributions of Islamic civilization to the world. Contents:

Part One: Unity
Part Two: Nomad and the City
Part Three: Man and Nature
Part Four: The Pattern of Beauty
Part Five: Knowledge of the World
Part Six: The Inner Life

Uum Kulth'um : A Voice Like Egypt
Call Number: VT 2045
Length: 68 minutes, VHS 1/2", color
Distributor: Filmakers Collaborative, 1996

Documentary about singer Umm Kulth'um, born a peasant at the turn of the century, who became a powerful symbol of the aspirations of her country. Based on the book "The Voice of Egypt: Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and Egyptian Society in the Twentieth Century" by Virginia Danielson.

III. History

The Arab World
Call Number: VT 671
Length: 5 parts (30 min. each), 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Mystic Fire Video, 1991

Bill Moyers discusses the Arab World with leading writers and thinkers on Arab culture and history: Edward Said, Charles Issawi, Afaf Marsot, Yvonne Haddad, Michael Suleiman, Jack Shaheen, and James Abourezk. They discuss the role of religion in Arab society and survey its artistic and literacy achievements. They look back to the historical forces that shaped the modern Arab world and examine the long history of western involvement in the region, from the medieval Crusades to Operation Desert Storm (1991). They lay bare the roots of the ancient conflict that continues to divide Arabs, Jews and the West. The participants discuss the stereotypes which distort our view of the Arab world. Contents:

1. The Arabs, who they are, who they are not
2. The Historic Memory
3. The Image of God
4. The Bonds of Pride
5. Arabs and the West

Battle of Algiers
Call Number: VT 3219
Length: 125 minutes, black and white, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Rhino, 1993

Dramatization of the conflict between Algerian nationalists and French colonialists that culminated in Algeria's independence in 1962.

Ben Gurion: One Place, One People
Call Number: VT 396
Length: 24 minutes, video
Distributor: Learning Corporation of America, 1986

The film traces the persecution of Jews from 70 a.d. (Roman era) to the Holocaust and charts the efforts of Jews to throw of the yoke of oppression. It focuses on the role of David Ben Gurion, leader of the Labor Zionist movement and then the first Prime Minister of Israel. The film emphasizes the creation of the state of Israel and Ben Gurion's tenure as prime minister.

The Birth of Pakistan
Call Number: VT 2781
Length: 20 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1993

Historical account of the establishment of Pakistan in 1947.

Christians, Jews and Muslims in Medieval Spain
Call Number: VT 1367
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1989

Due partly to the weakness of its Visigothic rulers, and partly to the proximity of Africa, the Iberian peninsula was conquered by Berbers and Arabs belonging to the Omayyad Empire. This program describes the history of Spain from the time of the first landing, in 711, through the nearly 800-year-long war that ended in the expulsion of both Moors and Jews in 1492; the development of a culture whose people spoke various Spanish dialects while the official language was Arabic; the role of the School of Toledo in preserving, translating, and making known the ancient Greek scientific texts as well as Arab treatises on philosophy and science; the rabbinic center in Toledo, and the history of the Jews in Spain.

The Conflict
Call Number: VT 3072
Length: 52 minutes, VHS 1/2", black and white/color
Distributor: Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1998

Part 1 of a historical documentary series on the first fifty years of the State of Israel. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the independence of Isreal and the following day neighboring Arab populations declared war. Israel was born from this conflict and emerged a refuge for a people dispersed through the world. This segment presents the history of Israel from its founding Zionist fathers in the 19th century, to the war of independence and the emergence of Israel as a prosperous, independent Jewish state.

Conquest of Spain - 711 A.D.
Call Number: VT 1607
Length: 30 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Ambrose Video, 1995

In 711, Tariq Ibn Ziyad, leader of the Arab Empire in North Africa, set sail for Spain with a force of 700 Berber warriors. This first raiding party started a chain of events which, within a year, extended Arab influence throughout the entire Iberian peninsula and led to the great Renaissance in European literature and science.

Crusades: By Horse to Jerusalem
Call Number: VT 1009
Length: 54 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities, 1992

Traces the paths which the European Crusaders took from France to Jerusalem.

The Dynasty: The Nehru-Gandhi Story
Call Number: VT 3356
Length: 2 videocassettes, 180 minutes combined, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: PBS Home Video, 1997

This story documents the Nehru family's ties of blood, sacrifice and power, and chronicles the life work of Mahatma Gandhi.

Edward Said: Talking Liberties
Call Number: VT 2398
Length: 40 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Edward Said discusses his postcolonial theory and how it applies to modern culture, from politics to literature. He exposes the Western image of the East as an artificial construct that is still retained today. He discusses Palestine as a politically expedient construct of Europe; argues the right of Palestine to exist as an independent, self-governing nation; and traces the origins of European attitudes toward the Arab world through the literature of E.M. Forster, T.S. Eliot, Joseph Conrad, and Chinua Achebe.

Future Peace, Next War
Call Number: VT 3077
Length: 52 minutes, VHS 1/2", black and white/color
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Part 6 of a historical documentary series on the first fifty years of the State of Israel. This final segment of the series examines the vision of Israel's purpose and scope--and the leaders who have interpreted and shaped that vision. From the first Begin/Sadat meeting in Jerusalem to the war against the PLO in Lebanon, from the post-Gulf War peace initiatives to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, Israel's history has been a story of the search for a lasting peace, but within the context of almost constant war.

Gallipoli
Call Number: VT 488
Length: 111 minutes, video
Distributor: Paramount Pictures Corp., 1988

Two young men in the Australia army in 1915 train in Egypt and fight in the campaign against the Ottoman Empire in Gallipoli, during World War I. The film does not deal with the politics or society of the Ottoman Empire.

Iraq: The Cradle of Civilization
Call Number: VT 735, part 1
Length: 60 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Ambrose Videos, 1991

This video traces the earliest civilizations which developed in Iraq and this area of the world. It begins with Ur, Ninevah, and Babylon; and proceeds to trace the continuity of civilizations and city life from that time into the present age. It follows the rise and decline of the great city states and provides a brief history of the Iraqi nation and peoples.

Khyber: Disappearing World Series
Call Number: VT 1106
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Granada Television International, 1991

The bloodiest massacre in the history of the British Empire occurred in January 1842, when 17,000 British soldiers, women, and children were massacred by the Pathans in the Khyber Pass. The Pakistani army now patrols this sensitive region on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but there is constant trouble with the Pathans (Pushtuns) who live in the border region.

Lion of the Desert
Call Number: VT 1065 (parts 1-2)
Length: 2 cassettes: part 1 (91 minutes), part 2 (68 minutes plus documentary, "the making of a film" for 32 minutes)
Distributor: Trancas, 1991

The classic docudrama on Mussolini's war against Umar Mukhtar, the Libyan nationalist fighter, in 1927. The Italians consigned the population to barbed wire concentration camps and forced 200,000 Bedouins to perish in walled off desert areas. Actors include Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, John Gielgud, and Irene Papas.

Middle East (pt 1 1900-54, pt 2 1956-91)
Call Number: VT 1602
Length: two volumes, 60 minutes each, VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1991

An examination of Middle East history from the fall of the Ottoman Empire to the Suez Crisis. Topics include French and British domination of the region, the birth of Israel, the Suez Crisis, Russian and American imperialism, Arab-Israeli conflicts, and the Israel-Palestine issue.

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi: Politics of Oil
Call Number: VT 399
Length: 24 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Learning Corporation of America, 1986

The film discusses Iran under the rule of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, with limited discussion of his father Reza Shah. It covers the transformations brought about by soaring oil revenues in the 1960s and the subsequent modernization of the country. It conveys succinctly the tension between modern Iran and those elements in the society mired in poverty and despair; that tension eventually undermined the Shah's rule and facilitated the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini's theocracy.

Mongol Hordes: The Storm from the East
Call Number: VT 1019-1022
Length: 50 minutes, 4-cassette series, color, 3/4" VHS
Distributor: BBC Lionheart TV, Education & Training, 1994

Part 1: Birth of an Empire (VT 1019)
In Mongolia, the reputation of Genghis Khan is undergoing a revival from enemy of the revolution to a virtual deity. Against this background we relate how he emerged from obscurity, united the Mongol tribes and transformed them into the most formidable fighting machine. We trace his campaigns through northern China, central Asia, Afghanistan, Georgia and Russia, establishing the foundations of an empire.

Part 2: World Conquerors (VT 1020)
Genghis' son Ogodei constructed the capital (Karakorum), built thousands of miles of highways, conquered northern China, forced Russian principalities to submit and overran Poland and Hungary.

Part 3: Tartar Crusaders (VT 1021)
Europe's first response was to presume the invasion was a divine retribution to punish a sinful world. Then, in 1243, Pope Innocent IV sent emissaries to glean the will of the Mongol lords and see if they might consider conversion to Christianity. The envoys discovered a sophisticated government and a court that encouraged religious tolerance.

Part 4: The Last Khan of Khans (VT 1022)
Kublai Khan, the fifth Great Khan, preferred to make his home in China and spent his life winning over the Chinese. He built theaters and art galleries and was a patron of the arts and sciences, but he lacked military acumen. He sent ill-fated military expeditions to Java, South East Asia and Japan. Though his achievements had world significance, he died a disappointed man with the empire showing signs of decay.

Nasser: People's Pharaoh
Call Number: VT 397
Length: 24 minutes, video
Distributor: Learning Corporation of America, 1986

Narrated by Henry Fonda, the film provides a succinct history of Nasser's years in power. It emphasizes Nasser as the first true Egyptian to rule in 2000 years and the impossibility of his fulfilling the popular expectations that he excited. Focussing on military-diplomatic history, it also mentions Nasser's social policies and political repression, and comments on the peculiar combination of "grief and relief" at his death in 1970.

Salt Road
Call Number: VT 1605
Length: 59 minutes
Distributor: Ambrose Video, 1989

William Shawcross travels the Salt Road in search of the Tuareg who had once controlled the trade route from the Moroccan city of Fez. He traverses the Atlas Mountains to the crossroads of the salt routes. On the edge of the Sahara, he sets off with a modern Tuareg in a race-car before catching up with the salt-laden camels.

The Shadow of the West
Call Number: VT 527
Length: 50 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1985

The films' main focus is on the plight of the Palestinians which can be seen as the most enduring residue of the modern encounter between the Arabs and the West. Edward Said traces the course of European involvement with the Near East via the Crusades to Napoleon's campaign in Egypt and the French and English entrepreneurs, adventurers and empire builders who came in his wake.

Siege of Constantinople
Call Number: VT 1608
Length: 30 minutes
Distributor: Ambrose Video, 1995

Constantinople was the greatest city of its time and the gateway to Europe. For 1000 years the Byzantine rulers lived securely behind its massive walls. In 1453 Sultan Mehmet breached the walls with the cannon, a powerful new weapon. His victory led to the creation of the Ottoman Empire, which extended into Eastern Europe for over 500 years.

Silk Road
Call Number: VT 1606
Length: 59 minutes
Distributor: Ambrose Video, 1989

Colin Thubron, author of "Behind the Wall" and winner of the Thomas Cook Award, finds an alternative to the China so often pictured in the West. Leaving behind the image of rice fields and Communism, he discovers a people who are not native Chinese but Muslim Turcomen: farmers and traders whose culture is almost Middle Eastern. Those people made the Silk Road work. From Xian to the Pamir Mountains and the Russian border, Thubron uncovers the uneasy alliance between the Chinese and the Turcomen, whose cultures are worlds apart.

The Silk Road II
Call Number: VT 2847
Length: 6 videocassettes, 150 minutes each, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Central Park Media, 1998

A tour of the legendary Silk Road, the ancient trade route which made possible the flow of rare goods, art and religious beliefs between ancient Rome and the mysterious East. Discover the unique cultures and witness the scenery of the world's most inaccessible regions. Contents:

Volume 1: Across the Pamir; The King's Road; Legendary Ladack
Volume 2: Xuang Zang's Travels in India; The Scorching Sun and the Southern Road in Iran; In Search of Wisdom
Volume 3: Beyond Baghdad; The Road Vanished into a Lake; Across the Steppes
Volume 4: The Sky Horses of Davar; The Soghdian Merchants; The Glory of Sammerkand
Volume 5: Across the Karakum Desert; The Other Silk Road; The Caravans Move West
Volume 6: The Horsemen of Turkey; The Silk City at the Edge of Asia; All Roads Lead to Rome

Stories My Country Told Me
Call Number: VT 3610
Length: 55 minutes, color/black and white, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2000

Eqbal Ahmad, a leading authority on colonialism and nationalism, travels Pakistan's and India's Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Lahore, commenting on the history and politics of the subcontinent. Having personally experienced, as a child, the partition into India and Pakistan, he speaks movingly of the evil effects of nationalism and sectarian hatred.

Suleyman the Magnificent
Call Number: VT 1595
Length: 57 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Home Vision, 1987

Profiles 16th century Sultan Suleyman, who ruled the Ottoman Empire for 46 years, showing strong leadership as a lawgiver and military man. Filmed on location in Turkey, featuring mosques built in that era.

The Temptation of Power
Call Number: VT 1037
Length: 43 minutes, color, video
Distributor: First Run/Icarus Films, 1982

The film examines the politics of the Iranian government during the White Revolution from 1962 to 1978. It provides valuable background to the Iranian Revolution, with particular emphasis on the problematic results of the Shah's economic policies.

West Beyrouth: West Beirut
Call Number: VT 3474
Length: 105 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: New Yorker Video, 1998

"April 13, 1975: first official day of the Lebanese Civil War. Christian militiamen massacre the passengers of a Palestinian bus in front of Tarek and Omar, two teenagers from West Beirut. The boys, however, are determined to make the most of their youth. Together with May, a Christian girl, they search for adventure. They film everything they see in their battlefield playground on a Super 8 camera. But, gradually, they are drawn into the spiraling violence. Even the "brothel", where Christians and Muslims met in peace, is invaded by the religious conflicts. West Beirut is an account of an adolescence hijacked by war" -- cover.

IV. Economic, Geographic and Social Issues

Afghan Exodus
Call Number: VT 1105
Length: 52 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films Incorporated, 1991

Underscores the human impact of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by focusing on three widely separated tribal groups which have become refugees: the Kirghiz, the Pathans of the Sulamein Khel tribe, and the Hazzara.

Arabia: Sand, Sea and Sky
Call Number: VT 1596
Length: 80 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: National Geographic Society, 1990

Take a stunning tour of Arabia's natural world - a land of vivid contrast and splendor. The journey begins in the magnificent coral reefs of the Red Sea where barracuda, giant manta rays and sharks comb the fertile waters. Then high in the cliffs of the great mountain barrier, you will be fascinated by the complex social behaviors of a troop of baboons. Descending the foothills, you will witness thousands of migrating bird converge, including the flamboyant Abyssinian Roller, which will dazzle you with its brilliant feathers and swooping acrobatic dives. Finally, travel by camel across the immense sculpted desert, as the Bedouins have for more than thirty five hundred years.

The Arabs Now
Call Number: On Order
Length: 50 minutes, 3/4" VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1985

Basim Musallam returns to the Arab world to ask questions that Arabs ask themselves so that the western viewer can share those concerns: what effect will the educational explosion, huge labor migration, and revolution in communications have on the Arab countries and on the western world?

Aramco at Fifty
Call Number: VT 1040
Length: 51 minutes, color, video
Distributor: ARAMCO, 1990

A 50th anniversary commemorative documentary: the opening 20-minutes on the explorations in the 1930s are excellent, with scenes of the first oil wells, port, desert explorations by camel, car and bi-plane, and King Abdul Aziz attending the ceremony to ship the first oil abroad. However, subsequent sections on contemporary ARAMCO and Saudi Arabia are uneven in quality; they need to be previewed (and edited) before using them in class.

Bashu, The Little Stranger
Call Number: VT 2104
Length: 115 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: International Home Cinema, 1992

One of an increasing number of Iranian films arriving in the United States in the wake of the Ayatolla Khomeini's death, this deceptively simple tale of a young boy orphaned by the Iran-Iraq War was made under government sponsorship but banned, presumably for its pacifist sentiments. Bashu offers eloquent universal messages about racial tolerance and the strength of the family.

Cairo: The City Victorious?
Call Number: VT 525
Length: 50 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1985

One young man's exodus from an arduous farmer's life in the village for the prospect of a better and more exciting life in the city of Cairo. Narrated by Professor Galal Amin (Economist, American University in Cairo), the film observes the struggles and hopes of workers living in villages and cities.

From the Orange to the Chip: Israel's Economic Revolution
Call Number: VT 3076
Length: 53 minutes, black and white/color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Part 5 of a historical documentary series on the first fifty years of the State of Israel. In its quest to boost per capita income, Israel has progressed from exporting Jaffa oranges to developing high-tech computer chips in just 50 years. This program explores the economic revolution that has occurred in this arid, resource-poor region. Today technology rather than agriculture is the backbone of Israel's economic vitality, as it continues its drive to maintain its position in the world technology market.

Hamoun (The Desert)
Call Number: VT 2112
Length: 107 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: International Home Cinema, 1993

The story of Hamid Hamoun, an executive in a large import-export business, who also works as a part-time English instructor. He feels alienated from Iranian society, bound by its conventions yet unwilling to abide by its rigid laws. His wife wants to divorce him but is unable to do so under Islamic law. In this film, husband and wife struggle to find their own solid ground.

The Ingathering
Call Number: VT 3073
Length: 52 minutes, black and white/color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Part 2 of a historical documentary series on the first fifty years of the State of Israel. This segment examines the history of Jewish immigration and the conflux of cultures that exist within the broader cultural/religious identity of the Israeli population. In addition to identifying as Jewish, Israelis also identify themselves as Polish, Russian, Hungarian, Romanian, Libyan, Algerian, Yemenite and Ethiopian. The program explores the question of cultural identity and heritage in a multicultural society founded on a principle of inclusion for all Jewish people.

The Kibbutz
Call Number: VT 2170
Length: 30 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Alden Films, 1998

Discussion of collective settlements in Israel.

Hirghiz of Afghanistan; Disappearing World Series
Call Number: VT 1107
Length: 60 minutes, color VHS
Distributor: Films Incorporated, 1991

Until recently, Kirghiz tribesmen lived in a remote corner of Afghanistan; their culture had not changed since the Middle Ages. Survival depended completely on the favor of the Khan, a feudal lord who claimed descent from the legendary Genghis Khan. Since airlifted to Turkey, a thousand miles to the west.

Mini Dragons II: Indonesia
Call Number: VT 1593
Length: 60 minutes, color VHS
Distributor: Ambrose Video, 1992

A profile of Indonesia which examines economic growth and social/cultural factors within the country. Personal stories of Indonesian men and women are told in order to explore issues like the role of women, ethnic rivalries, foreign relations, and economics. The video does not deal with Islam but rather emphasizes the tension between tradition and modernity as Indonesians enter the technological area.

Pathans: Disappearing World Series
Call Number: VT 1108
Length: 45 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Granada Television International, 1991

Bound by a common language, a common heritage, and the powerful unifying force of Islam, Pathans (Pushtuns) do not acknowledge the geographical boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan which divides them, and they accept no imposed leadership - as the Soviet invaders of Afghanistan discovered.

The People's Army
Call Number: VT 3074
Length: 54 minutes, VHS 1/2", black and white and color
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Part 3 of a historical documentary series on the first fifty years of the State of Israel. This program traces the history of the Israel Defense Forces in all of its conflicts, from the war for independence, to the formation of Unit 101, the forerunner of the feared paratrooper battalions; to the crack commando teams that protect the borders and police the trouble spots within the country today. The program examines the governmental policy of compulsory military service and the details of present-day life in the field with the IDF.

Rivers of Fire
Call Number: VT 1597
Length: 40 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1990

Examines the control of water in the Middle East. Reveals that Turkey is damming the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers which provide water to nearly all of Iraq and much of Syria. The water is being diverted to vast irrigation projects and deprives Iraqi and Syrian projects downstream of the water they need. As a result of this work, Turkey now has the power to stop the flow of both rivers.

Sudan: Orphans of Passage; Disappearing World Series
Call Number: VT 1109
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Granada Television International, 1993

For five years the Uduk people of southern Sudan have fled civil war and domestic strife. In 1988, they were attacked by Sudanese government forces and escaped to Ethiopia. When the Ethiopian government fell, they were caught up in another brutal conflict. Since then, they have crossed the Sudanese Ethiopian border five times seeking safe haven. Along the way they lost possessions, children, and a way of life, but in the midst of the horror, they found a new understanding of who they are, and a new religion: Christianity.

Tales from Arab Detroit
Call Number: VT 1433
Length: 45 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Olive Branch Productions, 1995

When an Arab American community center brings an Egyptian poet to perform a 1000 year old epic, sparks fly. The result is a familiar American tale: parents trying to pass on cherished traditions and language, while their children are at home in a world of McDonald's and MTV. With mesmerizing imagery, humor and warmth, "Tales from Arab Detroit" blends voices, poetry, song and dance into everyday stories of cultural conflict and resilience within the largest Arab community in North America.

War for Oil in the Former Soviet Union
Call Number: VT 3082
Length: 29 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: The Center, 1999?

"Control of vast oil and gas resources in the Caspian Sea region pits former republics of the Soviet Union against their Russian neighbor. In the middle are U.S. energy companies and government agencies whose interference is a thorn in the side of Russia and Iran"--Cassette label.

Whose State? Whose Religion?
Call Number: VT 3075
Length: 53 minutes, black and white/color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Part 4 of a historical documentary series on the first fifty years of the State of Israel. Israel was founded by Zionists, who viewed Israel as the Promised Land, but today many Israelis define themselves as a nation, not as a religion. Does being an Israeli mean embracing a religion, or is it a national identity? This program examines this divisive question that has pitted Israeli against Jew, a question of identity which continues to shape Israeli politics and society.

V. Women's Social, Political and Economic Issues

Africa: Tunisia, Libya and Egypt
Call Number: VT 3626
Length: 31 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1996

Features women's issues, health, and population growth. Tunisia, a Muslim country, was the first Arab country to recognize women's rights and since 1956 has steadily promoted their emancipation. In Libya, the UN is attempting to exterminate screwworm fly before it speads throughout Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. Egypt struggles to balance its growing population with limited resources and land mass.

Algeria: Women at War
Call Number: VT 1428
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Women Make Movies, 1992

Offers a rare insight into the key role Algerian women played in their country's liberation struggle from the French thirty years ago and their equally important role in today's politics. Produced for Channel Four Television, this high quality documentary uses a combination of interviews and archival footage to ponder the position of women in Algeria in the light of thirty years of single party rule, the rise of Islam, and increasing political violence. It raises critical questions about the balancing act between women's and national liberation struggles.

Arab Women at Work
Call Number: VT 2622
Length: 26 minutes, video
Distributor: U.N. Development Program, 1991

The video illustrates the diverse roles played by women as doctors, farmers, seamstresses and scientists. Female specialists interviewed include Marnia Lazreg (Algerian Sociologist), Zeinab Bakri (Sudanese Sociologist), Nadia Ramses Farah (Egyptian Economist), Thoraya Obeid (Saudi Social Scientist) and In'am Mufti (Jordan's first woman minister).

Beyond the Veil
Call Number: VT 3615
Length: 22 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1997

In this program, a female reporter, Anna Maria Tremonti, dons the hijab and goes undercover to find out how Iranian women feel about the government-enforced dress code and about their diminished role in Iranian society.

Four Women of Egypt: Women Make Movies
Call Number: VT 3452
Length: 90 minutes, color/black and white, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Women Make Movies, 1999

Four Egyptian women have the same goals--human dignity and social justice--but each adopts an approach radically different from the others. Muslim, Christian, Jewish or non-religious, their visions of society range from wanting a secular or socialist state to an Islamic one. These friends, deeply committed, argue openly, without ever breaking the bond that unites them.

Hidden Faces
Call Number: VT 1429
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Women Make Movies, 1990

An Egyptian woman living in Paris returns home to interview famed writer and activist Nawal El Saadawi, but becomes disillusioned with Saadawi's behavior and attitudes. Illuminated by passages from El Saadawi's writings, the film follows the interviewer's journey to her family home and discovers the complex frictions between modernity and tradition. Her mother's decision to return to the veil after twenty years and cousin's clitoridectomy disturb her. This absorbing documentary broaches the contradictions of feminism in a Egypt and provides a surprising picture of contemporary women in the Arab world.

Iranian Journey
Call Number: VT 3607
Length: 60 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Filmakers Library, 1999

This documentary follows Masoumeh Soltan Bolaghie, the first female bus driver in the Muslim world, as she drives her bus on a 20-hour journey from the Iranian capital, Tehran, to the port city of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf coast. The changes in the lives and roles of women in a period of transition in Iran are explored. In a country where women's choices, including what they wear, are restricted by legal and religious doctrine, Masoumeh is a symbol of determination for change to take place in this Islamic society.

Leila
Call Number: VT 2932
Length: 102 minutes, black and white/color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: First Run/Icarus Films, 1997

A wife in Iran who cannot have children is pressured by her in-laws into persuading her husband to take another wife so that he may have sons. A portrayal of the clash between tradition and modern marriage in Iran.

L'Espoir Voile Femmes De Palestine
Call Number: VT 2020
Length: 59 minutes, VHS 1/2", color
Distributor: Women Make Movies, 1994

A survey of the current conditions and status of Palestinian Arab women.

The Mountain
Call Number: VT 1066
Length: 24 minutes, color, Arabic with English subtitles.
Distributor: Hanna Elias, producer/director, 1992

An award-winning film about a Palestinian girl in Galilee who falls in love with a young man from Gaza who sells vegetables in her village. Her parents oppose her marriage, but her grandmother helps her to elope across the mountain. Flashbacks to her mother's situation -- who was forced into an arranged marriage -- are included. The elegantly photographed drama provides insights into Palestinian family, village and cultural life.

The Price of Change
Call Number: VT 1604
Length: 26 minutes, 16mm film, color
Distributor: Icarus Films, 1982

This film examines the consequences of work for five women in Egypt -- a factory worker, a village leader involved with family planning, a doctor, a social worker, and a member of Parliament. The film presents a picture of changing attitudes towards work, the family, sex, and women's place in Egyptian society.

A Veiled Revolution
Call Number: VT 415
Length: 26 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Icarus Films, 1982

Egypt was the first Arab country where women marched in political demonstrations (1919); the first where women took off the veil (1923); and the first to offer free public secular education to women (1924). Today young women are returning to traditional garb, sometimes with full face veil and gloves, which they call Islamic dress. The film examines their motivations and aspirations, as both pious and career-oriented women.

Wildflowers: Women of South Lebanon
Call Number: VT 677
Length: 75 minutes, color,1/2" VHS
Distributor: Arab Film Distribution, 1986

This docudrama covers the reactions of Lebanese villagers to the Israeli occupation that began in June 1982. Focuses on the roles played by women who must cope with daily life in that insecure environment.

Women Under Siege
Call Number: VT 3323
Length: 28 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Icarus Films, 1982

Rashadiyah is a refugee camp six miles north of the Israeli border, in Southern Lebanon. Once a peaceful agricultural village, in 1964 it became the setting for a camp housing 14,000 Palestinian refugees. For years they lived under constant harassment and threat of Israeli attack. Women play a crucial role in the Palestinian community, as mothers, teachers, political organizers, farm laborers, and fighters. Through actual footage and interviews with the women of Rashadiyah in 1981, this film explores the lives of six representative Palestinian women.

VI. Politics and International Relations

Afghanistan: Importing the Taliban Revolution
Call Number: VT 3064
Length: 24 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

Takes a firsthand look at the results and implications of the escalating tensions between Afghanistan and its neighbors.

Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe, 1948
Call Number: VT 2315
Length: 56 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1997

Focuses on the effects of the 1947 partitioning of Palestine, specifically on the plight of Palestinian refugees.

The Arabs and Israel since 1947
Call Number: VT 592
Length: 60 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: BBC Films, 1989

A critical look at the evolution of the political, religious, and economic relationship between the Arab States and Israel.
Part 1: Jewish Arab Relations, 1917-1949;
Part 2: Jewish-Arab Relations, 1949;
Part 3: Arab-Israeli Conflict;
Part 4: Israel -- foreign relations -- Arab Countries;
Part 5: Arab Countries -- foreign relations with Israel.

Arab-Israeli Struggle for Peace
Call Number: VT 1598
Length: 55 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Media, 1993

This film traces Arab-Israeli relations from the creation of Israel in 1948 to the signing of the peace treaty in September of 1993. Included are scenes of Jewish refugee camps, the Suez Crisis, and the careers of Gamal Abdel Nasser, Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir. All of the conflicts are covered using historic footage -- the June 1967 and October 1973 wars, Beirut, the Golan Heights as well as terrorist activities and regional rivalries that affect the lives of all in the Middle East.

The Changing Dynamics of Terrorism on Television
Call Number: VT 2258
Length: 90 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Museum of Television and Radio, 1998

One in a series of two satellite seminars which investigate how prime-time television deals with reporting acts of terrorism. A panel of experts explore issues such as: What is the attitude of journalists towards terrorists? Has media coverage magnified the importance of terrorism out of all proportion? Has it served their propaganda? Does it prevent or complicate rescue missions? Is the journalist and the television camera the terrorists' best friend? This first segment focuses on these issues in relation to terrorist cases in Great Britain and Israel.

Checkpoint: The Palestinians after Oslo
Call Number: VT 2586
Length: 58 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color with black and white sequences
Distributor: Studio 58 Productions, 1997

Explores events after the 1993 Oslo Peace Accord, the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, Palestinian takeover of West Bank towns, the first Palestinian elections and growing frustration among Palestinians. Palestinians and Israelis speak of the contest over Jerusalem, Israeli settlement, forgotten refugees, and their visions of a just peace.

Children of Fire
Call Number: VT 676
Length: 50 minutes, color, VHS
Distributor: BBC Television, 1991

Video about the Palestinian uprising, seen from the perspectives of children in Nablus and of Mai Masri, the filmmaker who is returning home after a long absence.

The Deadly Game of Nations
Call Number: VT 337
Length: 60 minutes
Distributor: Films Incorporated, 1983

Deals with the military history of Israel and its effects on the citizens who live in kibbutzim (collective farming communities).

Democratization in the Middle East: The Lessons of Algeria
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 90 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: CAIS, 1992

Lecture by Dr. Michael Hudson (Georgetown University) on the prospects for democratization in the Middle East. He covers Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Yemen and particularly emphasizes Algeria in the wake of the cancellation of the parliamentary elections scheduled for January 1992.

Dreaming of a Nation: The Kurds
Call Number: VT 2779
Length: 50 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1994

"This program ... introduces us to warlords and guerrilla camps, and demonstrates how people who are threatened by genocide feel that a state of their own is their only protection."

The Evolution of Revolution
Call Number: VT 3070
Length: 73 minutes, black and white/color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

During the Carter administration, Iranian students seized the American embassy in Tehran--and 53 American hostages--to begin a standoff that lasted until Ronald Reagan's inauguration 444 days later. What factors prompted that act of terrorism? This program examines the history of America's relations with Iran and the consequences of an American foreign policy shaped more by a desire to protect an oil-dependent standard of living and opposition to communist expansion than to promote democracy.

Giant of the Gulf
Call Number: VT 1600
Length: 42 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Landmark Films, 1991

This video documents the transformations occurring in Iran which are changing this "bastion of Islamic fundamentalism" into an economic, political and military super-power. It explores the various factors which have allowed Iran to develop its resources and the changes which the nation is undergoing while maintaining its traditional roots. It alsodetails the opposition that these transformations face, and the government's responses to them.

The Gulf Crisis: The Road to War
Call Number: VT 2782
Length: 2 videocassettes, 147 minutes each, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1993

Records Bush administration decision making from the invasion of Kuwait through Desert Storm. Features officials who formulated U.S. policy during the Gulf War. Includes highlights from an AEI-sponsored day of discussions among the members of the Deputies Committee, the President's mamagement team, and others. Part One and Two.

The Gulf War
Call Number: VT 2771
Length: 3 videocassettes, 150 minutes each, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1997

This three-part documentary uses primary sources to proNorman Schwarzkopf, and former Secretary of State James Baker speak candidly about the secret political alliances and powerplays that fueled the conflict. Contents:

Part One: Roots of War
Part Two: No Turning Back
Part Three: Mother of All Battles

Inside God's Bunker
Call Number: VT 1432
Length: 90 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: MXP Productions, 1995

This documentary, gives a chilling up-close portrait of Jewish settlers in the West Bank town of Hebron, filmed during the months leading up to the famous 1994 massacre, and including post-massacre footage from Hebron when the city was closed to the media.

The Intifada and US Foreign Policy
Call Number: Located in the Arab and Islamic Studies Office
Length: 47 minutes
Distributor: Villanova Production, April 24, 1990

A lecture by Dr. Rashid Khalidi (University of Chicago) on US policy in relation to the Israel/Palestine conflict. His thesis is that the peace process is the result of the Intifada, the popular Palestinian uprising in the occupied territories. The lecture focuses mainly on US foreign policy during the 1980s.

Iran: A Revolution Betrayed
Call Number: VT 594
Length: 60 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Films Incorporated, 1984

Portrays the events leading up to the Iranian revolution and the aftermath of political and religious unrest. Includes Ahsan Adib's clandestinely shot film of events in the streets of Tehran in 1978 and 1979. Discusses the dictatorship of the Shah, his flight from Iran, and the return and victory of the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini.

The Islamic Wave
Call Number: VT 3631
Length: 50 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2000

Examines the sociopolitical landscape of Islamic hotspots in the Middle East, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sudan and elsewhere. Film also examines Islam's increasing popularity and considers the use of violence by Muslim extremists to attain their goals.

Israel and the Occupied Territories
Call Number: VT 1245
Length: 20 minutes, video, color
Distributor: Amnesty International, 1988

A graphic report by Amnesty International on human rights abuses by the Israeli armed forces on the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the intifada (uprising).

Journey to the Occupied Lands
Call Number: VT 883
Length: 86 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: PBS Video, 1992

Based on three years of interviews with Israelis and Palestinians, this Frontline program focuses on the region that offers the real key to peace in the Middle East: the Israeli occupied land of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The complexities of Palestinian life under Israeli military occupation are closely examined in this gripping documentary. Produced by Michael Ambrosino, 1993.

Kashmir: Valley of Despair
Call Number: VT 3317
Length: 44 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Examines the conflict between India and the Kashmiri rebels who want an independent state.

Kurdistan - The Last Colony
Call Number: VT 1601
Length: 52 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Films n.d. (1990?)

Raises questions about nationhood and the collective identity of the Kurdish people who have for centuries defied subjugation, assimilation and destruction by Turkey, Syria, Soviet Armenia, Iran and Iraq. Includes recent footage shot by Kurdish guerrilla groups of Iraqi and Iranian attacks on Kurds and background on the Kurdish resistance movement. Produced and directed by Ahmed Alauddin.

National Liberation Army of Iran Ready to Overthrow Mullahs' Regime
Call Number: VT 2683
Length: 60 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: ?

A propaganda film by the exile National Liberation Army of Iran that features a parade of its units. The NLA is based in Iraq.

Nightline in the Holy Land
Call Number: VT 537
Length: 7 hours, 4 videos, color
Distributor: ABC Distribution Company, 1988

This seven-hour set of videos, taped live in Jerusalem from April 25 to 29, 1988, includes interviews with three Israeli ministers, the military commander of the West Bank, a PLO official, and a Palestinian lawyer. Three hours are devoted to a lively but tense "town meeting" of Israeli members of parliament and Palestinian professionals. Two historians (Walid Khalidi and Yehuda Bauer) compare versions of the background to the conflict in a one-hour segment.

Nuclear War Between India and Pakistan
Call Number: VT 2658
Length: 28 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Center for Defense Information, 1998

This video discusses the underlying factors that caused India and Pakistan to join the nuclear power club. It describes why a war is possible between these nations and how it might start. Finally, it discusses actions that could be taken to prevent such a war.

Pakistan Between the Chitralis and Pathans
Call Number: VT 3214
Length: 51 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1999

Situated in western Asia, Pakistan occupies a region of political and economic tension. This program looks at Pakistan's complex relations with Iran, India, and the United States and the contributions of its multicultural population. The influences of Punjabi and Pathan (Pushtun), Sindhi and Baluchi, and Ismaili and Buddhist are all captured, set against the background of life both in cities and in rural communities. The region's heritage as the seat of the Indus Valley civilization is also explored.

Partition of Pakistak
Call Number: VT 2650
Length: 51 minutes, black and white/color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1998

Looks at the partition of Pakistan in 1947 and uses extensive original film footage of the partition period to illustrate the conflict and the political situation.

Oasis of Peace
Call Number: VT 1599
Length: 28 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Landmark Media, 1995

Set in the context of the Middle East conflict, "Oasis of Peace" is the story of a village in Israel named Neve Shalom where Jews and Palestinians, all Israeli citizens, have been living together as equals since 1978. This video documents the coexistence of the two groups who for the past 47 years have been taught to hate each other.

Professor Edward Said in Lecture: The Myth of the "Clash of Civilizations"
Call Number: VT 2530
Length: 55 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Media Education Foundation, 1998

"In this important lecture delivered at the University of Massachusetts, Edward Said takes aim at one of the central tenets of recent foreign policy thinking - that conflicts between different and clashing "civilizations" (Western, Islamic, Confucian) characterize the contemporary world. Said argues that collapsing complex, diverse and contradictory groups of people into vast, simplistic abstractions has disastrous consequences. Presenting instead a vision of the "coexistence" of difference, Said concludes with the fundamental challenge that faces humanity at the turn of the millennium"--description on the cover.

The Secret Files: Washington, Israel and the Gulf
Call Number: VT 738
Length: 60 minutes, 1/2" VHS, color
Distributor: WETA TV Washington, D.C., Feb. 17, 1992

Discusses how secret agreements in documents, subsequently declassified, helped to shape U.S. foreign policy toward Saudi Arabia and the Gulf and led to our involvement in the Gulf War of 1991.

The Survival of Saddam
Call Number: VT 3355
Length: 60 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: PBS Video, 2000

Examines how despite the Gulf War, economic sanctions, no-fly zones and military attacks from the Iraqi opposition, Saddam Hussein has been able to hold onto power. Also features a look at his rise to power

The Tears of Mesopotamia
Call Number: VT 3482
Length: 60 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Filmmakers Library, 1998

Describes the aftermath of the Iran/Iraqi and the Gulf Wars on a land that is now a flash point between Iran, Iraq, and Turkey.

Terrorism: Freedom of the Press and National Security
Call Number: VT 2259
Length: 90 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Museum of Television and Radio, 1998

The last segment in a series of two satellite seminars which investigate how prime-time television deals with reporting acts of terrorism. A panel of experts explore issues such as: What is the attitude of journalists towards terrorists? Has media coverage magnified the importance of terrorism out of all proportion? Has it served their propaganda? Does it prevent or complicate rescue missions? Is the journalist and the television camera the terrorists' best friend? This second segment focuses on these issues in relation to American journalism and terrorist cases in the United States.

USS Liberty Survivors: Our Story
Call Number: VT 1061
Length: 70 minutes, color, 1/2" VHS
Distributor: Sligo Productions, 1991

Eyewitness accounts by survivors of the attack by Israeli jets and torpedo boats on the reconnaissance ship USS Liberty on June 8, 1967, detail the events and discuss possible Israeli motivations for destroying the American ship. The survivors are particularly critical of the US government's subsequent cover-up and the lack of recognition of their heroism and suffering.

Voices in Exile: Immigrants and the First Amendment
Call Number: VT 602
Length: 30 minutes, VHS, color
Distributor: Olive Branch Productions, 1989

Examines the question of to what extent aliens are protected by First Amendments rights. Follows the case of eight Palestinian immigrants in Los Angeles who were arrested for distributing PLO literature. The case involved the FBI, the INS, and the ACLU.