OSU offers an undergraduate minor in Somali language and culture. For more information about the Somali language program at OSU, please contact Jibril Mohamed or Mohammed Omer at (614)292-0758 or by e-mail at Mohamed.196@osu.edu.
Somali Studies
Somali heritage language classes in Minneapolis public school
A high school in the Minneapolis public school system has begun offering Somali heritage language classes, likely the first public school in the U.S. to do so. At South High School, where the Somali classes are offered, nearly 60 students are registered in two class periods, one that focuses on Somali language and another on culture. Check out the story on CBS and Hiraan.
Video for speech language therapists on working with Somali families
Sirad Shirdon, one of my doctoral students, recently produced a narrated slideshow video for the 2012 American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) conference on cultural considerations in working with Somali families. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B218dtrFfzQ&feature=plcp and spread the word to any speech and language therapist you know.
Somali Studies for Educators at SSIA 2012
The Somali Studies for Educators project (teacher workshop, DVDs, website) was presented on October 11th at the Somali Studies International Association Congress 2012 in Lillehammer, Norway. The presentation ‘The Somali Studies for Educators Project at the Ohio State University’ was made by Sirad Shirdon on behalf of Laura Joseph and me. Sirad also presented her own paper, ‘The Educational Experiences of Urban Somali Refugee Children in Kenya’, as part of the same panel, Education: Who? How? Where?’
Nuruddin Farah at OSU
On September 13th, Nuruddin Farah will speak at OSU. The title of his lecture is “Remembering Somalia: A Writer Speaks”. This thirteenth annual Diversity Lecture & Cultural Arts Series event will be held at 4:30 pm in Saxbe Auditorium, Drinko Hall, 55 West 12th Avenue. A reception and book signing will immediately follow the lecture. RSVP: waugh.2@osu.edu
Invited Talk at University of Wisconsin Green Bay
On April 19th I will give at talk at UWGB on my research, outreach, and engagement with children and families of the Somali diaspora. Building on repertoires of practice as the conceptual core, I will discuss my research on language and literacy development and the Somali Studies for Educators project. The talk is one of the University’s Common Theme events and is sponsored by Psychology and Human Development, the Psi Chi honor society, and the academic unit in Anthropology.
Somali Studies for Educators website is live!
At long last, the Somali Studies for Educators website went live in late February. The site grew out of a 2009 teachers’ workshop held in Columbus, Ohio, which was initiated by The Ohio State University. Somali Studies for Educators offers many resources, including workshop syllabi, a growing list of online resources, and selected video clips from the 2009 workshop. These clips are organized into themes: identity, arts, family, education, language, and global cross-currents. We are still cleaning up a bit after the site’s migration from the development server, so please forgive any glitches.
Somali-American Buckeyes honored by White House as Champions of Change
On January 30th, the White House honored as Champions of Change 14 leaders in American Diaspora communities with roots in the Horn of Africa. Three of the honorees were Buckeyes. Abdi Roble is the founder and Executive Director of the Somali Documentary Project and Visiting Scholar at OSU’s Center for African Studies. Sagal Ali (BA in English from OSU) serves as a Program Lead with the Ready to Read Corps of Columbus Metropolitan Library where she works to educate low-income families on how to prepare their children for school and a better future. Ilhan Dahir, an OSU undergrad, is the founder and president of Interfaith Service Youth Corps. Watch the White House press conference (Sagal speaks at 14:30, Ilhan speaks at 32:50, Abdi speaks at 1:15:35) or read Abdi’s essay.
OSU job announcement: Asst Prof Somali language & culture
The Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) at The Ohio State University invites applications for tenure-track Assistant professor to teach courses in Somali language and culture beginning in fall 2012. Native or near native command of Somali is expected since the candidate will teach beginning, intermediate, advanced, and conversation courses in the language. The candidate’s area of specialization could include the following: Applied Linguistics, Foreign Language Education, Sociolinguistics, or related disciplines. For more information, see the announcement in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Somalia at Crossroads Conference at OSU
January 27 and 28, OSU is hosting a conference to deepen public discourse and understanding of the complex situation in Somalia. Issues to be discussed include the national roadmap, piracy, humanitarian crisis, frontline state military interventions, Diaspora remittance challenges, and community development issues. The conference is free and open to the public. For more information, see the Mershon Center announcement and video or got to the local events calendar of the Center for African Studies to download the program.