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by Ariel Fortune '08
It is no surprise why Kurt Werthmuller, M.A., assistant professor, Department of History and Political Science, is described as a historian of the Middle East. From meeting his wife in Egypt to attending an Arabic-speaking church to regularly dining at Middle-Eastern venues, this professor from Upstate New York fell in love with the region after developing an interest in one of his undergraduate history classes. However, whereas some may check out a local library book or attend a Middle-Eastern event, Werthmuller flew across the world to study in Cairo, Egypt.
After spending more than three years in the Middle East and devoting a majority of his life to researching its distinctive culture, Werthmuller now calls Egypt his second home. There he studied the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, medieval Islam, and the Arabic language, among other pursuits. He also traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, including time in Israel and the Palestinian West Bank for a scholarly workshop regarding that region's conflict. From 2000 to 2002, Werthmuller returned to the United States to complete his master’s work in Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University.
Joining APU last August, Werthmuller now teaches medieval and modern Middle East history, world civilization, and research and writing. As an assistant professor, he regularly converses with students and offers insight on issues such as the role of nationalist or religious ideology in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. Through sharing his experiences, Werthmuller hopes to expand students’ mindsets regarding the Middle East. He has a passion for promoting understanding and respect between Western and Middle Eastern peoples, and for the peaceful, just resolution of regional tensions that honors the rights and traditions of all communities involved. Werthmuller discusses the directness and friendliness of the Arab countries, a cultural manner that often catches Americans off guard.
“People tend to be very forward in their questions, opinions, and thoughts,” Werthmuller said. “We come from a more reserved background in America, and it seems that our goal of conversation is to avoid confrontation rather than jump into it.”
Certain cultural distinctions like these may cause Americans to misperceive other cultures like the Middle East and vice-versa. Through enlightening dialogue, Werthmuller wishes to break these misconceptions and teach APU students about the hospitable, polite, and unique culture with which he has become so intertwined.
In the future, he hopes students better understand this area, which Werthmuller says “is in the middle of the news for all the wrong reasons.” The Middle-Eastern culture is all around us. Aside from local dining venues and churches, Los Angeles houses one of the largest communities of Middle Eastern immigrants in the United States. By looking at the local perspectives of these people, meeting Middle Eastern nationals, traveling to the region, and accessing modern Arabic literature and cinema, Wethmuller says the APU community can begin developing their understanding of this region.
