Jillian C. York · November, 2009

Latest posts by Jillian C. York from November, 2009

Morocco: Peace Corps Community Honors So Youn Kim

  22 November 2009

The Peace Corps bloggers are mourning the loss of a fellow volunteer, 23-year-old So Youn Kim, who had worked at a youth center in the southern Moroccan village of Tamegrout. Bloggers who knew her and those who didn't have memorialized Kim in a set of posts describing her ambition, her beauty, her incredible drive, and the important work she was doing in Morocco.

Western Sahara: Aminatou Haidar Deported

  18 November 2009

Aminatou Haidar is a leading activist for independence of the Western Sahara (from Morocco). On Friday, November 13 when, upon returning to Laayoune (a city in the Western Sahara region), she was arrested and subsequently deported. Jillian C. York rounds up the reactions of bloggers.

Egypt vs. Algeria: The Twitter Match

  15 November 2009

In much of the world, nothing is more unifying - or in some instances, more polarizing - than a football match. Egyptian and Algerian fans battled it off on Twitter as their national teams faced off for a place in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Morocco: Aicha Ech Chenna Wins Opus Prize

  13 November 2009

In Morocco, women who get pregnant out of wedlock are often shunned from their communities. Activist and social worker Aicha Ech Chenna has been working for almost 25 years to help such mothers and their children. Now, her efforts are being rewarded.

Morocco: Touring the Moroccan Foodscape

  4 November 2009

Ask anyone who's never been what they know about Morocco, and it's likely that one of the first words out of their mouth will be "couscous." The seminal Moroccan dish is famous the world over, and to many, is synonymous with the country itself. But Moroccan cuisine goes far beyond couscous, offering delectables both sweet and savory, meaty and vegetarian. And this week, bloggers are tempting us with all of it!

USA: Race and Gender Politics of Halloween

  3 November 2009

Racial stereotypes and oversexed depictions of women were not uncommon for Halloween costumes this season, as many US bloggers noted. One "illegal alien" costume sold in major stores, was even found offensive enough to provoke a campaign against it.

Syria: The Best or the Worst Article Ever?

  3 November 2009

Syrian bloggers frequently decry travel writing about their country - often it's too stereotypical, sometimes downright false. And for a country considered long "isolated" at least from the United States, it can be particularly frustrating to see such writing promoted as accurate. In this post, we will examine reactions to a recent National Geographic article on the country.