Pakistani Immigration: Transnationalism

By in Immigrant NYC, Middle Eastern Immigration, Uncategorized

Transnationalism By Kevin Ferreria, Wagner College ’13 “Islam teaches [us that] what country you live in, you should support them. . . . See, if I live in America, I have to support America.” Many Muslim Pakistani immigrants struggle with their identify, negotiating their transnational lives, split between Pakistan and the United States of America, their “model” minority status and the constant suspicion they face as Muslims within post 9/11 United States. The first wave of Southeast Asian immigration began with the 1965 passage of the Immigration Act, which drew upper class, highly educated immigrants entering on professional and technical visas. In 1980, the “second” wave of Southeast Asian immigration began, changing from professional and technical visa entry to the majority entering through family reunification visas. As the first wave began to take root, creating...

Gamul Abdul Nasser

By in Political Leaders

By Aisha Raheel, Wagner College ’16 President Gamal Abdul Nasser was a ruler like no other in Egyptian history. He was the son of a postal clerk and had no roots in the Egyptian upper class (Time, 1970). He seized power in a military coup but became a very popular ruler during his reign, remembered with nostalgia after his death. He tried to improve the lives of ordinary Egyptians through land reform and public education (Migdal, 1988; Ahmed, 1992). Yet Nasser’s greatest legacy was attempts at preserving Egypt’s independence and promoting Third World independence more generally. His greatest triumph was the nationalization of the Suez Canal. In addition, he also tried to promote Arab unity through his union with Syria. The attempt at a political union among Arab states was a failure but the Arabs united as one people with a shared language and culture was popular among ordinary...

Are Leaders Born or Made?

By in Leadership

Leaders are indeed made, not born. My students have argued this issue while examining Nelson Mandela’s transformation from lawyer to “terrorist” to President of South Africa.  While we may remember Neil Armstrong or Wangari Matthai or Dwight D. Eisenhower for their most notable accomplishment, real leaders link their greatest success to a lifetime of struggle and teamwork. History is about interpreting the past, which gives us the tools to address controversial issues today.  It gives us the insight on how leaders have been successful and what lessons we can apply to our own lives.  Explore these pages to see how myself and my students navigate this complex questions and make them relevant to our own lives.