This
spring, Wellesley Education Expeditions is pleased
to offer a journey to Morocco,
a country that bridges Europe and Africa, the Atlantic
Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, the ancient way
of life and the modern. Its many settlers from over
the centuries—from Berbers and Romans to Jews
and Arabs—have left their stamp on the country’s
cultural identity, enriching its ethnic diversity,
history, and culture.
Accompanied by Professor Wil Rollman, we will explore its varied regions, religious
heritage, cultural institutions, and historic legacies. After arriving in Casablanca,
the main port and the country’s largest city, we will proceed to Rabat,
the capital. There, we’ll tour the city’s ruins and casbahs and sample
traditional foods. Traveling North to Tangier, located on the Strait of Gibraltar,
we will visit the old city and its museum of crafts and archaeology. Heading
East into the country’s northernmost mountain range, the Rif Mountains,
we’ll tour ancient, picturesque towns, before heading to the intellectual
capital, Fes. Considered the last true example of a typical medieval Arab town,
Fes boasts the world’s oldest university, as well as specialty bazaars,
craft and mosaic-tile workshops, and museums.
Next, we travel East to the ruins of Volubilis and the 17th-century Imperial
City Meknes, before we cross the Atlas ranges to the Sahara. We will explore
the Tafilalet oasis, the ruins of Sijilmassa, and the great Erg Chebbhi dunes.
Other highlights include visits to Morocco’s “Grand Canyon” and
Ouarzazate, the desert setting made famous by films such as Lawrence of Arabia
and Gladiator.
With several days in Marrakech, known as the “Jewel of the South,” we
will experience the city’s colorful bazaars and local museums. We will
travel to the tiny hamlet of Aremd, at the foot of North Africa’s highest
mountain, where the traditional Berber way of life continues to flourish.
Throughout the trip, we'll enjoy deluxe accommodations, guidance from talented
academic leadership and special private visits which will enrich our experience
of this colorful country. Join us for this remarkable adventure!
|
Wilfrid Rollman
is an adjunct associate professor of history at Wellesley and a lecturer in the
department of international relations at Boston University. He earned his Ph.D.
in history from the University of Michigan, with specializations in North African,
Middle Eastern, and Islamic history, religion, and culture.
At Wellesley, he teaches courses addressing these areas and is co-director of
the Winter-session Program in Morocco. He has lived for extended periods of time
in the Middle East, France, and North Africa.
He is an affiliate in research at Harvard Univer-sity's Center for Middle Eastern
Studies and a fellow of the Center for International Relations at Boston University.
Professor Rollman has published on the history and historiography of North Africa
and its relations with Europe. |
