My name is Aisha Al Misnad, and I am a communications student at Northwestern university, who has always had an interest in politics and the way that media intersects within it. In one of the very first classes I took in my journey of being an NUQ student, I remember the professor making a remark about the media and how it is the unofficial fourth pillar of democracy. This is what highlighted my interest in taking this minor, and this decision has led me to create this e-portfolio.
This e-portfolio is an exhibition of my personal journey throughout the semesters, as I attained more knowledge on the political landscape of the world. Here, I have showcased my personal reflections on each of the courses I have taken, in addition to my centered research and video essay on my chosen theme that I believe twines both my culture and my studies together.
Throughout this project, I learned about the way in which political expression can manifest through different forms, and so I wanted to center my topic around a medium that is deeply entrenched within the history of the Middle-East; poetry.
Thus, I chose to center my topic around the intrinsic marriage of political expression to Arabic poetry within the Middle East, as it is a medium that has been used throughout history to both resist and repress, in addition to highlighting the Arab identity.
Both the video essay and the written reflection were designed and created to emphasize the power of poetry through politics by focusing on different countries, histories, and influential figures that all encompassed what it means to utilize poetry to change public opinion and be a tool for diplomacy.
With that being said, I welcome you all to explore this website and enjoy looking through it as much as I enjoyed creatingit!
Video Presentation:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UhR3elapfJp8Is7yZxSHvW1mzv2WtGmu/view
E-Portfolio:
https://sites.google.com/u.northwestern.edu/poetryandpoliticalexpression/home
