By Mitchell Polman
During his tenure as director of the now defunct United States Information Agency, renowned journalist Edward R. Murrow said, "The really crucial link in the international communication chain is the last three feet, which is bridged by personal contact, one person talking to another.” Public diplomacy practitioners often refer to Murrow's statement in describing the nature of their work. It was with this vital aspect of human communication in mind that the
Fulbright Scholars program and the Department of State's
Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in 2004 created the "Direct Access to the Muslim World" program.
The program makes it possible for U.S. universities to bring specialists from the Islamic world to the U.S. for six weeks of teaching, scholarship, and engagement with local communities. Fulbright scholars in this program, visiting academics from countries as diverse as Indonesia and Bosnia, have academic duties at their host institutions, and team-teach with host college professors. They are also expected to meet and talk with high school students, community service groups, religious groups, and other local organizations.
Many of the
sponsoring institutions are small colleges, state universities, and community colleges. In short, the emphasis is on giving Americans, especially in rural and small-towns, the opportunity to learn directly about the Muslim faith and life in predominantly Muslim societies directly from scholars who live in a predominantly Muslim society. The scholars also assist their host universities in developing curricula and materials related to Islam, including at colleges with no or very few programs related to Islam. The program is in real demand. "It's been a popular program", says Andy Riess, from the Outreach and Public Relations office of the
Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (a division of the
International Institute of Education), which administers the program under contract from the State Department.
One of this year's scholars was Professor Fikret Karcic, an Islamic theologian and professor