"In The Name Of God" By Paula Jolin Response

This book was both fascinating to me and also difficult to read. I was and still really am not too familiar with how culture works in the Middle East, specifically for this book, in Syria. It was enlightening to see the daily interactions of Nadia and her cousins with their different perspectives. Growing up in the United States, it is very foreign for me to envision a female needing a male to go with them in order to be safe. And even when a women has a male figure to go with them, there is the possibility of danger wherever you go. It is hard to fathom these things and the long standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians because I did not grow up in that culture and haven't been thoroughly educated about the conflict. While there are many difficulties and administrative problems with teaching this book, due to its content, I think it would be an enlightening read for students. So often we are taught one side of a story without knowing the experiences and feelings of another group. I feel that this book is able to capture the sorts of feelings of resentment towards Israel and the United States' involvement with the situation. However, I'm not sure how I would necessarily teach this book in an English class. As a social studies major, I feel that this book may be better served and utilized in a social studies class, or more specifically, a current world affairs class. If the school would allow the reading of this book, I think it could be a unique opportunity for a social studies teacher and English teacher to collaborate and create a unit together that uses this book. That way the students can analyze the text in the English class but be able to have an insight into the culture for their social studies/ current world affairs class.