CHICO — For the next 10 months, Chico State professor Heather Altfeld, a recent Fulbright award recipient, will be in Morocco studying the folklore, rituals, saints and spirits that compose the nation’s heritage.
Altfeld is a lecturer in Chico State’s Honors Program and in the Department of Comparative Religion and Humanities. As she conducts her research in Morocco, she will be writing a series of literary essays on her findings.
“I’m intrigued by the ways that Islam and Judaism in Morocco have developed unique, atypical practices that honor some of the same ‘saints,’ a practice considered quite unorthodox in both faiths,” Altfeld said in a university press release.
These essays are a part of her project with the Fulbright Program, an international exchange funded through the U.S. government that aims to foster intercultural dialogue and research.
Altfeld has been to Morocco before and said she fell in love with the country after seeing how Moroccans treat their children.
“I found it to be so different from the U.S. and it made me really want to keep going back,” said Altfeld in the press release.
Altfeld is an essayist and a poet. Her writing has won her multiple awards and garnered the acclaim of her colleagues.
“We are very proud of Heather for receiving this prestigious award which will allow her to research connections between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Morocco,” said Daniel Veidlinger, Department of Comparative Religion and Humanities chair. “I can think of few subjects that could be more relevant to the challenges facing the world today than examples of cooperation between Jews and Muslims in the region.”
Altfeld applied for the award in early 2023 before the war broke out in the nearby Middle East. Altfeld is taking this into consideration as she studies the complexities of the Jewish and Muslim populations of Morocco.
Related Articles
Microgreens and big dreams sprouting at Chico State
Anita Barker retiring as Chico State’s Executive Director of Athletics at the end of September
Jay Johnson named as Chico Sportsperson of the Year at 49th Chico Sports Hall of Fame and Senior Athletes Banquet
Chico State gives send off to behavioral and social sciences graduates
Son of fallen Red Bluff police officer graduates from Chico State
“Heather, with her insightful mind and creative writing abilities, will no doubt do justice to this topic and I am excited to read the results of her research,” Veidlinger said. “This will also help to raise the profile of our department especially if she gets her work published in widely circulated journals which would not be a first for this impressive scholar.”
Chico State President Steve Perez said that though the Fulbright award is an honor, he is not surprised Altfeld received it.
“She’s a tremendous writer and has received numerous prestigious awards. Her work in the Honors Program as well as in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts has helped countless students unlock their creativity and become better writers,” Perez said. “I can’t wait to learn about her latest discoveries in Morocco and I have no doubt her experiences on this trip will benefit Chico State students for years to come.”
+ There are no comments
Add yours