Exploring Fez: Architecture, Culture, and Communication

Architecture And Urban Culture 

Founded in the year 808, Fez is often called "the best preserved medieval city" in North Africa. Held to be Morocco's spiritual capital, it functions as both a magnet for pilgrims from sub-Saharan Africa and a major draw for tourists in search of cultural heritage. Over the course of the trip, as students experience a city with which many remain unfamiliar, the learning experience will encompass the challenges of travel, how to negotiate cross-cultural encounters, and how to transpose these experiences into text and images. 

Graduate Study Trips

"The course provides training in cross-media platforms and an introduction to the workings of cultural and social life in an unusual and complex historic city."

– Prof. Justin McGuinness

While discovering Islamic architecture and design and their roles in Fez's public identity, students will also examine the urban renewal and communications that taking place in a heritage city in a developing country. This will be especially relevant within the context of the Fez Sacred Music Festival, which has, during the last 18 years, changed the image of Fez both in Morocco and abroad, and helped many reevaluate the roles of religion and spirituality in developing global civil societies. 

Students will also produce blog entries about the Fez forum, where public intellectuals work for world peace and a better global understanding of the Islamic tradition. As the course gives students more insight into the many aspects involved in working within an Arabic and Muslim context, they will develop practical projects and skills for communications, including video and blog production, communication campaigns for local populations, and the creation of textual and visual content that can be accessed by an international (namely, Anglophone) audience. 

Fez is often called "the best preserved medieval city" in North Africa.

Exploring Morocco

Students discover Islamic architecture and design and their roles in Fez's public identity.

Students on the Fez study trip

On the trip, students experience a city with which many remain unfamiliar.

A student looks out over Fez

Students also examine the urban renewal and communications that taking place in a heritage city in a developing country. 

Students ask questions on the Fez trip

The trip includes visits to historic sites of cultural heritage.

Fez trip involves historic sites

"The course provides... an introduction to the workings of cultural and social life in an unusual and complex historic city."

Students and professor in Morocco

With training in cross-media platforms and an introduction to the workings of cultural and social life in this unusual and historic city, students will attain a more profound grasp of the relationship between media, religion, and globalization. Students will also be made aware of the difficulties of capturing quality audio-visual footage of live events and will learn how to improvise and develop socio-cultural technological solutions in the complex environment of Morocco.

AUP has been bringing its students to this city and music event for years and will continue to foster this positive and pro-active relationship with the players involved.