Iymen Chehade

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iymen Chehade
Chehade-iymen-2021.jpg
Chehade presenting during a Chicago event, 2021
Born (1974-03-31) March 31, 1974 (age 47)
Chicago U.S.
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
OccupationHistory professor, human rights activist

Iymen Chehade is a Palestinian-American professor of history and public speaker.

He is an advocate of academic freedom and Palestinian rights. He was involved in a national controversy showing the film 5 Broken Cameras, an Academy Award-nominated documentary.[1] Chehade has performed as an actor on stage and screen. In 2014 he founded Uprising Theater, a nonprofit for the arts. Since its inception, he has produced and directed plays and readings highlighting the Palestinian experience.[2]

Early life and education[]

Iymen Chehade was born March 31, 1974, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois at Chicago where he received a BA in History in 2000 and his Masters in History and Education in 2007.

Career[]

Academic[]

Columbia College Chicago : 2007 – present[]

Chehade currently teaches Middle Eastern History and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, a course created and implemented by himself. This course has been at the center of controversy and focuses on his activism around academic freedom.[3]

School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) : 2013 – Present Day[]

In 2013, Chehade began teaching a course on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict and the Syrian War.[4]

Previously, he had taught as an adjunct history professor at Roosevelt University,[1] Kaplan University Online, and The International Academy of Design and Technology.

Public speaking[]

Throughout 2014, Chehade presented at several conferences and discussions across college campuses on academic freedom during his conflict with Columbia College and the cancellation of his course. That same year, he also spoke at the National Students for Justice in Palestine Conference, at George Mason University.[1]

He served as Senior Policy Advisor for the Intergenerational United Nations Conference on the conflict in Palestine/Israel at the University of Chicago. In 2018, Chehade spoke at the ‘Censorship at the Art Institute Chicago’ presentation held at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. Chehade spoke at ‘Flaws of Trump’s Deal of the Century’ at the University of Chicago in March 2020.

Performances and productions[]

Chehade has been seen on screen and stage as an actor. He is a producer and director of several theater productions in Chicago. He was a producer of a Chicago production of 'The Gaza Monologues.[5] He wrote, produced, and directed a film about a Palestinian family living under occupation called Garden of the Three in 2009.[1]

Television actor[]

  • 2015 – Sirens (TV Series): Charbroiled – Doctor #3 (co-starring), Fox 21 Television Studios[6]
  • 2016 – Chicago Med (TV Series): Reunion – Prince Faisal (co-starring), Dick Wolf/NBC[6]

Theater actor[]

  • 2008 – "Might as Well be True", Restaurant Owner, Victory Gardens
  • 2011 – "Finding Your Inner Monkey", Dr. Everett, Second City
  • 2013 – "I Wish to Apologize to the People of Illinois", Tony Rezko, Agency Theater Collective[7]
  • 2013 – "Paradise Lost", Paul, Agency Theater Collective[8]

Theater producer[]

  • 2009 – "Garden of the Three"[1]
  • 2020 – Reading of "Layla in Lala Right to a Narrative: Chicago", Uprising Theater[9]
  • 2020 – Reading of "Return to Haifa Right to a Narrative: Chicago", Uprising Theater[9]
  • 2021 – Virtual Reading of "The Story of Zahra", Uprising Theater[9]
  • 2021 – Virtual Reading of "g", Uprising Theater[9]

Theater director[]

  • 2009 – Garden of the Three[1]
  • 2010 – Reading of The Gaza Monologues, Columbia College Chicago[5]
  • 2013 – Documentary Film My Personal Intifada, Columbia College Chicago
  • 2020 – Reading of Food and Fadwa Right to a Narrative: Chicago, Uprising Theater[9]

Theater writer[]

  • 2009 – Garden of the Three[1]

Activism[]

Chehade's activism has centered on human rights and public policy regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and academic freedom.[10] He sits on the American Association of University Professors Committee A on Academic Freedom with 5 other members. He serves as the faculty advisor to both Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace chapters on campus.[4]

Columbia College Chicago: course cancellations[]

In October 2013, Professor Chehade presented a screening of 5 Broken Cameras, an Academy Award-nominated documentary, to the students enrolled in his course on the Palestinian-Israeli impasse at Columbia College Chicago. The film documents weekly protests in the West Bank’s village of Bil’in.[11] Shortly after the viewing, the chair of the Department of Humanities, History, and Social Science at Columbia College Chicago informed Chehade that a student had complained of bias being exhibited in his class referencing the screening of 5 Broken Cameras. In the spring of 2014, Chehade’s course and contract for two sections that semester was canceled. Columbia College cited class enrollment and rotating curriculum as reasons for the cancellation.[12]

Chehade and his supporters launched a campaign for academic freedom called "Respect Academic Freedom: Palestine is No Exception." (RAF-PINE) By March 20, 2014, 6,900 signatures from across the world, numerous articles and interviews, a rally featuring Ali Abunimah, and a call-in had been organized.[13] The co-director of 5 Broken Cameras, Guy Davidi, wrote an open letter of support for Chehade and urged Columbia to reverse its decision.[3] The Illinois Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) wrote a letter of support for Chehade asserting that Professor Chehade's academic freedom was violated after conducting an independent investigation. Columbia College Chicago was found guilty of an academic freedom violation, and the class was reinstated. Columbia College maintains its position.[13]

In 2015, Columbia College Chicago canceled Chehade's Spring 2016 courses again, citing a decline in enrollment.[13] A federal lawsuit was filed by Columbia's part-time faculty union, P-Fac, alleging the college was in breach of its contractual duty arising from the previous cancellation on October 9, 2016. The course was reinstated on December 7, 2015.[14]

Uprising Theater[]

In 2014, Chehade founded Uprising Theater, along with some students and colleagues to create awareness about the Palestinian Israeli conflict. Uprising Theater is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Chehade, alongside Co-Artistic Director, Maren Rosenberg, aims for Uprising Theater to be the first theater in the country that prioritizes performances that bring awareness to the plight of Palestinians.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Isaacs, Deanna. "At Columbia College, a film screening is followed by a charge of bias". Chicago Reader.
  2. ^ a b "Mission". Uprising Theater.
  3. ^ a b "Guy Davidi: In Support of Professor Iymen Chehade". Palestine Chronicle. 29 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Iymen Chehade fights Chicago school's cancellation of his class". Mondoweiss. March 24, 2014.
  5. ^ a b "The Gaza Monologues: A Dramatic Reading". American Friends Service Committee. 24 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Iymen Chehade". IMDb.
  7. ^ "I Wish to Apologize to the People of Illinois". The Agency. 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  8. ^ "Paradise Lost". The Agency. 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Uprising Theater: Past Programs". Uprising Theater.
  10. ^ "SXU welcomes Iymen Chehade of Columbia College to campus on April 1". Saint Xavier University.
  11. ^ "Administrators against justice in Palestine". Socialist Worker.
  12. ^ Sadat, Laila (30 November 2015). "Columbia College Chicago Professor Faces Round Two in Fight for Academic Freedom". Chicago Monitor.
  13. ^ a b c "Columbia College reinstates Palestinian professor's censored class". The Arab Daily News. 8 April 2014.
  14. ^ "Professor's Course Section Added After Much Debate". Columbia Chronicle.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""