Oral History Interview: Dustin C. Cowell (1351)

Abstract

In his August 2013 interview with Paul Beckett, Dustin Cowell gives an overview of his over five-decade career in Arabic language studies and teaching. He chronicles his growing interest in language during high-school and college, eventually leading to an interest in Andalusian Arabic culture. He then details how extensive experience in Spain, North Africa, and Egypt led him to UW-Madison’s African Languages and Literature department, from where he devoted considerable time to Sahelian and Malaysian Arabic-language cultures. Along the way, Cowell discusses influential colleagues and administrators who were instrumental in his development and in the development of a vibrant Arabic program at UW. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the UW-Madison Oral History Program as part of the African Studies Oral History Project,