Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The Middle East is a politically complex region. War, civil unrest, and turmoil have affected this region for centuries. What are some notable conflicts in this part of the world discussed in your history or social studies classes? Why might this area have a complicated, difficult history?

Teaching Suggestion: Depending on students’ familiarity with the topic, it may be helpful to mention that the causes of conflict and difficulties in the region are themselves complex. Tension has been fueled by a variety of reasons—religious, political, and ethnic differences have all, at times, contributed to conflict among the population. Occasionally, outside forces have intervened in the region as well. Bringing the focus of discussion to the Iran-Iraq war, the conflict that is most central to Saedi’s story in Americanized, will be beneficial to students.

• Vox’s 10-minute video “The Middle East’s Cold War, Explained” tells the history of modern conflict in the Middle East in the 20th and 21st centuries, focusing on Iran’s and Saudi Arabia’s role in the war and political turmoil.