In December, Harvard and Georgetown universities announced that they'd each received $20 million from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, for programs in Islamic studies....Presumably, Alwaleed's own photographer shot the event (it took place on November 7 at one of his properties in Paris).... It was a deliberately choreographed court ritual, about power and control.
The most striking element in the mise en scÚne is the positioning of Prince Alwaleed. He is front and center. Immediately to his right is Georgetown president John J. DeGioia. Note that they aren't positioned as equals--as joint partners in a shared enterprise. That's because DeGioia is a mere a recipient of royal largesse, inferior to Prince Alwaleed...It's telling, too, that DeGioia is grinning in gratitude, while Prince Alwaleed remains expressionless. DeGioia has achieved a coup, having added greatly to the university's endowment.... the figure seated at the far left comes in. He's Georgetown professor John Esposito, founding director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which has now been renamed for Prince Alwaleed.... |