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Dr. Marielle Risse

  • Dr. M. Risse
    • Recent and forthcoming research
    • Biography
    • CV
    • Contact
    • How NOT to Describe People Who Are Foreign to You: Exoticizing Omanis
    • Geography is Destiny: Growing up in Columbia, Maryland
  • Research on Oman
    • How NOT to Describe People Who Are Foreign to You: Exoticizing Omanis
    • Practicalities of Moving to the Arabian Peninsula
      • Bibliography for ‘Researching and Working on the Arabian Peninsula’ (2025, Palgrave Macmillan)
      • Practicalities of Moving to the Arabian Peninsula: How to Sit, Not Wear Shoes and Use Your Hands
      • Practicalities of Moving to the Arabian Peninsula: Getting and Sending Mail/ Packages
      • Practicalities of Moving to the Arabian Peninsula: Navigating Public Spaces
      • Practicalities of Moving to the Arabian Peninsula: Dealing with Loss
    • Houseways in Southern Oman
    • Foodways in Southern Oman
      • Foodways – Overview and Images
      • Short Essays on Aspects of Foodways – What to Eat Where When and How
      • Selected References – Foodways in Southern Oman (Routledge, 2021)
    • Research on Fishing in Dhofar
      • Chapter published – “Lifeways of Traditional Fishermen in Dhofar, Oman”
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Work: Mental Maps and Wayfinding Apps in Dhofar, Oman
    • Research on Travelers and Tourists in Dhofar
      • Accounts from the Journeys of the ‘Palinurus’ – 2018
      • Wilfred Thesiger as Traveler and Anthropologist – 2013
      • Tourism in the Dhofar Region of Oman – 2009
      • Travel Writing, Anthropology and Fiction & the Culture of Southern Arabia – 2009
      • “Treachery in the Kitchen”: Traveling Foreign, Eating Familiar – 2008
    • Research on Aspects of Dhofari Cultures
      • Reflections/ Research on Teaching Cultural Studies and Literature
      • Excerpts from “Issues of Autonomy in Southern Oman” – 2017
      • Generosity, Gift-Giving, and Gift-Avoiding in Southern Oman – 2015
      • Cultural Refraction: Using Travel Writing, Anthropology and Fiction to Understand the Culture of Southern Arabia – 2009
      • The Conception of Self-Respect in Southern Oman – 2013
      • Understanding the Impact of Culture on the TESOL Classroom – 2011
    • Research on Dhofari Folk and Fairy Tales
      • An Ethnographic Discussion of Folk Tales from Southern Oman – 2019
      • “Reader’s Guide” for the English version of Khadija bint Alawi al-Thahab’s My Grandmother’s Stories: Folk Tales from Dhofar – 2012
    • Bibliographies
      • Selected References – Creating Effective Interactions: Researching, Teaching and Working on the Arabian Peninsula (2025, Palgrave MacMillan)
      • General Bibliography for Research about Dhofar, Oman (updated spring 2023)
      • Selected References – Houseways in Southern Oman (2023, Routledge)
      • General Bibliography for Research about Dhofar, Oman (2019)
      • Annotated Bibliography – Texts Pertaining to Dhofar, Oman
      • Selected References – Books on Dhofar in Arabic
  • Pedagogy
    • Reflections/ Research on Teaching Cultural Studies and Literature
    • Using Creative Writing Prompts in Language Learning
    • Antigone and Ismene – Making Difficult Choices
    • Teaching “Aurora Leigh” in Oman – 2014
    • “Cloistered Virtue”: Choosing Literary Texts in a ME University – 2013
    • Teaching Middle Eastern and Western Literature in Tandem
      • Selected Fiction (Novels and Short Stories) – Arabian Peninsula
      • Conference presentation: Bringing Language Teaching into Literature Classrooms
      • Using Local Voices in ME Literature Classrooms – 2012
      • John Clare Looks Good in a Dishdash: Linking John Clare to Middle Eastern Poetry – 2011
      • Western/ Middle Eastern Conceptions of “Nature” – 2009
      • Marlowe in Salalah: Making English Poetry Relevant – 2008
      • Uncertainty while Teaching Literature in the Middle East – 2007
    • Al Hakim’s Princess Sunshine – 2007
    • Suggestions for Literature Teachers in the Middle East
      • Teaching Paired Literary Texts
      • Suggested Literature Texts – 2018
      • Writing Prompts to Facilitate Creativity – 2016
      • Poems
        • “What He Thought,” Heather McHugh
        • Two poems for spring: “Dear March – Come in” by Emily Dickinson and “March” by Goethe
        • Two poems for courage: “Against Hesitation” by Charles Rafferty and “Thalassa” by Louis MacNeice
        • Two poems about nature and rest: “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry and “Sleeping in The Forest,” Mary Oliver
        • A good poem for hard times – “Atlas” by U. A. Fanthorpe
        • Poems – “Finding Poems for my Students” by Mohja Kahf
        • Poems – “Locals” by James Lasdun
        • Poems – “Small Comfort” by Katha Pollitt
        • Poems – “God Says Yes To Me” by Kaylin Haught
        • Poems – “Did I Miss Anything?” by Tom Wayman
        • Poems – “Football” by Louis Jenkin
        • “If You Get There Before I Do” by Dick Allen
        • “The Function of Poetry” by Billy Collins
  • Essays
    • Predator Anthropologists, Anthropologist Predators: Anthropological Metaphors in Popular Movies
    • Reflections on ethnographic research in Dhofar Oman
      • Ethnography – Finding the Middle Ground, part 1 of Discussing Photographs
      • Ethnography – Staying Calm
      • Ethnography – Navigating Shaking Hands on the Arabian Peninsula
      • Ethnography – Whatever You Do, Don’t Smile, part 2 of Discussing Photographs
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Work: The Grasshopper
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Work – Trying to Make Sense of Words and Actions
      • Ethnography: Conversations about Men/ Masculinity, part 1
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Research: Making Adjustments for Positive Multi-Cultural Exchanges/ Events
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Research: Changes within Cultures
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Research: (Not) Asking Questions
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Work: Behaving Badly and Defending Grandpa
      • Ethnographic Work and Pop Songs, updated
      • Communication in Dhofar: Getting Information and (not) Giving Compliments
    • Intercultural Exchanges
      • To Learn Arabic, You Have to Walk the Walk – 2012
      • Throwing Children in the Street: Culture Shock Omani Style
      • Bringing Theory Home in Oman – 2011
    • Travel Writing
      • The Importance of Not Being Earnest When Writing Travel Literature – 2010
      • “Treachery in the Kitchen”: Traveling Foreign, Eating Familiar – Dr. Traci Kelly and Dr. Marielle Risse – 2008
      • Back from Ubar or What to Read if You Insist on Staying Home – 2004
      • Your Zimbabwe Stories – 2012
    • Living Expat
      • Living Expat on the Arabian Peninsula – 2018
      • Reading Alone: E-Readers Arrive in a Small Town in the Middle East – 2014
      • Perfume: The Great Healer – 2011
      • The Case of the Missing Mango – 2011
    • Literature and Ethnography
    • Differences/ Hierarchies
  • Images
    • Photographs by A. Jaboob
    • Photographs by W. Jaboob
    • Photographs by Salim Al Amri: Dhofari Wildlife (birds and mammals)
    • Photographs by Salim Al Amri: Dhofari Wildlife (camels, gazelles and ibex)
    • Camels and Camel-Owners
    • Images – Oman Facing Corona
      • Keeping safe in Dhofar during the Khareef (monsoon) season
      • Oman vs. Covid-19, 2021 graphics
      • New Covid-19 graphics
      • Corona, Curfew and Dinner (and good graphics)
      • New curfew – New (good) graphics
      • Images – “Made in Oman” symbol, Women’s Day and “Facing Corona”
    • Images from Oman’s 50th National Day
    • Photographs of Dhofar, Oman by S. B.
    • Frankincense in Dhofar, Oman
    • A Sense of Place – Everyday Images of Food and Plants in Dhofar
    • A Sense of Place – Everyday Images of Animals and Landscapes in Dhofar
    • Images Celebrating Sultan Qaboos, National Day and Omani Women’ Day
    • Photographs – Hussein BaOmar
    • Images of Dhofar – Various Photographers
    • Photos of Dhofar – Historical
    • Images of Oman – unknown photographers
  • Musing
    • Culture Shock – Returning to USA
      • Leaving Oman: Grief, Grandeur, Museums and Bringley’s ‘All the Beauty in The World’
      • Culture Shock – Adjusting to American Hand Shakes
      • Navigating Working in USA without Speaking English, part 2
      • Culture Shock: The Basics
      • Culture Shock: The Land of Detachment and Toolboxes
      • Culture Shock: (Not) Being Under Observation
      • Culture Shock – Drugs, Medicines, Choices and Chances
      • Culture Shock – Communication is Always the Worst Part, part 1
      • Culture Shock – Communication is Always the Worst Part (Don’t Lie), part 2
      • Culture Shock: Bumpy Reentry and Moral Dilemmas
    • Omani Writers and Texts about Southern Arabia
      • Recent publications on important archeological sites in the Dhofar region, updated April 10, 2024
      • New Publication on the Archaeology of Dhofar
      • Donaldson’s article on “Units of Counting” in Oman
      • A new book has been published by Omani author, Huda Hamed: I Saw Her in my Dreams.
      • New Publication on the Archaeology of Dhofar
      • New Research Pertaining to Dhofar
      • New book about Al Baleed
    • Research Updates
      • New book – Researching and Working on the Arabian Peninsula: Creating Effective Interactions
      • Chapter published – “Lifeways of Traditional Fishermen in Dhofar, Oman”
      • “Yemen with Yul,” travel essay published
      • Conference presentation about conducting research on the Arabian Peninsula
      • Presentation – “Windguru and Other Gurus: Fishing off the Coast of Dhofar, Oman”
      • Conference presentation on fishing off the coast of Dhofar, Oman
      • Houseways: Podcast, a discussion with Ahmed Almaazmi and Ayesha Mualla
      • I will be presenting my talk “Good Governance and Open Spaces in Dhofar, Oman” hosted by AnthroState Talks, for the European Association of Social Anthropologists Network on Anthropologies of the State
      • I will be talking about “Changing Kitchens in Southern Oman” at the annual conference of The Association for the Study of Food and Society & The Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society
      • I am happy to announce that I will talking about Interior Home Design in Dhofar at the Home/Making Symposium at Concordia University, Montreal
      • I am happy to announce that I will be presenting “Bringing Language Teaching into Literature Classrooms”
      • I will be presenting ”Private Lives in Public Spaces: Perceptions of Space-Usage in Southern Oman” on Dec. 2 at the MESA annual meeting
      • Photos for my presentation “The Costs and Benefits of Fishing in Southern Oman,” Sept. 1, ‘Fish as Food’ conference, International Comm. on the Anthro. of Food and Nutrition
      • Data for my presentation “The Costs and Benefits of Fishing in Southern Oman,” Sept. 1, ‘Fish as Food’ conference, International Comm. on the Anthro. of Food and Nutrition
      • I will be presenting about Dhofari Fishermen at the ‘Fish as Food’ conference organized by the ICAF, hosted by the Univ. of Liverpool
      • Today I will be presenting my talk “Ethical Eating in Southern Oman” for the Just Food conference, hosted by the Culinary Institute of America and New York University.
      • I am pleased to announce that I will be presenting at the Middle East Studies Association’s annual meeting in October 2021
      • I am pleased to be asked to present on my work at the International College of Engineering and Management, Muscat
      • I will be presenting “Ethical Eating in Southern Oman” at the annual convention of the Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition, June 2021.
      • I am pleased to announce that I will be presenting at the American Comparative Literature Association Annual Conference
      • ‘Foodways’ at AAA annual conference
      • I was honored to be asked to speak about “Poetry and the Nobel Tradition”
      • I am pleased to announce that I will be presenting about my ‘Foodways in Southern Oman’ project at the American Anthropological Association annual meeting
      • I am pleased to announce that my article “An Ethnographic Discussion of Fairy Tales and Folktales from Southern Oman” has been published in _Fabula_
      • Copies of Jokha Al Harthi’s prize winning book on display in Switzerland!
      • I am happy to announce that my article “مناقشة إثنوغرافية للحكايات الشعبية من جنوب عمان” [An Ethnographic Discussion of Folk Tales from Southern Oman] has been published in the journal Al Sha’ar (Alaan Publishers, Amman).
      • Foodways and Society presentation – BRISMES 2019
      • Keye Tersmette and I will be presenting “Ghurba at Home – Views from Oman” at the ‘Arab World as Ghurba: Citizenship, Identity and Belonging in Literature and Popular Culture’; conference at the University of Warwick, 21 June 2019
      • My article “An Ethnographic Discussion of Fairy Tales and Folktales from Southern Oman” will be published in Fabula
      • My short collection of essays “Living Expat” will be published in the forthcoming Emanations 7
      • “Accounts from the Journeys of the Brig ‘Palinurus’ along the Dhofar Coast Oman in the mid-1800s” – presentation at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Sept. 15, 2018
      • “I Came to You for Good”: An Ethnographic Discussion of Folk Tales from Southern Oman. RAI, London, October 26, 2017
      • Bibliographies: Research on Dhofar, Food & Anthropology, and Teaching Literature
    • Houseways – short essays
      • Reflections on Ethnographic Work: Shopping, Safety and Maneval’s New Islamic Urbanism (2019)
      • Reflections on Houseways Research
      • Houseways: Including/ Excluding Expats in Discussions about Housing
      • Houseways is published and more examples of houseplans
      • Updated bibliography for Houseways in Southern Oman, June 2022
      • Photos of houses in the Salalah area
      • Houseways in Dhofar: Placement of Furniture and Sightlines
      • Houseways: ‘Homespaces’ Away from Home
      • Houseways: House construction, part 1
      • Houseways: House Construction, part 2
      • Houseways: Dhofari/ non-Dhofari house plans
      • Houseways: How to “Read” a House for Information about the Occupants
      • Houseways – Types of Apartments Buildings (Family/ Public)
      • Houseways – Cultural Perspectives and Movement within an Apartment: The Practicalities of Having Guests
      • Houseways – Balancing Privacy and Hospitality within an Apartment
      • Houseways – Rental Apartments in Dhofar, Khareef and Dhofari/ Non-Dhofari Designs
      • Houseways – Roofs (how one aspect of house design affects other aspects)
      • Houseways – Windows/ Sightlines
      • Pre-historical and Historical Houseways in the Dhofar Region: Selected References
      • Houseways in Southern Dhofar: Selected References
      • Foodways – Kitchens, General Discussion and Changes  
      • Foodways – Where to Eat: Kitchen, Salle, Majlis
      • Foodways – Images of Interiors with Food: “We are Ready” and “Good Words”
      • Foodways – Images of Kitchens
      • Foodways – Images of Galley Kitchens
    • Foodways – short essays
      • Foodways: Researching Fishing Practices in Dhofar and Selected Bibliographies
        • Research on fishing in Dhofar
        • Photo of fishing boats
        • – طرق الطعام : بحث في ممارسات الصيد في ظفار وببليوجرافيات مختارة – Foodways: Researching Fishing Practices in Dhofar (in Arabic) and Selected Bibliographies
        • Foodways: Fishing from or near the Shore – Sardines
        • Foodways: Fishing from or near the Shore – Sardines (in Arabic) – السردين – طرق الغذاء
        • Foodways: Fishing from or near the Shore – Boxes
        • Foodways: Fishing from or near the Shore – Boxes (in Arabic) – الصيد من او بقرب الشاطئ
        • Foodways: Catching Lobsters and Diving for Abalone
        • Foodways: Catching Lobsters and Diving for Abalone (in Arabic) – طرق الغذاء: صيد الكركن والغوص لأذن البحر  طرق الغذاء: صيد الشارخة والغوص للصفيلح
        • Foodways: Fish traps
        • Foodways: Fish traps (in Arabic) – مصائد الأسماك
      • Foodways: Cultures, Food Selfishness and “Could I Have a Little Bite?”
      • Foodways: Thinking about Uses of Plastic Bags and Bottles in Dhofar
      • Foodways: Cultural Issues Pertaining to Litter
      • You Have Nothing to Fear from Sheep’s Eyes but Beware the Carrot Sweet: Researching Foodways in Southern Oman
      • Foodways: Cultures, Food Selfishness and “Could I Have a Little Bite?”
      • Foodways – Thoughts on Iftars, Food and Cultures
      • Foodways – Iftars in Ramadan
      • Foodways and Living Expat
      • Foodways and Living Expat on the Arabian Peninsula – part 2
      • Foodways and Teaching Culture
      • Foodways – Perceptions of “Old”/ “Fresh” Food
      • Foodways in Southern Oman – Historical Sources
      • Foodways – a few remarks about camels
      • Foodways – a few remarks about cows and goats
      • Cookbook, Coffee and and the “Omani Sandwich”
      • Dugar/ Cowpeas
      • Common Food Terms in Dhofar, Oman (updated)
      • A Sense of Place – Everyday Images of Food and Plants in Dhofar
      • Food Research/ Corona Virus in Oman
      • Corona, Curfew and Dinner (and good graphics)
      • Foodways and Literature – Animal Poems
      • Foodways and Literature – Food Stories and Poems
      • Selected Bibliography: Animals, Birds and Fish in Southern Oman
      • Foodways – other avenues of research
      • Food Photos by Salwa Hubais
      • May Bsisu’s The Arab Table – Reading Recipes for Cultural Understandings
      • Food Here and There/ Missing Food
      • Cognitive Dissonance and Food Identification
      • Cooking in a Chair?!? – Abductive Reasoning and Foodways in Khareef
      • ‘Little c’ Culture: Flooded Roads and Cheese Triangles
      • Food Tastes Better in the Rain – Khareef in Salalah
      • Foodways Images – Humor, Disseminating Information, and the Instagram Food/ Money Connection
      • Ramadan and Foodways – Images of food in connection to greetings and good behavior, Vimto and selling food
      • Food Terminology: Life is not Life, Curry is not Curry, Chutney is not Chutney
      • Food Perceptions – Honey
      • Food Often Served at Weddings in Dhofar
      • Breakfast is ready!
      • Lunch is ready!
      • Snack is ready!
      • quote on entertaining from Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford (1853)
      • “Arabic Coffee,” a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye
    • Fighting Corona in Oman – Graphics and Short Essays
      • Eid mubarak from the Covid-response graphics team
      • Covid warning for Ramadan
      • New Covid Warning Images
      • New Covid-19 graphics
      • Getting ready for Ramadan (the new curfew and VAT)
      • Oman facing Covid – business curfew starting tonight (8pm – 5am)
      • Time to get the vaccine!
      • Oman vs. Covid-19, 2021 graphics
      • Good news – the first doses of vaccine have arrived!
      • Food Research/ Corona Virus in Oman
      • Back to School!
      • Images – “Made in Oman” symbol, Women’s Day and “Facing Corona”
      • New curfew – New (good) graphics
      • Corona, Curfew and Dinner (and good graphics)
      • Images about Keeping Safe in Oman: Coivd-19 and Rain Storm
      • Safety in Difficult Times
      • Let’s stay home and stay safe: the Corona virus in Oman
      • Dreaming of Dhofari Picnics
    • Remembrances
      • Steve Cass
      • Steve Cass, teacher and friend
      • Remembering Steve Cass
      • Aunt Alice
      • 2023

Photographs of Dhofar by Onazia Shaikh 

November 14, 2025November 14, 2025

I am very grateful to Onazia Shaikh for allowing me to use her photos for the cover of my forth-coming book, Reflections on Marriage in Dhofar, Oman, and this website. She takes gorgeous photos which reflect the beauty of Dhofar.

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Posted in Essays, Oman, research, weatherTagged Arab, Arabian Peninsula, culture, Dhofar, Oman

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‘Reflections on Marriage in Dhofar, Oman’ is accepted for publication
New essay: “’Ghayn is for Ghazal” on “The Arabic Alphabet” website (by Michael Beard)

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Come From Away

Dr. Marielle Risse

Recent Posts

  • Food Essays – Grocery Stores, Recipes, Expat Food and Littering
  • Ethnographic Work and Pop Songs, updated
  • Predator Anthropologists, Anthropologist Predators: Anthropological Metaphors in Popular Movies
  • New essay: “’Ghayn is for Ghazal” on “The Arabic Alphabet” website (by Michael Beard)
  • Photographs of Dhofar by Onazia Shaikh 
  • ‘Reflections on Marriage in Dhofar, Oman’ is accepted for publication
  • My Favorite Description of Anthropology
  • Using Creative Writing Prompts in Language Learning
  • Back from Ubar or What to Read if You Insist on Staying Home
  • MIT – “the nicest of geniuses” – knowing the world
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Photographs by Hussein BaOmar

boat
dunes
hussein photo
  • "Arabic Coffee," a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye
    "Arabic Coffee," a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye
  • Two poems about nature and rest: “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry and "Sleeping in The Forest,” Mary Oliver
    Two poems about nature and rest: “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry and "Sleeping in The Forest,” Mary Oliver
  • Ethnography - Navigating Shaking Hands on the Arabian Peninsula
    Ethnography - Navigating Shaking Hands on the Arabian Peninsula
  • Poems - "Did I Miss Anything?" by Tom Wayman
    Poems - "Did I Miss Anything?" by Tom Wayman
  • Annotated Bibliography of Texts Pertaining to the Dhofar Region of Oman
    Annotated Bibliography of Texts Pertaining to the Dhofar Region of Oman
  • You Have Nothing to Fear from Sheep’s Eyes but Beware the Carrot Sweet: Researching Foodways in Southern Oman
    You Have Nothing to Fear from Sheep’s Eyes but Beware the Carrot Sweet: Researching Foodways in Southern Oman
  • Omani Writers and Texts about Southern Arabia
    Omani Writers and Texts about Southern Arabia
  • Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Education, Food Studies, History, Literature and Political Science on the Arabian Peninsula
    Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Education, Food Studies, History, Literature and Political Science on the Arabian Peninsula
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