I am the author of Egypt After Mubarak: Liberalism, Islam, and Democracy in the Arab World (Princeton University Press, 2008).
I teach in the college's program in Middle Eastern & Islamic Civilization Studies, which includes courses in history, political science, religion, anthropology and language.
Student interest in the Middle East is quite high, which is very encouraging. A teacher needs to be aware that students in the U.S. are coming to class with assumptions about Islam and the Middle East that are usually a little negative -- that this is a part of the world that's dangerous and threatening. We have to work against that and help students to understand the history, culture, and politics of the region and the opportunities for coexistence.