CAES Morocco: Advanced Leadership Theories, Ethics, and Culture

  During my travels in Morocco, I explored the unique gender dynamics shaping Moroccan society, particularly the roles and expectations of women. Traditionally, Moroccan women manage the household and raise children, with strict norms around maintaining virginity and preparing for motherhood, especially in smaller towns and villages. Public interactions between men and women are limited, and women often face restrictions on traveling alone or being out late at night. However, Western influences are gradually changing these norms in cities like Casablanca and Marrakesh, allowing women to take more visible roles in public and professional spheres. I found this evolving role fascinating and encouraging, especially as I observed women in urban areas breaking traditional barriers. Back home on my farm, we only employ men to do all the tasks. Men in Moroccan society traditionally serve as the primary breadwinners and protectors of their families, holding roles in the public sphere such as bu

  Blogger Post 2: Gender Roles and Sexual Orientation  My hometown of Brunswick, Georgia recently celebrated its first-ever public Pride Celebration event for the LGTBQ+ community this week while we have been touring in Morocco. I have seen many social media posts from my friends and community members in support of these individuals by attending and participating in the celebration with rainbow flags and colors everywhere and wearing various humorous t-shirts with sayings such as “I like my whiskey straight, but my friends can go either way,” or “Sounds Gay. I’m In!” While there are many Americans who do not support this lifestyle, it is clear that many do and wish to make their support public.  I have not seen any evidence of LGBTQ+ support in Morocco - no rainbow flags anywhere, no t-shirts, and really no mention of sexuality whatsoever. I wondered why this may be the case - why is there apparent silence on this topic when there is so much pride in other places? As a straight America

 Although not in beautiful Morocco with you all, I can sense the importance of culture there from pictures alone. Something that really caught my eye was the food dishes that radiate cultural tradition. The meal I am going to talk about today is named “Djaj Hummar”, a traditional Moroccan Dish composed of roasted chicken, various spices, and olives.  Djah Hummar is cooked using a Tagine, a traditional North African cooking vessel with two pieces that fit together to make a shallow bowl and a tall, conical lid. This cultural pot serves as a slow cooker that can be used in an oven or a stovetop, specifically used for slow-cooked meats. Most Tagine dishes usually have three components: meat, vegetables, and a variety of spices (Rytting, 2022). The cultural significance of the Tagine to traditional Moroccan cuisine is what it symbolizes, hospitality and togetherness.Additioally, it is said that preparation using a Tagine pan allows for more of the aromatics to be tasted in the dish, where