Heath Dowers, MA ’21, doctoral candidate in the Institute of Philosophic Studies, was awarded a prestigious Boren Fellowship to study Arabic in Oman. Boren Fellows receive funding to study foreign languages and cultures in regions critical to American interests.Dowers immerses himself in Arabic study and conducts dissertation research on the political philosophy of 10th-century Islamic thinker al-Farabi, whose writings on reason, division and civic harmony continue to shape serious philosophical inquiry. Drawn to Oman by its traditional Arab culture and hospitality, Dowers enjoys experiencing the region firsthand through daily study and local engagement.
He credits the university’s Great Books foundation, small classes and faculty — especially Drs. Dougherty, Parens, Berry and Burns — for sharpening his intellect and broadening his worldview. After Oman, Dowers hopes to serve in national security as an analyst or teach at a U.S. military institution.
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