Fall or Spring. Credit, three hours. An introduction to the geography, archaeology, history, and cultures of the Middle East from ancient times through the Middle Ages. Major topics include the study of empire, literature, religion, and society. Required of all Middle Eastern Studies majors. In English; no knowledge of Arabic required.
Fall or Spring. Credit, three hours. Introduction to the main elements of Arab Culture and to the various aspects of social life in the modern Arab World. In English; no knowledge of Arabic required.
Fall or Spring. Credit, four hours. This course introduces students to the main trends and works of Arabic literature (written originally in Arabic and available in English translation) in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The geographic span of the course stretches across the entirety of MENA (Middle East and North Africa), from Morocco in the west to Iraq in the east. The literary texts included in this course will be analyzed and discussed against the backdrop of important political and socio-cultural events and developments throughout MENA, including colonialism, decolonization, feminism, youth culture & activism, and the so-called Arab Spring. Thus, the course will help students develop a perception of literature not only as written word, but also as a compelling way of understanding the world. It will further assist students to engage with MENA cultures critically by analyzing how literary works create meaning(s). In English; no knowledge of Arabic required.
