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LANGUAGE COURSES
Note: Language examinations are held before the first week of the fall and spring semesters. For placement at the appropriate level of language instruction, students are requested to consult the department. Qualified undergraduates are also eligible to register for advanced language courses.
ARABIC
Elementary Arabic I, II
V77.0101, 0102 Ferhadi. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Builds basic skills in modern standard Arabic, the language read and understood by educated Arabs from Baghdad to Casablanca. Five hours per week of instruction and drill, stressing the proficiency approach, plus work in the language laboratory.
Intermediate Arabic I, II
V77.0103, 0104 Prerequisite: V77.0102 or equivalent. Ferhadi. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Builds on the skills acquired in V77.0101, 0102, with increased emphasis on writing and reading from modern sources in addition to aural/oral proficiency.
The following two Advanced Arabic courses compose the third year of Arabic language instruction and are open to undergraduates who have successfully completed the Intermediate Arabic sequence.
Advanced (Media) Contemporary Arabic I, II
G77.1005, 1006 Prerequisite: V77.0104 or equivalent. Ferhadi. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Focuses on contemporary standard Arabic as used by electronic and print media. Contemporary press reports from the Middle East are used as texts, and current news programs from select Arab broadcasts are used and discussed.
FARSI/PERSIAN
Elementary Persian I, II
V77.0401, 0402 Khorrami. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Grammar, phonetics, and pronunciation of modern standard Persian, reading simple texts, and writing short compositions. Builds basic skills in modern standard Persian in preparation for reading classical Persian literature.
Intermediate Persian I, II
V77.0403, 0404 Prerequisite: V77.0402 or equivalent. Khorrami. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Builds on the skills acquired in V77.0401, 0402 through continued study of grammar and syntax. Practice in spoken Persian. Introduction to classical and modern prose and poetry.
TURKISH
Elementary Turkish I, II
V77.0501, 0502 Erol. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Introduction to the written and spoken language of modern Turkey. All texts are in Latin characters and comprise both textual and audio material.
Intermediate Turkish I, II
V77.0503, 0504 Prerequisite: V77.0502 or equivalent. Erol. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Materials from Turkish newspapers, magazines, literature, and radio provide the basis for reading comprehension and conversational ability in modern Turkish.
HINDI
Elementary Hindi I, II
V77.0405, 0406 Ilieva. Given every year. 4 points per term.
The overall goal of this course, as a part of a two-year curriculum, is to prepare the student for a high level of proficiency in Hindi. Through a variety of class, small group, and paired activities, as well as language and computer lab sessions, students are expected to develop reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills. The instructor also takes into consideration individual needs.
Intermediate Hindi I, II
V77.0407, 0408 Ilieva. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Designed to further develop fluency in oral and written communication. In addition to the class, small group activities, and language and computer lab sessions, students are given an individual assignment to work with native speakers from the community and report on their findings. The reading assignments are designed to broaden understanding of content used for oral presentations.
Advanced Hindi
V77.0409 Ilieva. Given every year. 4 points.
Offers an overview of Indian culture via original texts and is designed to improve students’ advanced level reading as well as their written and oral discourse in Hindi. Emphasis is placed on the development of linguistic skills required for a close reading and in-depth analysis of complex texts. Introduction is learner-centered and students have a choice in the selection of the texts and topics for their presentations. Taught seminar-style, the course combines classroom discussions, oral reports, and occasional background lectures. Before taking this course, students should have completed the two-year sequence of Hindi or have an equivalent background.
Note: Please consult the class schedule of courses and the Graduate School of Arts and Science Bulletin for information about advanced courses in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hindi, and Urdu that are open to undergraduates who have completed the intermediate level of the languages.
URDU
Elementary Urdu I, II
V77.0301, 0302 Given every year. 4 points per term.
Introduces students to the basics of Urdu alphabet, grammar, and sentence structure. All four skills are emphasized—writing and reading, as well as speaking and listening. The course is tailored to address students’ interests not only in the language but also in the culture it is rooted in.
Intermediate Urdu I, II
V77.0303, 0304 Prerequisite: V77.0302 or equivalent. Given every year. 4 points per term.
Continues where Elementary Urdu leaves off. The students are introduced to literary texts. Along with specific language tasks, criticism and analysis now form part of the curriculum. Memorizing poetry, dictation, comprehension, and engaging in longer sessions of conversation form an important part of this course. At the end of this course, students should have achieved some fluency in reading literary texts, writing short essays, and carrying on a conversation.
HISTORY COURSES
World Cultures: Ancient Near East and Egypt
V55.0501 Goelet. Given every year. 4 points.
See description under Foundations of Contemporary Culture (55).
World Cultures: The Middle East in the Modern World
V55.0526 Lockman. Given every year. 4 points.
See description under Foundations of Contemporary Culture (55).
World Cultures: Muslim Spain
V55.0527 Peters. Given every other year. 4 points.
See description under Foundations of Contemporary Culture (55).
The History of Ancient Egypt, 3200-50 B.C.
V77.0611 Identical to V57.0506. Goelet. Given every year. 4 points.
Political and intellectual history of ancient Egypt, introducing the student to a variety of religious and secular texts and showing how Egyptologists have drawn upon biographical texts, royal inscriptions, literary papyri, and archaeological remains to re-create Egyptian history.
The Making of the Muslim Middle East, 600-1250
V77.0640 Identical to V57.0542 and V65.0640. Husain. Given every year. 4 points.
A historical and comparative approach to the first half millennium of Islamic history. Course traces the cultural and religious strands shaping the institutions, belief systems, and practices. Using primary sources, students explore the major debates in the cultural history of this period.
Cultural Pluralism in the Ottoman Empire
V77.0649 Given every other year. 4 points.
During the first half of the semester, we discuss the differences in the ideology and practice between the Muslim Middle East and the Christian West with regard to the rights of minority subjects. Tracing the early history of the Ottoman Empire, students explore the limits of tolerance within the sultan’s realms and the nature of “multiculturalism” in specific settings, such as Cyprus, Bosnia, and Aleppo (Syria). The second half of the course addresses the impact of modern economic and political conditions on relations between the different communities of the empire.
The Ottoman Empire in World History
V77.0650 Identical to V57.0515 and V65.0651. Given every other year. 4 points.
Examines the Ottoman Empire from a world historical perspective. Beginning with the collapse of the Byzantine state and ending with the French Revolution, students gain an understanding of the Ottoman state and society and its responses to, and participation in, global trade, interstate warfare, and the cultural and political development of the modern world.
Art in the Islamic World: From the Mongols to Modernism
V77.0652 Identical to V43.0650. Flood. Given every other year. 4 points.
Introduces the arts of the Islamic world during a period of dynamic cultural and political change. Beginning with the Mongol invasion of the 13th century, the course traces the development of the Islamic art and architecture through the eras of the Timurids, the “gunpowder empires” of the Mughals, Ottomans, and the Safavids, European colonialism, and the art of the nation-state. It examines the art of the regions of Morocco and al-Andalus in the West to Central Asia, India and China in the East. It includes some of the most celebrated monuments of the Islamic world including the Alhambra and the Taj Mahal. In addition, the course covers production of art across media, painting, textiles, carpets, ceramics, and metalwork.
Seminar: Colonialism, Imperialism, and Nationalism in the Middle East
V77.0677 Identical to V57.0541. Fahmy, Lockman. Given every year. 4 points.
Addresses theories of nationalism and its emergence as the primary political ideology in the Middle East. Investigates historiographical problems in writing nationalist history and the intersection of class and gender concerns with national identities.
Seminar: Topics in Middle Eastern History
V77.0688 Identical to V57.0550. Given every year. 4 points.
Focuses on a particular aspect of Islamic, Ottoman, or modern Middle Eastern history, with an emphasis on historiographical and comparative issues. Intended primarily for advanced undergraduates in Middle Eastern studies and in history, but other students may register with permission of the instructor.
The Emergence of the Modern Middle East
V77.0690 Identical to V57.0531. Lockman. Given every year. 4 points.
Surveys main political, social, economic, and intellectual currents of the 20th century. Emphasis on historical background and development of current problems in the region. Topics include imperialism, nationalism, religion, Orientalism, women, class formation, oil, the Arab-Israeli crisis, and the Iranian revolution.
Islam and the West
V77.0694 Identical to V57.0520, V65.0694. Given every other year. 4 points.
Examines the evolution of diplomatic, trade, and cultural contacts between Islam and the West. Particular attention is paid to the complex relationship that developed between these two civilizations and their historical impact on each other.
Zionism and the State of Israel
V77.0696 Identical to V78.0180. Engel. Given every other year. 4 points.
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
Palestine, Zionism, Israel
V77.0697 Identical to V57.0532. Lockman. Given every other year. 4 points.
Survey of the conflict over Palestine from its origins in the late 19th century until the present. The purpose of this course is to examine the evolution of this ongoing struggle in its historical context and then try to understand why the various parties to the conflict thought and acted as they have.
Israel: Fact Through Fiction
V77.0698 Identical to V78.0780. Given every other year. Landress. 4 points.
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
Seminar: Modern Central Asia
V77.0700 Identical to V57.0700. McChesney. Given every other year. 4 points.
Surveys the emergence of the newly independent states of Central Asia, the historical legacy that connects them, and the political, social, environmental, and economic problems that they confront today.
LITERATURE COURSES
Except where indicated, there is no language requirement for these courses.
Masterpieces of Islamic Literature in Translation
V77.0710 Identical to V65.0710. Kennedy, Mikhail. Given every year. 4 points.
Survey of the masterpieces of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature from pre-Islamic times to the present. Selected texts in translation from the major genres, both in prose and poetry, are studied as works of art in themselves and as a reflection of the societies that produced them.
Literature and Society in the Arab World
V77.0711 Mikhail. Given every year. 4 points.
Examines selected works in translation of leading 20th-century poets, novelists, and short story writers that reflect changing conditions and mores within Middle Eastern and North African societies. Investigates such topics as conflicts between traditionalists and modernists, the impact of urbanization on rural societies, and the existential dilemmas of men and women.
Hero and Antihero in Arabic Literature and Film
V77.0712 Mikhail. Given every other year. 4 points.
Compares the role of the hero and antihero in the works of fiction of leading Arab authors with their cinematic renditions. A discussion of the difficulty of translating novels into film, as well as the successful cinema industry that has thrived for the last century. The creation of heroes and heroines as modern mythical characters and the language of cinema are investigated.
Women and War: Contemporary Arabic Literature and Film
V77.0714 Identical to V29.0714, V97.0714, and H72.0714. Given every other year. 4 points.
Women are central figures in the political upheavals of the modern Middle East; their images have had a remarkable hold on national and international imaginations. The course investigates the representations of women and war in Arabic literature and film through such topics as the gendering of war; the gender politics of national symbolism and liberation; the politics and aesthetics of documentary film; revolutionary erotic and antierotic; and combat and collaboration.
The Arabian Nights
V77.0716 Identical to V65.0714. Kennedy. Given every year. 4 points.
The Arabian Nights have been an essential and dynamic literary meeting point between Arabic/Islamic literature and the Western canon. This course examines both sides of this cultural dichotomy. Literary analysis of the tales includes close reading of the structure of the original as well as modern variations by authors such as Poe and Rushdie.
Modern South Asian Literature
V77.0717 Identical to V29.0717. Ilieva. Given every other year. 4 points.
Addresses the rich literary product of modern and contemporary South Asia. Offers more advanced undergraduates a window on a rich and culturally varied area of the world, as well as an understanding of aspects of South Asian history and society as represented in translations of modern prose writing (short stories and novels) originally written in South Asian languages.
Introduction to Ancient Indian Literature
V77.0718 Ilieva. Given every other year. 4 points.
An introductory course designed to acquaint students with the great works of the ancient Indian literary tradition, a major part of which was written in Sanskrit. The earliest form of that language, called Vedic Sanskrit, is the language of the Vedic hymns, especially those of the Rig Veda. Sanskrit has had an unbroken literary tradition for over 3,000 years. This rich and vast literary, religious, and philosophical heritage is introduced in this course. In addition, students work with excerpts from the Jain and Buddhist canons written in Prakrits and examples of Tamil poetry. Selections from the Vedic literature, classical drama, epics, story literature, and lyric poetry are studied in English translation.
Seminar: Introduction to Islamic Texts
V77.0720 Kennedy. Given every year. 4 points.
Introduces students with at least two semesters of Arabic behind them to the main stylistic features of classical Arabic. The object is to give students a flavor of an older, yet essential, register of Arabic through the most important texts of the Islamic tradition. These texts constitute the very core of Islam to this day: the Koran (Qur’an) and the Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). The syllabus also includes samples from the Tafsir tradition (Koranic hermeneutics), Sufi/mystical literature (poetry and prose), philosophical novels, and pious tales from the popular sphere (the Arabian Nights tradition). The Koran provides a sustained focus for the course, with particular attention being paid to how it has influenced all categories of Arabo-Islamic literature: linguistically, stylistically, thematically, and doctrinally.
Contemporary Arab Theatre and Film
V77.0747 Identical to H28.0747. Ziter. 4 points.
Examines recent trends in contemporary Arab theatre and film, contextualizing these within a broader history of Arab performance. Particular attention is given to how experimental practitioners have explored issues of human rights and the control of territories under the modern state. Strategies addressed include the conflation of the past and present as a means of exploring the persistence of the colonial power structure in the modern Arab world; the use of the parable to speak truth to power; the incorporation of the populist entertainment forms that directly engage the audience; and the use of familiar tales to explore new political realities.
Iranian Cinema and Society
V77.0748 Identical to H72.0542. 4 points.
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to Iranian Cinema from its inception to the present. The class looks at economic, political, social, and aesthetic factors that have determined the shape and character of the Iranian cinema in different periods. It examines various strategies of storytelling structure and its principle components: plot, character, theme, imagery, and symbolism. The course questions issues of gender, censorship laws, social transformation, and their impact on the language of film.
SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSES
A Cultural History of Ancient Egypt
V77.0614 Identical to V57.0505 and V78.0121. Goelet. Given every other year. 4 points.
Survey of the literary, religious, and material culture of ancient Egypt. Each class examines the ancient Egyptian intellectual world as shown by a major monument (e.g., the Great Pyramid) along with its cultural background. Daily life as well as the visual and symbolic aspects of the civilization are illustrated with slides and charts. The reading emphasizes historical, literary, and religious texts in translation.
Perspectives on Islam
V77.0665 Katz. Given every other year. 4 points.
A broad survey of the most central Islamic texts, beliefs, and practices. Using primary texts in translation, the course examines such issues as scripture, ritual, and law and contextualize them within some of the most pivotal social and political developments in Islamic history. This course is intended for students with little or no previous background in Islamic studies.
Islam and Politics
V77.0674 Haykel. Given every year. 4 points.
Explains the rise of Islamic political movements in the contemporary Middle East and looks at the various ways in which they have been discussed in the media and in academic writings. Examples of Islamist writings and publications are also presented in order to elucidate the ways in which Islamists depict themselves and their concerns. Because of the nature of these movements, the course has a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on concepts from politics, history, and law.
Women and Gender in Islam
V77.0728 Katz. Given every year. 4 points.
Examines the rights, roles, and the physical appearance of Muslim women. This course investigates the complexity of the messages and models relating to gender in one of the world’s most influential religious traditions. Beginning with the rise of Islam, the class observes how foundational texts and personalities are interpreted and reinterpreted for changing times.
Politics of the Near and Middle East
V77.0750 Identical to V53.0540. 4 points.
See description under Politics (53).
International Politics of the Middle East
V77.0752 Identical to V53.0760. Mitchell. 4 points.
See description under Politics (53).
Tolerance and Intolerance in Islamic History
V77.0779 Given every other year. 4 points.
In the light of contemporary conflicts, this course investigates the history of Islamic attitudes toward the Other, in both theory and practice. Topics include the treatment of non-Muslim minorities in Islamic states; norms for Muslims in non-Muslim states; sectarian (especially Sunni-Shi’i) divisions within Islamic societies; intra-Islamic theological and legal controversies; relations between religion and government; and freedom and control of expression and behavior. The primary focus is on the evolution of attitudes in medieval and early modern times, but with a view to understanding the roots of modern controversies.
Seminar: Islamic Law and Society
V77.0780 Haykel. Given every year. 4 points.
Introduces students to Islamic law through a reading of its various genres and a study of a selection of secondary sources covering a number of substantive topics (e.g., ritual, criminal, and public law). The course also focuses on the ways Islamic law has interacted with Islamic societies in historical practice and the way it has adapted, or not adapted, to the challenges of modernity.
Seminar: Women and Islamic Law
V77.0783 Identical to V65.0783. Haykel. Given every year. 4 points.
The aim of this course is to acquaint students with the ways Islamic law has treated women in theory and practice. Students are exposed to medieval and modern legal texts regarding the status of women as believers, daughters, wives, mothers, and legal persons. Case studies from different periods of Islamic history are read and discussed as well as writings from contemporary anthropology.
Gender and Sexuality in Medieval Islamic Societies
V77.0787 Rowson. Given every other year. 4 points.
The course attempts to get behind myths of unbridled sensuality and well-stocked harems to the realities, through careful reading of selected primary sources from the medieval period in English translation, including religious treatises on marriage and proper gender roles, love poetry, stories from the Arabian Nights, and works of erotica, supplemented by secondary studies. The emphasis throughout is on evaluating the role of culture—whether Middle Eastern or Western—in shaping fundamental sexual attitudes.
Politics and Society in Iran
V77.0797 Identical to V53.0545. Kazemi. 4 points.
See description under Politics (53).
Topics in Modern Arab Culture V77.0798 Offered yearly. 4 points.
This course explores a changing set of issues relating to the cultures and societies of the modern and contemporary Arab world.
Area Economics—Middle East
V77.0802 Identical to V31.0224. 4 points.
See description under Economics (31).
RELIGION COURSES
World Cultures: Islamic Societies
V55.0502 Peters. Given every year. 4 points.
See description under Foundations of Contemporary Culture (55).
World Cultures: Islam in Asia
V55.0523 McChesney. Given every other year. 4 points.
See description under Foundations of Contemporary Culture (55).
Jews in the Islamic World in the Modern Period
V77.0616 Identical to V78.0114. Franklin. 4 points.
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
Perspectives on Islam
V77.0665 Katz. Given every other year. 4 points.
A broad survey of the most central Islamic texts, beliefs and practices. Using primary texts in translation, examines such issues as scripture, ritual, and law and contextualizes them within some of the most pivotal social and political developments in Islamic history. Intended for students with little or no previous background in Islamic studies.
What Is Islam?
V77.0691 Identical to V57.0085 and V90.0085. Given every year. 4 points.
An introductory course dealing with the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the origins of Islam; the beliefs and practices of the Islamic community; differences between Sunni and Shiite Islam; Sufism; the spiritual, intellectual, and artistic life of the Islamic commonwealth; and modern Islamic revival.
Introduction to Egyptian Religion
V77.0719 Identical to V90.0719. Goelet. Given every year. 4 points.
Examines the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, including the nature of the gods, syncretism, private religion, theories of divine kingship, the judgment of the dead, cultic practices, the life of priests, the relationship between this world and the afterlife, wisdom literature as moral thought, festivals, funerary practices, creation myths, and foreign gods and influences—all illustrated by Egyptian religious texts or scenes from temples and tombs.
The Qur’an and Its Interpretation
V77.0781 Katz. Given every other year. 4 points.
An introduction to the content, themes and style of the Qur’an and surveying the diversity of interpretive approaches to the text (legal, mystical, sectarian, literary, and politically engaged) in the medieval and modern periods.
Topics in Islamic Studies
V77.0782.001 Given every year. 4 points.
Examines a particular aspect of premodern Islamic religious, intellectual, or institutional history, with the specific topic varying from year to year. Intended primarily for advance undergraduates in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, but other students may register with permission of the instructor.
The Civilizations and Religions of the Ancient Near East
V77.0790 Identical to V90.0790. Given every other year. 4 points.
Introduction to the ancient Near East. Places the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Anatolia in their historical framework and discusses their institutions.
Iran Past and Present
V77.0796 Chelkowski. Given every year. 4 points.
Ancient Iranian culture and its influence on the Near East. The impact of the Arab-Islamic conquest, the Islamization of Iran, and the Iranian role in the development of Islamic civilization. The rebirth of Iranian self-consciousness and the establishment of Shiism as the state religion under the Safavids. Traditional Iranian culture in conflict with the West. Modern Iran from the reinstitution of the monarchy to the Islamic revolution. Illustrated with readings, slides, films, a museum visit, live recitations, and music.
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
V77.0800 Identical to V65.0025, V78.0160, and V90.0102. Peters. Given every year. 4 points.
Comparative study of the three great monotheistic religious traditions: how each understood its origin and evolution and their similarities and differences in matters of scripture, worship, authority, community, theology, and mysticism.
The Sufis: Mystics of Islam
V77.0863 Identical to V65.0863 and V90.0863. Chelkowski. Given every year. 4 points.
Readings in the Sufi poets in translation and reflections of their influence in Persian literature and the European tradition. Sufism as one of the primary manifestations of the Islamic spirit inIran. The effect of Sufism (the hidden path that leads from the individual to God) on the shape of Islam, on the spirit of Persian literature and art, and on Western religious sensibilities.
Art in the Islamic World
V77.0891 Identical to V43.0098 and V65.0098. 4 points.
See description under Fine Arts (43).
INDEPENDENT STUDY
Internship
V77.0980, 0981 Prerequisite: permission and placement for departmental majors from the director of undergraduate studies. 2 or 4 points.
Independent Study
V77.0997, 0998 Prerequisite: permission of instructor. 1 to 4 points per term.
GRADUATE COURSES OPEN TO UNDERGRADUATES
The Middle Eastern studies courses offered in the Graduate School of Arts and Science are open to qualified undergraduates. Permission of the instructor and the director of undergraduate studies is required. For further information, please consult the Graduate School of Arts and Science Bulletin.
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