Courses
*SPRING 2008 Schedule*
Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Language Courses
Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hindi, Urdu
Undergraduate Courses
History Courses, Literature Courses, Social Science Courses, Religion Courses, Independent Study
Graduate Courses
Ancient Egyptian Language and Civilization
Arabic Language and Literature
Persian Language and Literature
Turkish Language and Literature
Middle Eastern History
Middle Eastern Society and Culture
Courses Offered in Conjunction with Other Departments
Research and Reading
Note: Language examinations are held before the first week of the Fall semester. 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, and with the permission of the instructor, other graduate courses in language and literature (see Graduate Courses).
Elementary Arabic I & II
V77.0101, 0102. Ferhadi (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 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 (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.
Seminar: Introduction to Islamic Texts (in Arabic)
V77.0720. Prerequisite: V77.0103 or equivalent. Kennedy (4 points)
This course will introduce students with at least two semesters of Arabic behind them to the main stylistic features of Classical Arabic. The object will be to give students a flavour 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 will also include 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 will provide 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.
Advanced Contemporary (Media) Arabic I & II
G77.1005, 1006. Prerequisite: V77.0104 or equivalent. Ferhadi (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. Uses authentic texts from Arabic newspapers and magazines as well as writing assignments and oral presentations. Open to undergraduates who have successfully completed the Intermediate
Arabic sequence.
Elementary Persian I & II
V77.0401, 0402. Khorrami (4 points per term)
This course will provide students with a basic knowledge of the Persian language. All language skills--listening, speaking, reading, and writing--will be developed through the study of authentic materials and in-class communicative activities. Students will also use the computer lab to work with a multimedia program developed as a complement to the material used in class. An important component of the course will be the exploration of historical, literary, and artistic manifestations of Iranian culture. In preparing the course materials the emphasis has been placed on colloquial Persian. However, the textual readings, and the content of the computer program, utilize examples of both literary and colloquial Persian.
Intermediate Persian I & II
V77.0403, 0404. Prerequisite: V77.0402 or equivalent. Khorrami (4 points per term)
Builds on the skills acquired in V77.0401-0402 through continued study of grammar and syntax. Practice in spoken Persian. This intermediate course aims primarily to increase efficiency in reading and secondarily to improve listening and speaking skills. This is accomplished by learning such skills as scanning, skimming, taking notes, summarizing, and interpreting authentic texts. Persian grammar and syntax and vocabulary building are two other emphases of this course. All in-class work takes place in Persian. Course materials, come from the Persian Fiction Reader (1998) and a packet of proficiency-based lesson modules with authentic texts of lyric verse and essays along with classroom and self-study workbook activities. Audio cassette tapes accompany the course materials.
Advanced Persian I & II
Khorrami (4 points per term)
The main goal of this course is to increase student efficiency in reading literary Poetry and Historical/Biographical texts. Throughout the semester students will learn new reading techniques, expand their vocabulary, and thus improve their reading speed. The course packet also includes grammatical explanations and exercises, which are directly related to the selected texts. These sections are specifically designed to enhance student knowledge of Persian grammar and syntax. Students will also examine the differences between linguistic features of the text and those of modern Persian. In addition, students will study the influence of Arabic on the Persian language. Ultimately, the course offers a better understanding of the Persian language and its evolution over time.
Elementary Turkish I & II
V77.0501, 0502. Erol (4 points per term)
The course aims to build proficiency in four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, using written, audial and visual materials. These materials are also used for cultural literacy. Students get the general grammar in the first year. They are expected to give, solicit and gather general information in a variety of situations, and converse on a variety of topics. Students write short compositions, dialogues, invitations and other creative pieces in building writing skills.
Intermediate Turkish I & II
V77.0503, 0504. Prerequisite: V77.0502 or equivalent. Erol (4 points per term)
With an equal emphasis on speaking, reading, listening and writing, students are introduced to short stories and newspaper articles. Basic knowledge of grammar gained in the first year is expanded with attention to complex structures and forms. Students are expected to make the jump from talking about themselves, the world around them and about a chronological sequence of events to talking about abstract ideas. They are also expected to gain a sense of Turkish values, customs, geography and history. Short writing assignments emphasize a variety of topics and styles.
Advanced Turkish I & II
Prerequisite: Intermediate Turkish V77, 0504 or equivalent. Erol (4 points per term)
These courses introduce students to canonical genres, authors and texts of Turkish literature. Feature films are watched and discussed. There is an emphasis on understanding and expressing abstract ideas and arguments both in class discussions and in written assignments. Students learn to write short discursive essays. There are also creative writing projects.
Elementary Hindi I & II
V77.0405, 0406. Ilieva (4 points per term)
The overall goal of this course, as a part of a two-year-curriculum, is to prepare the student to 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 will also take into consideration individual needs.
Intermediate Hindi I & II
V77.0407, 0408. Ilieva (4 points per term)
This course is designed to further develop fluency in oral and written communication. In addition to the class, small-group activities, 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 I & II
V77.0409, 0410. Ilieva (4 points per term)
An advanced language course in a working seminar format conducted in the target language, designed to acquiant students with Indian geography, history, literary tradition, politics, and art. Students will work with excerpts from newspapers and magazines, selections from ancient and contemporary literature and criticism in the target language. The students will be required to prepare oral presentations, write and essay based on interviews with members of the community, and one final project. No prior knowledge of South Asian literature, history, or culture is expected or required.
Elementary Urdu I & II
V77.0401, 0402. Naqvi (4 points per term)
This is a beginning Urdu course aimed at introducing the 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, bust also in the culture it is rooted in. Texts for the course will be developed as a packet by the instructor, although new and additional materials will be constantly introduced, especially as the students develop increased facility and proficiency in the language.
Intermediate Urdu I & II
V77.0407, 0408. Naqvi (4 points per term)
This course, forming the second part of the two-year language sequence, will continue where Elementary Urdu leaves off. The students, who will be reading by now, will be introduced to literary texts. Along with specific language tasks, criticism and analysis now forms part of the curriculum as well. For example, the students read Manto's short story "Toba Tek Singh," and also verses from the poet Iqbal's collection of poetry. Memorizing poetry, dictation, comprehension, and engaging in longer sessions of conversation will be an important part of this course. At the end of this course we hope to have achieved some fluency in reading literary texts, writing short essays, and carrying on a conversation. Students with prior knowledge of Urdu are encouraged to enroll at this level.
Archaeology and History in the Near East
V77.0600. Identical to V57.0600. Staff (4 points)
Examines what conventional written history can and cannot explain about pagan, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic sites and monuments in Israel, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran in light of archaeologists' reports, writings of historians, and slides.
The History of Ancient Egypt, 3200-50 B.C.
V77.0611. Identical to V57.0506. Goelet (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 recreate Egyptian history.
Seminar: Topics in Middle Eastern History
V77.0688. Identical to V57.0550. Staff (4 points)
This course focuses on a particular aspect of Islamic, Ottoman, or modern Middle Eastern history, with an emphasis on historiographical and comparative issues. It is intended primarily for advanced undergraduates in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and in history, but other students may register with permission of the instructor.
The Making of the Muslim Middle East, 600-1250
V77.0640. Identical to V57.0542 and V65.0640. Staff (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 cultural history of this period.
World Cultures: Muslim Spain (711-1492)
V55.0527. Peters (4 points)
This course introduces the student to one of the two examples--the other is the Balkans--of the long-term establishment of a Muslim religious and political presence in Europe. It traces the political flow of events, from the Arab-Berber conquest of the peninsula and their experiments in state-formation to the gradual emergence of Christian rivals in the northern kingdoms and the reversal of the tide until the final submission of the surviving Muslim enclave of Granada in 1492. The chief emphasis, however, will be on
1) the construction of a remarkable social, intellectual and artistic culture out of the various indigenous and imported elements available; and
2) how the three indigestible ingredients called Islam, Christianity and Judaism fared in that melting pot, particularly when one of the others was doing the stirring. This course is part of the Morse Academic Program.
The Ottoman Empire in World History
V77.0650. Identical to V57.0515 and V65.0651. Staff (4 points)
The course examines the Ottoman Empire from a world historical perspective. Beginning with the collapse of the Byzantine state and ending with the French Revolution, students will gain an understanding of Ottoman state and society and its responses to, and participation in, global trade, inter-state warfare, and the cultural and political development of the modern world.
Mediterranean Worlds
V77.0660. Identical to V57.0131. Staff (4 points)
The early modern Mediterranean was a fluid frontier shifting between the Islamic and Christian powers. From the mosques of Spain to the markets of Venice to the multi-religious neighborhoods of Istanbul, students explore sites of coexistence, accommodation, and conflict through history, literature, and art.
Europe and the Middle East
V77.0689. Identical to V57.0534. Staff (4 points)
Survey of economic, political, and cultural relations between Europe and the Middle East. Stresses the dynamics of social, economic, and political change in the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries resulting from the dramatic expansion of European influence the region. Also explores Middle Eastern ideological, cultural, and political responses to European dominance.
Islam and the West
V77.0694. Identical to V57.0520. Staff (4 points)
This course 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.
The Emergence of the Modern Middle East
V77.0690. Identical to V57.0531. Lockman (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.
Seminar: Colonial, Imperialism, & Nationalism in the Middle East
V77.0677. Identical to V57.0541. Lockman, Fahmy (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.
Palestine, Zionism, Israel
V77.0697. Identical to V57.0532. Lockman (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 have thought and acted as they did.
Seminar: Modern Central Asia
V77.0700. Identical to V57.0700. McChesney (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.
Russia and the Middle East in Modern Times
V77.0675. Identical to V57.0173. Staff (4 points)
Surveys Russian contacts with the Steppe people, Byzantine civilization, and the Mongols and the growing involvement of Russia in Middle Eastern affairs at the expense of the Ottomans and Persians. Topics: the clash of Orthodox Christianity and Islam, the "Eastern Question," "pan" movements, nationalism, the conquest of Central Asia and the Caucasus and its implication for rivalry with Britain, World War I and revolution, Soviet approaches to the Middle East, and Zionism and oil-the making of a new crisis.
Israel: Fact through Fiction
V77.0698. Identical to V78.0780. Landress (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
Zionism and the State of Israel
V77.0696. Identical to V78.0180. Engel (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
Note: Except where indicated, there is no language requirement for these courses.
The Arabian Nights
V77.0716. Identical to V65.0714. Kennedy (4 points)
The Arabian Nights have been an essential and dynamic literary meeting point between Arabic/Islamic literature and the Western canon. This course will examine 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.
Seminar: Introduction to Islamic Texts (in Arabic)
V77.0720. Prerequisite: V77.0103 or equivalent. Kennedy (4 points)
This course will introduce students with at least two semesters of Arabic behind them to the main stylistic features of Classical Arabic. The object will be to give students a flavour 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 will also include 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 will provide 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.
Masterpieces of Islamic Literature in Translation
V77.0710. Identical to V65.0710. Kennedy, Mikhail (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 (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.
Women and War: Contemporary Arabic Literature and Film
V77.0714. Identical to V29.0714, V97.0714, and H72.0714. Staff (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 anti-erotic; and combat and
collaboration.
Comparative Imperialism
V77.0715. Identical to V29.0811. Staff (4 points)
The course examines the diverse ways in which imperial and aesthetic idioms converge in American, English, French and Arabic literature. Texts include nineteenth-and twentieth-century narrative, political discourse and poetry.
Modern South Asian Literature
V77.0717. Identical to V29.0717. Ilieva (4 points)
This course addresses the rich literary product of modern and contemporary South Asia. It offers more advanced undergraduates a window on a rich and culturally varied area of the world, as well as to aspects of South Asian history and society as represented in translations of modern prose writing (short stories and novels) originally written in South Asia's regional languages.
Modern Hebrew Literature
V77.0306. Identical to V78.0075 (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78)
Masterpieces of Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation
V77.0713. Identical to V78.0076 and V90.0713. Staff (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
The Qur’an and Its Interpretation
V77.0781, Katz
Introduction to the Qur’anic text and its role in Islamic thought
and practice. Explores the form and themes of the Qur’an, and the
diverse ways in which Muslims (including jurists, mystics, and other groups)
have understood meaning to emerge from the text. We will then look at
some of the trends in Qur’anic exegesis (including modernist, radical,
and feminist interpretation) that have emerged in modern times.
Women and Gender in Islam
V77.0728, Katz
Both within Islamic societies and in the western press, the image of the
Muslim woman has been taken as emblematic of the perceived virtues or
failings of the Islamic tradition. This course examines 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,
we will observe how foundational texts and personalities have been interpreted
and reinterpreted in changing social, historical and political contexts.
A Cultural History of Ancient Egypt
V77.0614. Identical to V57.0506 and V78.0121. Goelet (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.
Islamic Political Movements
V77.0674. Haykel (4 points)
This course will attempt to explain the rise of Islamic political movements in the contemporary Middle East and look at the various ways in which they have been discussed in the media and in academic writings. Examples of Islamist writings and publications will also be presented in order to elucidate the ways in which Islamist depict themselves and their concerns. Because of the nature of these movements, the course will have a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on concepts from politics, history and law.
Seminar: Islamic Law and Society
V77.0780. Haykel (4 points)
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to Islamic law through a reading of its various genres and a study of a selection of secondary sources covering its various topics. The course will also focus 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. Haykel (4 points)
The aim of this course is to acquaint students with the ways Islamic law has treated women in theory and practice. Students will be 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 will be read and discussed as well as writings from contemporary anthropology.
Politics of the Near and Middle East
V77.0750. Identical to V53.0540. Staff (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).
Politics and Society in Iran
V77.0797. Identical to V53.0545. Kazemi (4 points)
See description under Politics (53).
Area Economics--Middle East
V77.0802. Identical to V31.0224. Staff (4 points)
See description under Economics (31).
Introduction to Egyptian Religion
V77.0719. Identical to V90.0719. Goelet (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 Civilizations and Religions of the Ancient Near East
V77.0790. Identical to V90.0790. Staff (4 points)
Introduction to the ancient Near East. Places the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Anatolia in their historical framework and discusses their institutions.
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
V77.0800. Identical to V65.0025, V78.0160, and V90.0102. Peters (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.
World Cultures: Islamic Societies
V55.0502. Peters (4 points)
An introduction to the common religious and cultural base of societies, past and present, that have regarded themselves as Islamic. The course covers both the history and belief systems of those societies from the Quranic origins of the Islamic community and the career of Muhammad that shaped it down to the present day, mostly read out in the words and thoughts of Muslim themselves. This course is part of the Morse Academic Program.
What Is Islam?
V77.0691. Identical to V57.0085 and V90.0085. Staff (4 points)
The prophet Muhammad and the origins of Islam: the Islamic community; its beliefs and practices; Sunni and Shi'ite Islam; Sufism; an introduction to the spiritual, intellectual, and artistic life of the Islamic Commonwealth; and the modern Islamic revival.
Sufis: Mystics of Islam
V77.0863. Identical to V65.0863 and V90.0863. Chelkowski (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 in Iran. 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.
Islam in Asia
V77.0693. Identical to V57.0518. McChesney (4 points)
Two-thirds of the world's Muslims today live in Central, South, and Southeast Asia. This course examines the ways in which the Islamic traditions spread from the Middle East, the nature of the ensuing dialogue between Muslims and adherents of existing traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, shamanism), and the politics of Islam today in Asia from Afghanistan to the Philippines.
Iran: Past and Present
V77.0796. Chelkowski (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 Shi'ism 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.
Jerusalem: The City, the Shrine, the Conflict
V77.0843. Identical to V90.0843. Peters. Staff (4 points)
See description under Religious Studies (90).
The Land of Israel through the Ages
V77.0609. Identical to V57.0540, V78.0141, and V90.0609. Staff (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
The Jews: The Ancient Period
V77.0680. Identical to V78.0100 and V90.0680. Staff (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
The Jews: The Medieval Period
V77.0681. Identical to V57.0110, V78.0101, and V90.0682. Staff (4 points)
See description under Hebrew and Judaic Studies (78).
Art in the Islamic World
V77.0891. Identical to V43.0098 and V65.0098. Staff (4 points)
See description under Fine Arts (43).
Internship
V77.0980, 0981
Prerequisite: permission and placement for Departmental majors from
Director of Undergraduate Studies. 2 or 4 points. For guidelines, see Internship Program.
Independent Study
V77.0997, 0998
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. 1 to 4 points per term.
Note: The Middle Eastern and Islamic 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.
Regularly offered Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies graduate courses may be lectures, colloquia, or seminars. Unless otherwise noted, all nonlanguage courses listed below are colloquia.
For elementary, intermediate and advanced courses in Middle Eastern languages, see Language Courses as well as the advanced language and literature courses listed below.
Courses on Middle East-related topics offered by the Departments of Anthropology, Classics, Comparative Literature, Economics, History, Politics, and Sociology and by the Institute of Fine Arts are open to students with permission of the instructor and may be credited toward a degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies in accordance with departmental rules and requirements.
Problems and Methods in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies G77.1687 Required of all incoming M.A. and Ph.D. students. 4 points.
Ancient Egyptian Language and Civilization
Introduction to Ancient Egyptian I, II
G77.1359, 1360 Goelet (4 points per term)
Introduction to hieroglyphics; readings in ancient Egyptian texts.
Advanced Ancient Egyptian I, II
G77.1390, 1391 Identical to G43.3817 Prerequisite: G77.1360 or the equivalent. Goelet (4 points per term)
Advanced readings in ancient Egyptian texts.
Advanced readings courses in hieroglyphic texts, Old Egyptian, and Coptic are also offered.
Arabic Language and Literature
For Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Arabic language courses, see Arabic. Prerequisite for graduate Arabic language courses: Intermediate Arabic V77.0103, 0104 or the equivalent.
Staff: Staff, Ferhadi, Kennedy, Mikhail.
Advanced Contemporary (Media) Arabic I, II
G77.1005, 1006 Prerequisite: Intermediate Arabic or the equivalent. Ferhadi (4 points per term)
Classical Arabic I, II
G77.1112, 1113 Identical to G78.1121, 1122. Kennedy, Mikhail (4 points per term)
Grammar and reading, providing the transition from modern standard Arabic to classical texts.
Medieval Arabic Literature: Prose
G77.1114 Kennedy (4 points)
Readings in selected authors from the 8th century to the 12th century.
Medieval Arabic Literature: Poetry
G77.1115 Identical to G29.1115. Kennedy (4 points)
Readings in selected poets from the 8th century to the 12th century.
Medieval Arabic Literature: Qu'ran and Tafsir
G77.1116 Kennedy (4 points)
Readings from the Qu'ran and Tafsir.
Arabic Literature: Modern Prose and Poetry
G77.1117 Identical to G29.1732. Mikhail (4 points)
Introduction to the genres of modern Arabic prose and poetry, with readings in each.
Colloquial Arabic: Egyptian
G77.1118 Prerequisite: one year or the equivalent of modern standard Arabic. Mikhail (4 points)
Practice in aural/oral communication in the colloquial Arabic dialect of contemporary Egypt.
Arabic Composition
G77.1120 Mikhail (4 points)
Practical language exercises in Arabic language and style. The finer points of grammar and syntax are studied. Introduction to the different styles of expository prose writing, standard forms of letter writing, and idiomatic expressions.
Topics in 20th Century Literature
G77.1122. Staff (4 points)
Selected topics in 20th-centuryArabic literature from a global perspective.
20th Century Arabic Literature in Translation
G77.1710 Identical to G29.1710. Mikhail (4 points)
Introduction to 20th-century Arabic literature.
Modern Arabic Literary Criticism
G77.1777 Identical to G29.1777. Mikhail (4 points)
Selected topics in 20th-century Arabic literary criticism.
Drama and Mass Media in the Arab World
G77.1778 Mikhail (4 points)
Seminar will investigate the origins of modern Arabic drama and its initimate interfacing with mass media in contemporary Arab societies.
Recognition/Anagnorisis in Arabic, Islamic, and European Narrative
G77.1124 Identical to G29.1124. Kennedy (4 points)
Seminar in Medieval Arabic Literature
G77.3192 Kennedy (4 points)
Selected topics in medieval Arabic literature.
Seminar in Modern Arabic Literature I
G77.3193 Mikhail (4 points)
Selected topics in modern Arabic literature.
Seminar in Modern Arabic Literature II
G77.3197 Identical to G29.3197. Staff (4 points)
Selected topics in modern Arabic literature.
See also undergraduate Literature Courses.
Persian Language and Literature
For Elementary, Intermediate and Advance Persian language courses, see Persian. Prerequisite for all graduate Persian language courses, Intermediate Persion V77.0403, 0404 or the equivalent.
Staff: Chelkowski, Khorrami, McChesney.
Persian Historical and Biographical Texts
G77.1412 (4 points)
Advanced Persian: Poetry
G77.1413 (4 points)
Advanced Persian: Mystical Texts
G77.1414 (4 points)
Advanced Persian: Contemporary Literature
G77.1415 (4 points)
Persian Literary Prose
G77.1416 (4 points)
Persian Literary Texts: Drama
G77.1417 (4 points)
Turkish Language and Literature
For Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Turkish, see Turkish.
Prerequisite for the following courses: Intermediate Turkish
V77.0503, 0504 or the equivalent
Staff: Erol, Staff.
Turkish Literary Texts: Ottoman Historical Texts
G77.1512, 1513 (
4 points per term)
Turkish Literary Texts: Modern Turkish Literature
G77.1514, 1515 (4 points per term)
The following are lecture courses:
History of the Middle East, 600-1200
G77.1640 Identical to G57.1502. Staff (4 points)
Survey of the history of the Middle East from 600 to 1200.
History of the Middle East, 1200-1800
G77.1641 Identical to G57.1641. McChesney
Survey of the history of the Middle East from 1200 to 1800.
History of the Middle East, 1750-Present
G77.1642 Identical to G57.1642. Fahmy, Lockman (4 points)
Survey of the history of the Middle East from 1750 to the present.
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Revolutions in the Islamic Middle East
G77.1616 Staff (4 points)
Comparative survey of revolutionary movements, ideologies and states in the Middle East.
Literature of the Field:Modern Middle Eastern History
G77.1643. Staff (4 points)
Topics in Medieval Islamic History
G77.1646. Staff (4 points)
Topics in medieval Middle Eastern social, cultural, economic, and political history.
Communities of Knowledge: Medieval Identities and Histories
G77.1647 Identical to G57.1647. Staff (4 points)
This course aims for a critical engagement with the issues surrounding the social production and use of knowledge in the pre-Modern Muslim world. The class will attend to the changing interplay and relationships between textuality, oralisty, andmemory in the dissemination of knowledge and the construction of its various forms of authority.
Contemporary Turkey
G77.1649 (4 points)
Introduction to the politics and culture of the Turkish Republic from its establishment to the present day.
Topics in Ottoman History
G77.1651 Identical to G57.1513. Staff (4 points)
Topics in Ottoman political, social, economic, and cultural history.
The Late Ottoman Empire
G77.1652 Identical to G57.1652. Staff (4 points)
Topics in the history of the Ottoman Empire from the 18th century to the First World War.
Medieval Iran (650-1500)
G77.1660 Identical to G57.1540. McChesney (4 points)
Principal themes of Iranian history, including a brief survey of ancient Iran but focusing on the period since the arrival of Islam and particularly the rise of the Safavid and the Samanid dynasties and the Safavid Empire.
Modern Iran (1800 to the Present)
G77.1661 Identical to G57.1541. Chelkowski (4 points)
History of Iran in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the internal and external forces that have helped shape modern Iranian history in its political, economic, social, cultural, and religious dimensions.
Egypt in Modern Times
G77.1664 Identical to G57.1511. Lockman, Fahmy (4 points)
Modern Egyptian history from the end of the Ottoman-Mamluk period to the present, largely through an exploration of the scholarly literature and of various paradigms that have been used to interpret that history.
History of Muslim Central Asia
G77.1666 McChesney (4 points)
General survey covering the region of the central Asian republics from the Muslim conquests in the 8th century to the present. Focus on social and economic history.
Nationalisms and Nation-States in the Middle East
G77.1670 Lockman (4 points)
Emergence of national identities, nationalist movements, and nation-states in the modern Middle East, studied comparatively and in relation to various approaches to understanding nationalism and state formation.
Problems and Methods in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
G77.1687 Staff (4 points)
Introduction to key issues and methods in the study of the Middle East.
Islam and the West
G77.1806 Identical to G57.1806 and G90.1806. Staff (4 points)
Evolving diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations between the lands of Islam and the West and their mutual interactions.
Islamic Institutions
G77.2855 Staff (4 points)
Origins, evolution, and significance of key political, social, cultural, and religious institutions of premodern Islamic societies.
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The following are courses are seminars:
Seminar in the History of the Modern Middle East I
G77.1653 Identical to G57.1653. Lockman, Fahmy (4 points)
Topics in the history of the modern Middle East.
Seminar in the History of the Modern Middle East II
G77.1654 Identical to G57.1654. Lockman, Fahmy (4 points)
Topics in the history of the modern Middle East.
Seminar in Waqf Studies
G77.1783 McChesney (4 points)
Pre-Islamic origins, legal systemization, social uses, and economic impact of Islamic religious endowments from medieval times to the present.
Seminar in Safavid History
G77.2551 McChesney (4 points)
Study of the historiographical issues, the nature and development of state structures, and the parameters of involvement in the world economy of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Seminar on Early Modern Central Asia
G77.2660 McChesney (4 points)
Evolution of the Chinggisid system and the economy, society, and culture of Bukhara, Samarkand, and Balkh.
Seminar in Ottoman History
G77.2680 Identical to G57.2680. Staff (4 points)
Topics in Ottoman history.
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Middle Eastern Society and Culture
Islamic Legal Theories
G77.1851, Katz
Legal theory has been one of the primary arenas of Islamic thought. The
discipline of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh) has been a lens for the examination
of foundational issues of epistemology, hermeneutics, and religious authority.
Many of these issues have been revisited in the modern period, sometimes
resulting in radical revision of pre-modern theories. This course will
examine the development and transformation of Islamic legal thought, from
the formative period through the debates of recent decades.
The Study of Hadith
G77.3127, Katz
Examines the genre of texts known as hadith, that is, reports recounting
the statements, actions, and tacit approvals of the Prophet Muhammad.
The focus will be on the ways in which these texts have been used and
evaluated by Muslims, as well as on the controversies over their origins
and authenticity initiated by modern western scholars. We will look at
selections from medieval Islamic works, modern scholarly critiques, and
contemporary Islamic responses to the criticism of hadith.
Cities of the Middle East
G77.1626 Identical to G65.1021 and G14.1626 (4 points)
Issues of modernity in Middle Eastern cities and regions. Topics may include approaches to the transformation of cities in the Middle East; colonial and postcolonial urban spaces; architecture, politics, and social identities; discourses of the city; tradition and modernity; and everyday life, work, and gender issues.
Anthropology for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
G77.1636 Identical to G14.1322. Gilsenan (4 points)
Assessment of the contribution of anthropological research to the study of Middle Eastern history, politics, literature, and civilization.
Introduction to Islamic Studies
G77.1700 Identical to G90.1700. Peters (4 points)
Approaches and methods used in the study of Islam as a religion and of Islamic history.
Sufism
G77.1668 Identical to G90.1575. Chelkowski (4 points)
Survey of the origins, development, forms, and significance of Sufism as a dimension of Islamic thought and practice.
Topics in the Sociology of the Modern Middle East
G77.1612 Identical to G90.1576. Staff (4 points)
Shi'i Islam
G77.1750 Identical to G90.1577 and G93.1618. Chelkowski (4 points)
Survey of the origins, development, forms, and significance of Shi'i Islam.
Economy of the Middle East
G77.1781 Identical to G31.1608. Staff (4 points)
Economic and policy issues facing the states in the region, including the effect of oil on the economies of the exporting states, industrial and agreicultural strategies and experience, and labor migration.
Topics in the Economic and Social History of the Middle East
G77.1782. Staff (4 points)
Islam in the Modern World
G77.1803 Identical to G90.1803 (4 points)
Social, political, and cultural roles of Islam in the modern period.
Islamic Law and Society
G77.1852. Identical to G62.3006 and L05.3560. Haykel (4 points)
Introduction to Islamic law in theory and as social practice.
Women and Islamic Law
G77.1852 Identical to G62.3007. Haykel (4 points)
Islamic law and its treatment of women in theory and practice.
Muhammad and the Qu'ran
G77.1857 Identical to G90.1502. Peters (4 points)
Life, times, and works of Muhammad and the Qu'ran as a sacred text.
Seminar in Islamic Philosophy
G77.3111 Ivry (4 points)
Problems in Islamic philosophy in the original texts and translation.
Courses Offered in Conjunction with Other Departments
History of the Ancient Near East
G77.1600 (Hebrew and Judaic Studies) Identical to G78.2601. Levine (4 points)
Government and Politics of the Middle East
G77.2590 (Politics) Identical to G53.2590. Kazemi, Mitchell (4 points)
Economy of the Middle East
G77.1781 (Economics) Identical to G31.1608. Majd (4 points)
Department faculty may also offer various specialized reading, directed study, independent study, and master's thesis and dissertation research courses. These courses require permission of both the instructor and the director of graduate studies and, where appropriate, command of the relevant language.
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