Courses
Courses are taught at:
- Bryn Mawr, in the Anthropology, Comparative Literature, General Studies, Hebrew, History, and Political Science departments;
- Haverford, in the Religion and History Departments;
- Swarthmore, in the Sociology and Anthropology, History, Religion departments and in the Arabic Language;
- and the University of Pennsylvania, in the Jewish Studies, NELC, AMES , Art History, Political Science, History, Comparative Literature, and Sociology departments and in Hebrew, Arabic, Persian and Turkish.
Current and Previous Offerings
At Bryn Mawr
Anthropology, Comparative Literature, General Studies, Hebrew, History, Political ScienceANTH B261 Palestine and Israeli Society
Considers the legacy of Palestine and the centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as key in the formation of Israeli society, shaped by ongoing political conflict. New ethnographic writings disclose themes like Zionism, Holocaust, Immigration, religion, Palestinian citizenry, Middle Eastern Jews and military occupation and resulting emerging debates among different social sectors and populations. Also considers constitution of ethnographic field and the shaping of anthropological investigations by arenas of conflict. (Neuman; cross-listed as GNST B261, HEBR B261 and HIST B261)
ANTH B342 Middle Eastern Diasporas
Focuses on Middle Eastern diasporas, particularly Arab (especially Palestinian, Turkish, Iranian and Jewish communities living outside the Middle East or to the transnational communities within the region. Examines the range of experiences covered by the term “diaspora”, Seeks to understand how ethnic identities and social bonds are created, extended and perpetuated in relation to Middle Eastern places of origin, and how plurality of experiences forge real and imagined links to various homelands. (Neuman; cross-listed as GNST B342 and HEBR B342)
GNST B001 First-Year Modern Standard Arabic
(staff)
GNST B002 First-Year Modern Standard Arabic
(staff)
GNST B155 Islamic Civilization, A Literary Introduction
Surveys major political, soclal, religious and cultural developments in the Islamic world, from Spain to India, as represented in the works of Arabic, Persian and Turkish literature in translation, with some attention to art and architecture. We cover the period from the rise of Islam to early modern times (roughly 600 to 1500). (Kim, Division III)
GNST B277 Topics in Islamic Literature: Travel Narrative
Examines medieval and early modern Muslim travel accounts of the Islamic world and beyond, through selected texts in English translation. Looks at critical approaches to travel narrative and considers whether they are useful for Islamic context. (Kim, Division III; cross-listed as COML B277)
HEBR B001, B002 Elementary Hebrew
This course prepares students for reading classical religious texts as well as modern literary work. It covers grammar, composition and conversation with primary emphasis on fluency in reading as well as the development of basic conversational skills. This is a year-long course. (Amitai)
POLS B278 Oil, Politics, Society and Economy
Examines the role oil has played in transforming societies, in shaping national politics and in the distribution of wealth within and between nations. Rentier states and authoritarianism, the historical relationships between oil companies and states, monopolies, boycotts, sanctions and demands for succession and issues of social justice mark the political economy of oil. (Harrold)
POLS B283 Introduction to the Politics of the Modern Middle East and North Africa
This course is a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the politics of the region, using works of history, political science, political economy, film and fiction as well as primary sources. The course will concern itself with three broad areas: the legacy of colonialism and the importance of international forces; the role of Islam in politics; and the political and social effects of particular economic conditions, policies and practices. (Harrold, Division I; cross-listed as HEBR B283 and HIST B283)
POLS B383 Two Hundred Years of Islamic Reform, Radicalism and Revolution
This course will examine the transformation of Islamic politics in the past two hundred years, emphasizing historical accounts, comparative analysis of developments in different parts of the Islamic world. Topics covered include the rationalist Salafy movement; the so-called conservative movements (Sanussi of Libya, the Mahdi in the Sudan, and the Wahhabi movement in Arabia); the Caliphate movement; contemporary debates over Islamic constitutions; among others. The course is not restricted to the Middle East or Arab world. Prerequisites: A course on Islam and modern European history, or an earlier course on the Modern Middle East, or 19th-century India or permission of instructor. (Harrold, Division I; cross-listed as HIST B383)
Courses Taught in the 2005-06 Academic Year
GNST / COML B155 – Fall Semester - Islamic Civilization: A Literary Introduction.
This course offers basic introduction to the Islamic world, from Spain to India, in its political, social, religious, and cultural dimensions, as represented in the works of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature in translation, with some attention to art and architecture. We cover the period from the rise of Islam to early modern times (roughly 600 to 1500). Sooyong Kim, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow.
GNSTB 265 - Spring Semester - The Islamic Literary Tradition. This course focuses on the major poetic genres and figures in Islamic literature. Selected works from Arabic, Persian, and Turkish are read in translation, and each is situated in its historical, social, and cultural context. We will not engage in extensive comparisons among the three literatures, but questions of continuities and ruptures will inform the course. Sooyong Kim, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow.
CSEM001-04 – Fall semester – College Seminar: Islam, modernity, and politics.
This College seminar, like the other college seminars, is restricted to 18 students and is dedicated to developing the critical analytical skills for college. The course is not a systematic coverage of Islam, modernity and politics, but draws from these themes for its material. Deborah Harrold, Political Science.
Social Sciences
POLSB 111 – Fall Semester - Introduction to Peace & Conflict Studies. This course addresses the proliferation of violent conflict and possibilities of non-violent alternatives, particularly as they have evolved and changed in today's world. We will use an interdisciplinary approach to study various alternatives to violence and war, including negotiation, mediation, peacekeeping, non-violent collective action, community relations work, social work, and humanitarian aid and development work. Case-studies, simulations, readings, and paper assignments will emphasize the study of peace and conflict in the Middle East, especially the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Ahsiya Posner, Political Science.
POLSB 248 - Fall semester - Modern Middle East Cities. The course will examine Middle East cities as modern cities, as cities which carry a legacy of accumulated history, as Islamic cities, and as globalized cities. The course will treat the negotiation of state control, urban planning and its alterations in urban practices, social movements and new spaces of politics, competing architectural visions, globalizations, and new local identities. Prof. Deborah Harrold, Political Science and Visiting Fulbright Fellow, Alev Çinar (Political Science, Bilkent University, Ankara). Also cross-listed under Growth and Structure of Cities, Hebrew and Judaic Studies.
POLSB 211 - Spring - Introduction to the Politics of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. The course examines Middle East politics through history, film, anthropology, political economy, and political science. More particularly, the course will concern itself with several broad areas: the consequences of colonialism; the relationships between regional actors and outside powers; collective memory and politics; the increasing importance of Islamic reform and radicalism. No prerequisites. Deborah Harrold, Political Science. Cross-listed in History and Hebrew and Judaic Studies.
POLSB 281 - Spring - Issues in U.S. Foreign Policy: The United States and the Middle East.
The development of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East from the Cold War through current events in Afghanistan and Iraq. We will consider assumptions and theoretical underpinnings of U.S. policy, how U.S. policy has been made, reasons for policy shift, the role of oil resources, and the special relationship with Israel. Cross listed in History. Prerequisites. Deborah Harrold, Political Science.
Languages
Hebrew: HEB 001 Fall and Spring Semester. Introduction to Modern Hebrew. This course prepares students for reading classical religious texts as well as modern literary work. It covers grammar, composition and conversation with primary emphasis on fluency in reading as well as the development of basic conversational skills. This is a year-long course. Ami Amitai. No prerequisite.
Arabic: Arabic instruction at Bryn Mawr and Haverford begins in Fall 2006. Students who wish to begin Arabic this year should review the option of taking it at Swarthmore with their deans.
At Haverford College
Religion
RELGH 109 A Fall - Introduction to Islam
RELGH 219 A Fall - Women in Islam
RELGH 311 A Fall - Seminar in Islam: Muhammad
RELGH 109B Spring - Introduction to Islam
RELGH 220B Spring - Islamic Mysticism
History
HISTH 116A The Mediterranean World, 7 th -16 th Centuries. Alex Kitroeff
At Swarthmore College
Sociology and Anthropology
SOAN 009C Fall. Cultures of the Middle East . Farha Ghannam
History
HIST 006 Fall - Formation of the Islamic Middle East . Stephen Bensch
Religion
RELG 003 Fall - Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East. Nathanial Deutch
RELG 011 Fall - Introduction to Islam. Susan Schomburg
RELG 018 - Muslim Worlds. Susan Schomburg
Arabic Language
RELG S 056. Fall and Spring semester. First year Arabic
RELG S 066 Fall and Spring. Second year Arabic
Arabic is a diaglossic language, which means that there are significant differences between the standard formal Arabic and regional dialects. In universities and colleges in United States , standard formal Arabic, also known as Modern Standard Arabic, is always the introduction to the study of Arabic. This standard and formal Arabic is the language of literature, the media, and public life generally, and is closer to classical and Quranic Arabic. Almost all U.S. institutions use the same Arabic textbooks, so students can move between different institutions and summer programs with less difficulty.
The University of Pennsylvania
Penn has courses on the Middle East in several departments, including Jewish Studies, NELC, AMES , Art History, Political Science, History, Comparative Literature, and Sociology, among others. Remember, Penn starts a week after Bryn Mawr in the fall; a week before Bryn Mawr in the spring semester.
http://www.upenn.edu/registrar/timetable/index.html
For information about courses, look at the Web sites of the different departments.
Hebrew at Penn meets five days a week for first-, second- and third-year levels. Advanced levels, Biblical Hebrew, and Yiddish do not meet as often.
http://www.upenn.edu/registrar/timetable/jwst.html
In addition to language classes that meet more than three times each week, Penn offers Arabic, Persian and Turkish in more limited time frames.
http://www.upenn.edu/registrar/timetable/index_cgs.html
http://www.upenn.edu/registrar/timetable/index_plc.html
(Look under NELC as well as individual languages.)
