ARAB 395 - Special Topics in Arabic Literature and Culture

Credits: 1-3

Prerequisite: Grade of C or higher in ARAB 211 or instructor consent. Conducted in Arabic. An advanced seminar on a particular author, period, or genre. Topics may include Arab Short Stories, Classical Arabic Poetry, Travelogues in Arabic Literature, Arabic Pop Culture and Music, and Arabic Media. The subject changes annually. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

Fall 2019, ARAB 395A-01: Special Topic in Arabic Literature and Culture: Shabab Talk (3). Prerequisite: ARAB 211 or instructor consent. An advanced-level Arabic language course about shabab (youth) and the political, social, and religious issues that they face in the 21st-century Arabic-speaking world. Hosted by Jaafar Abdul Karim and television on DW Arabia, Shabab Talk is an Arabic, talk show addressing topics such as women’s rights, homosexuality, unemployment, politics, and atheism. Students watch episodes of Shabab Talk and develop their linguistic and analytical abilities in order to engage critically with these discourses. Students continue to improve their Arabic skills in listening comprehension, speaking, writing, and reading and broaden their cultural understanding of the region, specifically from the perspective of their peers: the Arab shabab. Edwards.