MESA 295 - Special Topics in Middle East and South Asian Studies

Credits: 3

Prerequisites vary with topic. Topics vary with instructor and term. Repeatable for credit if topics are different.

Spring 2022, MESA 295A-01: Modern Arab Culture. The Arab world covers a large geographical area that has more than 400 million inhabitants combined. It is characterized by cultural and linguistic diversity and a long literary tradition. This interdisciplinary course is a survey of the rich modern Arab culture from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century mainly in the Middle East and North Africa from the standpoints of history, sociology, literature, and academic writings in cultural studies. It also covers some of the cultural experiences of Arab-Americans. Topics include Arab Renaissance, music, folklore, cinema and TV shows, cuisine, humor, family relations, social change, uprisings, migration, and minority issues. Through scholarly readings and analysis of authentic cultural productions, students will develop critical thinking and analytical and intercultural skills. Students may go on a field trip to a cultural site. The class is taught in English. Al-Ahmad.