Middle Eastern Studies Courses

This course is the first part of the introductory sequence in Arabic. Students acquire Novice Mid-level proficiency in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communicative modes and begin to explore the cultural perspectives, products, and practices of Arabic-speaking peoples.

This course is the second part of the introductory sequence in Arabic. Students reinforce Novice Mid-level proficiency and acquire Novice High-level competence in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communicative modes while continuing to explore the cultural perspectives, products, and practices of Arabic-speaking peoples.

This course is the first part of the intermediate sequence in Arabic. Students reinforce Novice High-Level proficiency and acquire Intermediate Low-level competence in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communicative modes while continuing to explore the cultural perspectives, products, and practices of Arabic-speaking peoples.

This course is the second part of the intermediate sequence in Arabic. Students reinforce Intermediate Low-Level proficiency and acquire Intermediate Mid-level competence in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communicative modes while continuing to explore the cultural perspectives, products, and practices of Arabic-speaking peoples.

An in-depth study of selected regions of the world. Examples: Tropical Areas, Arid Regions, Polar Regions, Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand. Surveys geology, landforms, soil, vegetation, climate, settlement, population, economic activities and the cultural landscape. The course will be devoted to a single region that can vary from semester to semester. Variable content course. Students should check the current class schedule to determine the topic title for any given semester. Since topics vary, the course may be repeated with permission.

The essentials of grammar and vocabulary building of Ancient Hebrew through reading and writing.

Continuation of HBW 101.

Continuation of HBW 102, with increased emphasis on reading.

Introduction to Ancient Hebrew Literature; analysis of its subject, forms and ideals.

Recommended Prerequisite: HST 103 and/or HST 104. This course introduces students to the history of the Middle East and North Africa from the rise of Islam in the seventh century to the beginnings of European economic, military, and political penetration of the region in the late eighteenth century. The course pays special attention to the development of the Islamic tradition, rise and fall of various regional empires, and the social, cultural, and political transformations that took place over the course of this extended historical era.

Recommended Prerequisite: HST 104. This course provides students with an overview of the broad social, economic, and political trends that have shaped the Middle East and North Africa from the end of the eighteenth century to the contemporary era. This course pays particular attention to the growing influence of Europe (and later the United States) on the Middle Eastern societies as well as the efforts engaged in by Middle Eastern governments and political organizations to adapt to a rapidly changing global order.

The Arab-Israeli conflict in its historical and contemporary terms. The course covers three periods: The first period examines the roots of Arab and Jewish historical/biblical claims to Palestine before 1939. The second period from 1939 to 1982 analyzes the causes and effects of the Arab-Israeli wars. The third period from 1982 to 1991 covers the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Palestinian uprising (Intifada), and the peace process. May be taught concurrently with HST 643. Cannot receive credit for both HST 543 and HST 643.

Recommended Prerequisite: 50 hours. Political systems, processes and problems of the Middle East, considered both regionally and in the perspective of separate nation-states, from the beginning of the modern period about 1800 to the present. May be taught concurrently with PLS 644. Cannot receive credit for both PLS 544 and PLS 644.

Recommended Prerequisite: 50 hours. The systematic study of political violence in its different forms. The course content is structured along a continuum, ranging from small scale violence to mass violence-assassinations, terrorism by sub-national and transnational organizations, state terror and genocide. May be taught concurrently with PLS 646. Cannot receive credit for both PLS 546 and PLS 646.

A survey of the history and religion of the Jewish peoples, including the Holocaust, the State of Israel, and modern Jewish movements.

Origin, expansion, and continuity of Islam, including pre-Islamic influences, Muhammad, Qur'an and Tradition (hadith), sects, ritual and law, community and worldview, prayer and mysticism.

Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours in Religious Studies. Selected topics of general interest in Religious Studies. Examples: Introduction to Archaeology and the Bible, Women in the Bible, Dead Sea Scrolls, the Holocaust, C. S. Lewis, Food and American Religion. Variable content course. May be repeated to a maximum of nine hours as topics change.

Selected topics of contemporary interest in Sociology. Variable content course. May be repeated to a maximum of six hours when the topic changes.