Spring 2009 MEALAC Courses

Below is a partial listing of the courses offered by our department for Spring 2009. Please note that this information is subject to change. For further information, please visit the Registrar's Directory of Classes.

The following designators appear in abbreviated form: MDES (Middle East), AHUM (Asian Humanities), ASCM (Asian Civilizations-Middle East), CLME (Comparative Literature-Middle East) and HSME (History-Middle East). These classes are open to both undergraduates and graduates.

ELEMENTARY TAMIL II
MDES W1102 / Instructor: D. Samuel Sudanandha
Introduces students to the basic grammatical and syntactical skills required to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in that region of the world. Introduces students to the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken.

INTERMEDIATE TAMIL II
MDES W1202 / Instructor: D. Samuel Sudanandha
Prerequisites:  MDES W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission. Further develops students' written and oral proficiency in order to allow them to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in a Tamil-speaking context. Develops the students' appreciation for the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken.

ARABIC FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS II
MDES W1209 / Instructor: Youssef Nouhi

FIRST YEAR ARABIC II
MDES W1211 / Instructors: Rym Bettaieb, Abeer Aloush, Reem Faraj, Ghada Badawi

SECOND YEAR ARABIC II
MDES W1215 / Instructors: Abeer Aloush, Ouijdane Absi, Youssef Nouhi

ELEMENTARY SANSKRIT II
MDES W1402 / Instructor: Som Dev Vasudeva
An introduction to classical Sanskrit. Grammar and reading of texts.

INTERMEDIATE SANSKRIT II
MDES W1405 / Instructor: Audrey A Truschke
Reading and grammatical analysis of a literary text, chosen from the dramatic and narrative tradition.

FIRST YEAR MODERN HEBREW: ELEMENTARY II
MDES W1511 / Instructor: Ronit Webman
Prerequisite: MDES W1510, or the equivalent, based on performance on the placement test. Continued introduction to Hebrew, with equal emphasis on all languages skills.

SECOND YEAR MODERN HEBREW: INTERMEDIATE II
MDES W1513 / Instructor: Nehama R Bersohn
Prerequisites: MDES W1512 Equal emphasis is given to all language skills. Irregular categories of the Hebrew verb, prepositions and syntax are taught systematically. Vocabulary building. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, or writing short compositions. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. (Students completing this course fulfill Columbia College and Barnard language requirement.)

SECOND YEAR MODERN HEBREW: UPPER INTERMEDIATE II
MDES W1515 / Instructor: Nehama R Bersohn
Prerequisites: W1514 Equal emphasis is given to all languages skills. Irregular Hebrew verbs, prepositions and syntax are taught systematically. Vocabulary building. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, reading, short answers, short compositions or listening to web-casts. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. (Students completing this course fulfill Columbia College and Barnard language requirement.)

INTERMEDIATE HEBREW: INTENSVE GRAMMAR REVIEW
MDES W1516 / Instructor: Ronit Webman
Prerequisites: For students who acquired knowledge of the language in Hebrew school, and who received appropriate scores on the placement test. This course offers an intensive review of the Hebrew verb system in one semester. (Students completing this course fulfill Columbia College and Barnard language requirement.)

ELEMENTARY HINDI-URDU II
MDES W1611 / Instructors: Rakesh Ranjan, Dalpat Rajpurohit, Suman Mallipattana
An introduction to the most widely spoken language of South Asia. Along with an understanding of the grammar, the course offers practice in listening and speaking. The Hindi (Devanagari) script is used for reading and writing.

INTERMEDIATE HINDI-URDU II
MDES W1613  / Instructor: Dalpat Rajpurohit
Prerequisites: MDES W1610-W1611 or the instructor's permission. Continuing practice in listening, speaking, and grammatical understanding. Along with the Hindi (Devanagari) script, the Urdu (Perso-Arabic) script is taught in the class; both scripts are used for reading and writing.

ELEMENTARY PERSIAN II
MDES W1711 / Instructor: Ghazzal Dabiri
An introduction to the spoken and written language of contemporary Iran.

INTERMEDIATE PERSIAN II
MDES W1713 / Instructor: Ghazzal Dabiri
Prerequisite: MDES W1710-W1711 or the equivalent. A general review of the essentials of grammar; practice in spoken and written Persian; Arabic elements in Persian; selected readings emphasizing Iranian life and culture; materials from Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Indari.

ELEMENTARY MODERN TURKISH II
MDES W1911 / Instructor: Etem Erol

INTERMEDIATE MODERN TURKISH II
MDES W1913 / Instructor: Etem Erol

CONTEMPORARY ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION
ASCM V2008 / Instructor: George A Saliba
Notes: STUDENTS MUST REGISTER FOR A RECITATION SECTION, ASCM V2118
A survey of the contemporary intellectual currents in modern Islamic societies, with a special emphasis on the societies of the Middle East, and on the cultural issues not covered in classical Islamic Civilization courses. The course complements the Introduction to Islamic Civilization currently given jointly by MEALAC and the Committee on Asia and the Middle East by focusing on the texts of the contemporary world.

CONTMP ISLAMIC CIVILIZATN-DISCUSSION SECTIONS
ASCM V2118

SUPERVISED READINGS II
MDES W3002

ISLAM IN SOUTH ASIA: AN INTRO
MDES W3004 / Instructor: Frances Pritchett
Assumes no previous background in Islam and South Asian studies. Explores the coming of Islam to South Asia, its growth over time, and the development of S. Asian Muslims' cultural, social, religious, and political life from the 11th through the 21st century.

MAJOR TEXTS: MIDDLE EAST/INDIA
AHUM V3399 / Instructor: Nanor Kenderian
Readings in translation and discussion of texts of Middle Eastern and Indian origin. The Qur'an, Islamic philosophy, Sufi poetry, the Upanishads, Buddhist sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Indian epics and drama, and Gandhi's Autobiography.

ZIONISM:A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
MDES W3541 / Instructor: Dan Miron
The course, based on Zionist texts of various kinds, will offer a view of Zionism as a cultural revolution aimed at redefining Judaism and the Jewish Identity.

AFRICA, EMPIRE & 20TH CENTURY WORLD
HSME W3916 / Instructor: Jinny K Prais
This seminar explores the role of Africa and Africans in imperial and international history during the first half of the twentieth century. It examines African political thought and activities for the ways that Africans contributed to imperial and international discussions, engaged concepts of political modernity, and responded to and participated in world events. It explores African involvement in international movements for racial equality and world peace, proposals for imperial reform, responses to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, and debates and controversies among African intellectuals. Drawing from new imperial and transnational history and studies of the African diaspora, it explores new frameworks for understanding modern African history.

TEXT AND TERRITORY
CLME W3922 /  Instructor: Nanor Kenderian
The concept of "nation" and ongoing "national" struggles still remain potent, despite or perhaps because of unbound globalization. We will consider "nation" in relation to "state" and "diaspora," weighing its implications for literary nation-formation with readings in Armenian Diaspora literature. Theoretical readings from Renan, Bhabha, Anderson, Chatterjee, Tölölyan among others. Primary texts from Shahnour, Vorpuni, V. Oshagan and Beledian in translation.

ADVANCED TAMIL II
MDES W4119 / Instructor: D. Samuel Sudanandha

THEMES IN THE ARABIC NOVEL
CLME W4200 / Instructor: Noha Radwan
A critical reading of a selection of Arabic novels thematically connected by their representation of displacement defined as the physical dislocation of people (as refugees, immigrants, migrants, exiles, or expatriates). The lectures and class discussions will focus on the interactions between this theme and the textual strategies and discourse by which the notions of identity, community, native culture, and homeland are themselves constructed, displaced, and re-constructed in these novels.

THIRD YEAR ARABIC II
MDES W4211 / Instructor: May Ahmar

FOURTH YEAR ARABIC II: MODERN PROSE
MDES W4213 / Instructor: Taoufik Ben-Amor
Prerequisites: MDES W4212 Through reading a full novel, Tayyib Salah's Season of Migration to the North, students will be able to increase their fluency and accuracy in Arabic while working on reading and being exposed to the main themes in modern Arabic literature, acquiring a sense of literary style as well as literary analytical terminology and concepts. The novel will be divided into twelve parts that the students will read in detail, writing critical pieces, engaging in discussion, and having assignments which will expand their vocabulary, manipulation of advanced grammar concepts, and employment of stylistic devices in their writing. The course works with all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Arabic is the language of instruction.

FOURTH YEAR ARABIC II:CLASSICAL PROSE
MDES W4214 / Instructor: Taoufik Ben-Amor
Prerequisites: MDES W4212 Through reading excerpts from thirteen essential works, starting with Jabarti's history of the French Campaign in Egypt to a chapter from al-Qur'an, students will be able to increase their fluency and accuracy in Arabic while working on reading text and being exposed to the main themes in Classical Arabic literature, acquire a sense of literary style over a period of fourteen centuries as well as literary analytical terminology and concepts. The texts are selections from essential works that the students will read in detail, write critical pieces, engage in discussion and have assignments which will expand their vocabulary, manipulation of advanced grammar concepts, and employing stylistic devices in their writing. This course will enable students to start doing research in classical Arabic sources and complements MEALAC's graduate seminar Readings in Classical Arabic. The course works with all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Arabic is the language of instruction.

POLITICS OF WORLD ART HISTORY: THE CASE OF ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL ART
CLME W4304 / Instructor: Vardan Azatyan
A contextual and methodological exploration of the histories of art history utilizing the specific case of representation of Armenian medieval art in art history survey texts from the nineteenth century to the present. The course is theoretical and interdisciplinary and touches upon the issues of nationalism, orientalism, imperialism, cultural politics, educational policies, art historical methodology and politcs.

SECULARISM & ITS CRITICS
CLME G4444 / Instructor: Michael B Allan
An interdisciplinary overview of the secularism debates, drawing from political theory (as pertains to tolerance, law and religious freedom), literature (including modern reading practices, secular criticism and blasphemy) and anthropology (as it intersects with comparative religion and Middle East Studies).

THIRD YEAR MODERN HEBREW II
MDES W4511 / Instructor: Ruth Livne
Prerequisites: MDES W4510 or MDES W1515 or the instructor's permission. Focus on transition from basic language towards authentic Hebrew, through reading of un-adapted literary and journalistic texts without vowels. Vocabulary building. Grammar is reviewed in context. A weekly hour is devoted to practice in conversation. Daily homework includes reading, short answers, short compositions, listening to web-casts, or giving short oral presentations via voice e-mail. Frequent vocabulary quizzes.

READINGS IN HEBREW TEXTS II
MDES W4513 / Instructor: Ruth Livne
Prerequisites: MDES W4512 or MDES W1516 or MDES W1515, or the instructor's permission. Students must have a good familiarity with the Hebrew verb system, and the ability to read a text without vowels. This is an advanced course focusing on development of reading comprehension in literary, journalistic and academic texts. In addition to the texts read by the whole class, each student completes two independent reading projects in his/her area of interest. A weekly hour is devoted to practice in conversation. Daily homework includes reading, compositions, listening to web-casts, or short oral presentations via voice e-mail. Frequent vocabulary quizzes. Two five page reports on the independent reading material.

POLITICS IN INDIA
MDES G4601 / Instructor: Sudipta Kaviraj
This course will combine study of long-term historical sociology with more short term understanding of policies and their possible effects. Though its main purpose will be to provide students with an understanding of politics after independence, it will argue, methodologically, that this understanding should be based on a study of historical sociology - plotting long-terms shifts in the structure of social power. The course will start with analyses of the structures of power and ideas about political legitimacy in pre-modern India, and the transformations brought by colonialism into that order. After a brief study of the nature of political order under the colonial state, the courses will focus primarily on the history of the democratic state after independence.

READINGS IN HINDI II
MDES W4611 / Instructor: Rakesh Ranjan
Prerequisites: MDES W1613 or the instructor's permission. Conducted largely in Hindi. Includes reading and discussion of selected literary, social science, historical, and/or journalistic texts. Since the content changes each term, the course may be repeated for credit.

READINGS IN URDU LIT II
MDES W4636 / Instructor: Frances Pritchett
Prerequisites: MDES W4630 or the instructor's permission. Conducted largely in Urdu. Includes reading and discussion of selected literary, social science, historical, and/or journalistic texts. Since the content changes each term, the course may be repeated for credit.

ADVANCED PERSIAN II
MDES W4711 / Instructor: Ghazzal Dabiri

ADVANCED SANSKRIT II
MDES W4812 / Instructor: Som Dev Vasudeva

ADVANCED TURKISH II
MDES W4911 / Instructor: Etem Erol

BEGINNING OTTOMAN TURKISH
MDES W4921 / Instructor: Nader Sohrabi

SEMINAR ON OTTOMAN HISTORY
MDES G4951 / Instructor: Nader Sohrabi

COLONIALISM
MDES G6020 / Instructor: Timothy Mitchell
The purpose of this seminar is to investigate the theoretical and historical dimension of Colonialism as one of the most vociferous forces of change in modernity. The seminar is intended primarily for graduate students. Advanced undergraduate students will be considered only after interview. In this course, we will follow two simultaneous tracks: As we explore various theoretical issues concerning colonialism, we will equally navigate the historical manifestations of this force in various continental contexts. The course is heavily investigative, research-based, and bibliography-oriented. We are primarily after an investigation of the economic and social changes that preceded and followed colonialism.

PAN AFRICANISM: FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE PERSPECTIVES
MDES G6144 / Instructor: Mamadou Diouf
This seminar explores how Black leaders, intellectuals, and artists chose to imagine Blacks (African and people of African descent) as a global community
from the late 19th century to the present. It examines their attempts to chart a course of race, modernity and emancipation in instable and changing
geographies of empire, nation, and state. Particular attention will be given to manifestations identified as their common history and destiny and how
such a distinctive historical experience have created a unique body of reflections on and cultural productions about modernity, race, religion,
class, gender and sexuality, in a context of domination and oppression.
"Pan Africanist" ideologies were very diverse from Garveyism, Negritude to the various African American, Caribbean and African discourses of "neo-pharaohnism" and "Ethiopianism". This seminar focuses on Negritude. Negritude was one of the many ways in which black people from the French Empire first began to articulate notions of "blackness", a way of conceiving of a kind of subjectivity that would transcend the deep divisions between Arabs, West Indian Africans, continental Africans and other members of the Black Diaspora and allow them to come together and find a new form of self-respect. They carved in Paris, the imperial metropolis, an imperial public sphere to sustain a conversation between imperial subjects - in particular but not only among Blacks - about citizenship, nationalism, universalism, modernity and race. Their goal: locate and/or reconcile African modes of thought, traditional African Humanism and a complex recreation of universalism.

CLASSICAL ARABIC LITERATURE
CLME G6230 / Instructor: Noha Radwan
Notes: ARABIC PROFICIENCY REQUIRED  
Abu’l Tayyib al-Mutanabbi (d.965) is generally acknowledged to be among the greatest poets in the classical Arabic tradition. Born near the end of the Abbasid rule, his poetry embodies the finest and most sophisticated poetic ideals of this rich and important period of Arab/Islamic history. Al-Mutanabbi’s poetry has been the subject of numerous commentaries not only by his contemporaries but by many modern literary scholars and critics as well. Of all the classical Arab poets, his has been the most commonly evoked and engaged by the modern Arab poets who have severed many other connections with the classical poetic tradition. This is perhaps due to a few ‘modern’ elements that one uniquely finds in al-Mutanabbi’s poetry. 

In this class, students will read selections from al-Mutanabbi’s diwan, or book of poetry. Every week the students will be assigned one complete long poem or two complete shorter poems. In the following class meeting, the discussion will cover not only the poetics of the assigned piece(s) but the cultural, political and social contexts in which it (they) were composed as well. This way the students will gain insight into the cultural milieu of an important chapter of Arab/Islamic history that is often misrepresented in the writings of modern commentators, European and Arab alike. Students will be provided with critical readings in both Arabic and English.

JEWISH WRITING & MODERNISM
MDES G6524 / Instructor: Dan Miron
Notes: HEBREW PROFICIENCY REQUIRED
This seminar forms part of an extended seminar focusing on the view that what was often referred to as “The Modern Jewish Literature” or “The Modern Jewish Canon” does not exist. As a matter of fact, it is doubtful that a unified Jewish culture and a one, comprehensive Jewish literature, ever existed (after Biblical times). Modernity, however, clearly and blatantly fragmented Jewish cultural life and creativity, and what Jewish literary production throughout the last two hundred and fifty years amounts to is not a continuous “Jewish” canon but rather a welter of competitive, and often mutually exclusive Jewish literary canons of various kinds: some defining their parameters within nationalist ideologies and written in Jewish languages, and some developing a mentality of “dual citizenship.” Writing in various non-Jewish languages and addressing a non Jewish readership, some (not all) Jewish writers also wrote as Jews (and to a certain extent, for Jews). Together these modern Jewish literary traditions form a complex that can be studied and understood in terms of contiguity rather than those of continuity. The purpose of the seminar is to explore the dynamics and parameters of this Jewish literary contiguity. It would be done in a series of one-semester graduate seminars, each focusing on a different aspect of this very comprehensive topic. The languages all students would be expected to know are Hebrew and English, although texts originally written in Yiddish, German, Russian and other languages would be used (in English and Hebrew translations).

POSTCOLONIAL THEORY
MDES G6600 / Instructors: Hamid Dabashi and Sudipta Kaviraj
This course will go over some philosophical and interpretative problems raised by recent works in a field described as 'postcolonial theory'. It will start with the original debates about 'Orientalism' - particularly its critical arguments about the question of representation of the Orient in art and literature, the question of the writing of history, and the logic of basic concepts in the social sciences. The course will analyse some 'Orientalist' texts in detail, assess the criticisms offered by postcolonial writers, and take up these three problems - of representation, history and conceptualization for detailed, rigorous critical discussion.

QUR’ANIC STUDIES: AN INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC SCRIPTURE AND EXEGESIS  
MDES G6781 / Instructor: Hossein Kamaly
This is a graduate-level colloquium for the study of the text of Muslim scripture, i.e. the Qur’an, in the light of the rich and varied exegetical tradition that has developed around this text. The course begins with an outline of the structure and contents of the Qur’an, and introduces students to a wide range of sources and methodologies for studying it. The historical context for the formation of Muslim scripture is sketched. Issues of coherence, textual relations and variant readings are discussed from the viewpoint of classical Muslim writers as well as that of modern exegetes – academic and otherwise. Debates about dating, integrity, and authenticity of the text, as well as the relationship between Islamic and pre-Islamic scriptures are similarly addressed. The historical development of the genre of tafsir-writing is explored, and such matters of inquiry as scriptural abrogation, ambivalence, occasions of revelation, etc are examined. Examples are drawn from various sub-genres of tafsir; such as hadith-based, philosophical, and modernist frameworks of exegesis.

SUPERVISED READING II
MDES G8001