98-99 University Bulletin Entry for:


Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

(file last updated: [8/10/1998 - 15:24:42])


Objectives

The IMES concentration is aninterdisciplinary curriculum sponsored by the Department of NearEastern and Judaic Studies in conjunction with the faculty fromseveral other departments. It is designed to provide a strongfoundation in Middle Eastern studies with a specialized knowledgeof Islam. The concentration requires students to take electivecourses from the departments represented by the faculty committee.Key contributing departments, besides Near Eastern and JudaicStudies, include politics, history, economics, sociology, Africanand Afro-American studies, and anthropology. With a solid trainingin language, political theory and praxis, history, economics,sociology, and anthropology, the concentration is especially appropriatefor students wishing to pursue graduate work, particularly inthe field of Middle Eastern studies, or for those who wish topursue careers dealing directly or indirectly with the MiddleEast.


How to Become a Concentratoror Program Member

The student who wishes to concentratein Islamic and Middle Eastern studies must take the core coursein Islamic civilization (IMES 104a) and at least two full yearsof a Middle Eastern language. The two years of language may becomprised of either two years of Arabic or, alternatively, oneyear of Arabic and one year of another Middle Eastern language,such as Persian or Hebrew. In addition, with the goal of achievinga balanced understanding of the overall field of study, the studentmust take two courses in the classical period and two coursesin the modern, as well as four courses to be chosen from the wideintellectual variety of elective courses. Study in the MiddleEast for a term or a year is encouraged. As a culmination of thestudent's education, he or she is encouraged to write a seniorthesis, with emphasis on some aspect of Islamic and Middle Easternstudies.

The student who wishes to completethe program in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies must take thecore course in Islamic civilization (IMES 104a) and at least onefull year of a Middle Eastern language. In addition, the studentmust take one course in the classical period and one in the modern,as well as two courses to be chosen from the variety of electivecourses.


Committee

Avigdor Levy, Chair

(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Tzvi Abusch

(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Seyom Brown

(Politics)

Olga Davidson

(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Gordon Fellman

(Sociology)

Judith Irvine

(Anthropology)

Leonard Muellner

(Classical Studies)

Yitzhak Nakash

(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Wellington Nyangoni

(African and Afro-AmericanStudies)

Benson Saler

(Anthropology)

Barney Schwalberg

(Economics)

Ibrahim Sundiata

(African and Afro-AmericanStudies)

Luis Yglesias

(Romance and Comparative Literature)


Requirements for the Concentration

A.Either four semesters of Arabic (usually ARBC 10a, 20b, 30a, and40b) or two semesters of Arabic and two semesters of another MiddleEastern language such as Persian (PRSN 10a and 20b) or Hebrew(HBRW 10a and 20b).

B.Core course: IMES 104a (Islam: Civilization and Institutions).

C.At least two courses pertaining to the classical period from thefollowing electives: NEJS 103a, 103b, 128a, 128b, 144a, 147a,PRSN 30a.

D.At least two courses pertaining to the modern period from thefollowing electives: HIST 184a, NEJS 143b, 144b, 145b, 147b, 157a,195b, SOC 157a.

E.Four additional courses from the list of electives below.


Requirements for the Program

A.Two semesters of a Middle Eastern language.

B.Core course: IMES 104a (Islam: Civilization and Institutions).

C.At least one course pertaining to the classical period from thefollowing electives: NEJS 103a and b, 128a, 128b, 144a, 147a,PRSN 30a.

D.At least one course pertaining to the modern period from the followingelectives: HIST 184a, NEJS 143b, 144b, 145b, 147b, 157a, 195b,SOC 157a.

E.Two additional courses from the list of electives below.


Courses of Instruction


(1-99) Primarily for UndergraduateStudents

IMES 98a Independent Study

Signature of the instructorrequired.

Usually offered every year.

Staff

IMES 98b Independent Study

Signature of the instructorrequired.

Usually offered every year.

Staff


(100-199) For Both Undergraduateand Graduate Students

IMES 104a Islam: Civilizationand Institutions

[ cl38 nwhum ]

This course considers majorissues in Islamic history, providing an appreciation of Islamicreligion, civilization, and culture. Topics include Islam's relationswith other civilizations and its role in contemporary society.Usually offered in odd years.

Mr. Levy


Elective Courses

The following courses are approvedfor the program. Not all are given in any one year, so the CourseSchedule for each semester should be consulted.

AAAS 60a

Economics of Third World Hunger

AAAS 80a

Economy and Society in Africa

AAAS 123a

Third World Ideologies

AAAS 126b

Political Economy of the ThirdWorld

AAAS 163b

Africa in World Politics

ANTH 80a

World Religions

ANTH 133a

Tradition and the ContemporaryExperience in Sub-Saharan Africa

ANTH 154b

Selected Topics in ComparativeReligion: Seminal Works in the Study of Religion

ECON 32b

Comparative Economic Systems

ECON 175a

Introduction to the Economicsof Development

HIST 110a

The Civilization of the EarlyMiddle Ages

HIST 110b

The Civilization of the Highand Late Middle Ages

HIST 112b

The Crusades and the Expansionof Medieval Europe

HIST 134b

Nineteenth-Century Europe:Nationalism, Imperialism, Socialism (1850-1919)

HIST 137a

Evolution of the InternationalSystem, 1815 to the Present

HIST 142b

Europe since 1945

HIST 184a

Arabs and Jews in Palestine,1840-1948

HIST 186a

The Second World War

NEJS 103a and b

Advanced Literary Arabic

NEJS 108b

Comparative Grammar of SemiticLanguages

NEJS 113b

Near Eastern Law: Source, Sense,and Society

NEJS 114b

Biblical Ritual and Cult

NEJS 128a

Explorations in Islamic LiteratureI: The Arab World

NEJS 128b

Explorations in Islamic LiteratureII: The Persian World

NEJS 130a

The New Testament: A HistoricalIntroduction

NEJS 143b

The World of Shi'i Islam

NEJS 144a

Jews in the World of Islam

NEJS 144b

Nationalism and Islam in theModern Middle East

NEJS 145b

The Making of the Modern MiddleEast

NEJS 147a

The Rise and Decline of theOttoman Empire, 1300-1800

NEJS 147b

The Arab-Israeli Conflict

NEJS 157a

History of the State of IsraelSince 1948

NEJS 161b

The Monument and the City

NEJS 166a

Modern Jewish History to 1880

NEJS 166b

Modern Jewish History, 1880-1948

NEJS 171b

Describing Cruelty

NEJS 175a

History of Zionism

NEJS 195b

The Woman's Voice in the MuslimWorld

NEJS 197b

Politics and the Culture ofthe Contemporary Middle East

POL 128a

The Politics of Revolution:State Violence and Popular Insurgency in the Third World

POL 140a

Politics of Africa

POL 170b

Seminar: The Low-Income Statesand the Global System

PRSN 30a

Intermediate Persian

SOC 119a

War and Possibilities of Peace

SOC 157a

Sociology of the Israeli-PalestinianConfrontation

SOC 171a

Women Leaders and Transformationin Developing Countries

SOC 175b

Environmental Sociology