1999-2000 Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

1999-2000 Bulletin Entry for:


Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

(file last updated: [7/6/1999 - 13:11:31])


Objectives


The IMES concentration is an interdisciplinary curriculum sponsored by the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies in conjunction with the faculty from several other departments. It is designed to provide a strong foundation in Middle Eastern studies with a specialized knowledge of Islam. The concentration requires students to take elective courses from the departments represented by the faculty committee. Key contributing departments, besides Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, include politics, history, economics, sociology, African and Afro-American studies, and anthropology. With a solid training in language, political theory and praxis, history, economics, sociology, and anthropology, the concentration is especially appropriate for students wishing to pursue graduate work, particularly in the field of Middle Eastern studies, or for those who wish to pursue careers dealing directly or indirectly with the Middle East.


How to Become a Concentrator or Program Member


The student who wishes to concentrate in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies must take the core course in Islamic civilization (IMES 104a) and at least two full years of a Middle Eastern language. The two years of language may be comprised of either two years of Arabic or, alternatively, one year of Arabic and one year of another Middle Eastern language, such as Persian or Hebrew. In addition, with the goal of achieving a balanced understanding of the overall field of study, the student must take two courses in the classical period and two courses in the modern, as well as four courses to be chosen from the wide intellectual variety of elective courses. Study in the Middle East for a term or a year is encouraged. As a culmination of the student's education, he or she is encouraged to write a senior thesis, with emphasis on some aspect of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies.

The student who wishes to complete the program in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies must take the core course IMES 104a (Islamic Civilization and Institutions) and at least one full year of a Middle Eastern language. In addition, the student must take one course in the classical period and one in the modern, as well as two courses to be chosen from the variety of elective courses.


Committee


Yitzhak Nakash, 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)

Avigdor Levy

(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Kanan Makiya

(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Leonard Muellner

(Classical Studies)

Wellington Nyangoni

(African and Afro-American Studies)

Benson Saler

(Anthropology)

Luis Yglesias

(Romance and Comparative Literature)


Requirements for the Concentration


A. Either four semesters of Arabic (usually ARBC 10a, 20b, 30a, and 40b) or two semesters of Arabic and two semesters of another Middle Eastern language such as Persian (PRSN 10a and 20b) or Hebrew (HBRW 10a and 20b).

B. Core course: IMES 104a.

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

D. At least two courses pertaining to the modern period from the following electives: HIST 184a, NEJS 143b, 144b, 145b, 146b, 147b, 148a, 157a, 161b, 171b, 175a, 195b, 197b, 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.

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

D. At least one course pertaining to the modern period from the following electives: HIST 184a, NEJS 143b, 144b, 145b, 147b, 148a, 157a, 161b, 171b, 175a, 195b, 197b, SOC 157a.

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


Courses of Instruction



(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students


IMES 98a Independent Study

Signature of the instructor required.

Usually offered every year.

Staff

IMES 98b Independent Study

Signature of the instructor required.

Usually offered every year.

Staff

IMES 99d Senior Research

Signature of the instructor required.

Usually offered every year.

Staff


(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students


IMES 104a Islam: Civilization and Institutions

[ cl38 nw hum ]

This course considers major issues in Islamic history, providing an appreciation of Islamic religion, civilization, and culture. Topics include Islam's relations with other civilizations and its role in contemporary society. Usually offered in odd years.

Mr. Levy


Elective Courses

The following courses are approved for the program. Not all are given in any one year, so the Course Schedule 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 Third World

AAAS 163b

Africa in World Politics

ANTH 80a

World Religions

ANTH 133a

Tradition and the Contemporary Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa

ANTH 154b

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

ECON 32b

Comparative Economic Systems

ECON 175a

Introduction to the Economics of Development

HIST 110a

The Civilization of the Early Middle Ages

HIST 110b

The Civilization of the High and Late Middle Ages

HIST 112b

The Crusades and the Expansion of Medieval Europe

HIST 134b

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

HIST 137a

Evolution of the International System, 1815 to the Present

HIST 142b

Europe since 1945

HIST 186a

World War II

NEJS 103a and b

Advanced Literary Arabic

NEJS 108b

Comparative Grammar of Semitic Languages

NEJS 113b

Near Eastern Law: Source, Sense, and Society

NEJS 114b

Biblical Ritual and Cult

NEJS 128a

Explorations in Islamic Literature I: The Arab World

NEJS 128b

Explorations in Islamic Literature II: The Persian World

NEJS 130a

The New Testament: A Historical Introduction

NEJS 143b

The World of Shi'i Islam

NEJS 144a

Jews in the World of Islam

NEJS 144b

Nationalism and Islam in the Modern Middle East

NEJS 145b

The Making of the Modern Middle East

NEJS 146b

The Destruction of the Ottoman Empire, 1800-1923

NEJS 147a

The Rise and Decline of the Ottoman Empire, 1300-1800

NEJS 147b

The Arab-Israeli Conflict

NEJS 148a

Radical Islam

NEJS 157a

History of the State of Israel since 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 Muslim World

NEJS 197b

Politics and the Culture of the 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 States and the Global System

PRSN 30a

Intermediate Persian

SOC 119a

War and Possibilities of Peace

SOC 157a

Sociology of the Israeli-Palestinian Confrontation

SOC 171a

Women Leaders and Transformation in Developing Countries

SOC 175b

Environmental Sociology