MELC 20040: Islamic Societies of the Middle East and North Africa

Course Description

Professor Asma Afsaruddin
Office: 341 Decio    
Phone: (574) 631-8677
e-mail: afsaruddin.1@nd.edu

This new course offers a panoramic survey of the Islamic societies of the Middle East and North Africa from their origins to the present day.   It will deal with the history and expansion of Islam, both as a world religion and civilization, from its birth in the Arabian peninsula in the seventh century to its subsequent spread to other parts of western Asia and North Africa.  

Course Objectives

To familiarize the student with the cultural, religious, and political landscape of the Islamic societies in the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, the course will examine the perception of Islam worldwide. This will include an exploration of how we construct the Middle East and refer to it through a Western prism in literature, historical narratives, etc. 

Formal Requirements

Regular attendance is required in this class. Three or more unexcused absences will result in a lower overall grade.  Late submission of assigned work also incurs a penalty. 

Required Texts

1. Bates, Daniel G. and Amal Rassam, Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East. Oxford, 1998.
2. Said, Edward. Orientalism. New York, 1994.
3. Afsaruddin, Asma, ed. Hermeneutics and Honor: Negotiating Female “Public” Space in Islamic/ate Societies. Cambridge, Mass., 1999.  
4. Kanafani, Ghassan. Men in the Sun and other Palestinian Stories. Boulder, Colo., 1999. 
5. Esposito, John.  Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam.  Oxford, 2002.

Other Readings

A course packet containing several other readings is also required. The bibliographic information for these readings can be found in the 'Readings and Assigned Viewing' subsection of this course.

Grading