All courses, arranged by program, are listed in the catalog. If you cannot locate a specific course, try the Advanced Search. Current class schedules, with posted days and times, can be found on the NOW/Student Dashboard or by logging in to SiS.
Historical and critical examination of regions works of art from China, Asia, the Islamic world, India, Africa, North America, Latin America, Native American Art and Mexico. Topics vary from year to year. Course may be repeated.
This course introduces students to Islamic art through a survey of works across the broad reach of the Islamic world including Saudi Arabia, Northern and Saharan Africa, Spain, the former Ottoman Empire surrounding Turkey and the Greater Middle East. The last unit of the course looks at Islamic art in the diaspora. The course highlights works form c. 500 CE to the present, ending with the ultra modern city of Dubai.
Through this course, students will examine the history of Byzantine culture, which grew from the Greek-speaking remains of the Roman Empire. Students will consider how leading men and women shaped Byzantine Civilization and the political and military institutions that preserved it through the fifteenth century. The course will also focus on the development and spread of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and significant aspects of Byzantine culture, such as cuisine, gender roles, cities, and art. We will explore in some detail Byzantium's complex and difficult dialog with its neighbors: the Islamic world, the Slavs, and the Latin West. This course especially emphasizes reading and discussion of primary source documents. Students will compose a research paper as their main work for this class.
This course examines the history of the Middle East and the Islamic World from the time of Muhammad to the present. It provides an introduction to the history of this often turbulent region. It exposes students to the processes and patterns that have shaped the history of the Islamic World. The course examines the historical roots of the many challenges that the region faces today.
This course explores the role of empires in the Middle East from the 18th through the first half of the 20th century. During this period various forms of imperial rule defined the region's governance-from Ottoman rule to the British occupation of Egypt in the late 19th century to British and French mandate states in much of the region post World War I. The course will emphasize comparative approaches to understanding how these empires shaped the region. We will examine how these various forms of empire were engaged by local populations, from elites to peasants, and how their histories impacted the independent nation-states that succeeded them.
A study of religious knowledge and the phenomena of religion from a philosophical standpoint. The course considers explanations for religious behavior, some central issues in religious belief, and the values and goals of religious systems. Various world religions provide specific data for these topics.
An introductory survey of selected philosophical topics and figures in the Arabic-speaking world, focusing on the development of classical Arabic philosophy (falsafa) through its proponents and critics from al-Kindi (9th century) to Averroes (12th century). The course can also include speculative theology (kalam), mystical philosophy (Sufism), later developments, and contemporary issues.
The region will be analyzed using a comparativist lens, whereby the historical context of creating nation states in the region and the effect of colonialism will be applied to contemporary politics. Women, religious/ethnic minorities and the dynamics of the Arab Spring will also be addressed comparatively.
This course will address the history, content, structure, law, and politics of international human rights. Using interactive participatory class format students will learn analytical and critical thinking skills as well as written and oral communication skills.
This course will address the history, functioning, structure and politics of international organizations in world politics. International Governmental Organizations as well as Non-Governmental Organizations on the global and regional level will be analyzed and discussed. In a participatory and interactive class format students will develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
Focusing upon one of the most important topics in Islam, this course will go beyond conventional stereotypes and explore woman's many and varied roles within Islamic cultures and societies.
The course will examine the ethnic, political, religious and social changes in the modern Middle East. The course will start with an introduction to the diverse identities all over the Middle East and then it will comparatively examine a number of those identities.
The course will explain the nature of the relationship between Islam and Politics by examining the rise of the first modern Islamic movement, and by examining other Islamic movements that spread throughout the Muslim world.
The course examines the roots of political discord in the Arab East starting with colonialism and progressing to the contemporary state of dissension. Throughout the course the stress on the effect of this discord on comparative domestic politics and international relations in the region will be examined.
The study of violence has been a central piece of debates in comparative politics that range from the causes of revolution to the analysis of civil wars. This course aims to provide a broad overview of different bodies of research on violence. The class will also revisit crucial debates in the study of violence, such as the problems of separating criminal and political violence (such as interstate wars). By the end of the class, students will be able to identify major theoretical and methodological approaches to violence, major debates and concepts, as well as key cases across the world.
Junior or Senior Status.
The relationship between Islam and Politics changed little since the rise of Islam. The surge in academic and public interest in the topic started in 1979 with the Iranian Revolution. This course will explain the role that Islam plays in everyday life, and will distinguish myth from fact about Islam and politics. Initially, the course will focus on the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt as the prototype and first Islamic organization that was heavily involved in politics, will continue on to examine a range of issues including Jihad, woman's rights, and related topics.
This course locates and studies the sociological dynamics of race and ethnic relations in the United States as it pertains to all groups. The course material presents theories and models that explain periods of conflict and cooperation between diverse sets of people. While providing some historical background, the course focuses primarily on recent and contemporary situations.
Development of fundamental skills in oral expression, aural comprehension, reading and writing is required in language courses. Beginning and intermediate language courses at the 115, 116 and 215, 216 levels must be elected in the prescribed sequence.
This course is for students who have completed 53.115 Arabic 1 and Culture. Development of fundamental skills in oral expression, aural comprehension, reading and writing is required in language courses. Beginning and intermediate language courses at the 115, 116 and 215, 216 levels must be elected in the prescribed sequence.
Pre-Req: WLAR.1150 Arabic 1 and Culture.
Development of fundamental skills in oral expression, aural comprehension, reading and writing is required in language courses. Beginning and intermediate language courses at the 117, 118 and 215, 217 levels must be elected in the prescribed sequence.
Pre-Req: 53.116 Arabic 2 and Culture.
Pre-Req: WLAR.2150 Arabic 3 and Culture.
Individual research projects on Arabic or Islamic culture. Students, through regular and frequent consultation with instructor, pursue a special topic of research.