Welcome to the on-line description of programs in Arabic and
Islamic Studies. The listings below offer information on the
following:
--general information and faculty in the program
--degree requirements for
Undergraduate Major
Undergraduate Minor
A.M. graduate degree
Ph.D. graduate degree
--a complete listing of courses currently available in the
program
--a listing of course being taught in the current semester
You are encouraged to discuss your program of study with the members of the Arabic & Islamic Studies faculty at any time. All students undertaking an Undergraduate Major or Minor should consult Professor Allouche no less than once a semester regarding the content and progress of their program.
All Graduate students MUST consult a member of the Arabic & Islamic Studies faculty (listed below) immediately after their arrival at the university. They will be assigned an adviser who will supervise their program until the Comprehensive Examinations for the Ph.D. have been completed. They should consult this adviser as often as may be necessary, but certainly at least once per semester and before registering for classes for the following semester.
Here is a listing of the offices and telephone numbers of the Arabic & Islamic studies Faculty:
Professor Roger Allen: 840 Williams Hall, #(215)-898-6337 Professor Thomas Naff, 856 Williams Hall, #(215)-898-8918 Professor Everett Rowson: 841 Williams Hall, #(215)-898-7469 Sabah al-Ghandour: 836 Williams Hall, #(215)-898-6653
Professor Allen is the adviser for the Undergraduate Major in the Islamic Near East. He is also Coordinator of Arabic language instruction.
Islamic Middle East Major [Minimum requirement: 14 c.u.]
Students are required to take 6 c.u. of language, 6 c.u. of history, literature, and religion, and 2 electives to be chosen in consultation with the major adviser. All changes from the normal major requirements must be approved in advance. For Arabic, instruction and testing is proficiency-based, and students will be expected to reach an ADVANCED level of proficiency by the completion of their major program.
The Major Adviser is Professor Roger Allen.
Major Program Requirements 1. Language 6 c.u.'s Arabic : OS 30, 31, 33 Persian: OS 15, 16, 418 Turkish: OS 20, 21, 422
Students who wait until their junior year to choose this major will have to take at least one of the levels of language instruction during summer school.
Transfer students who wish to enter the program at any other than the beginning level fill be required to take a placement test to determine their proficiency before being placed in one of the courses.
2. History
One semester of OS 137 and one of OS 336, 438, 439, 539; Hist. 81,
166
2 c.u.
3. Literature
_______________
OS 434 and one of: OS225, 233, or 432 2 c.u.
4. Religion
_______________
Rel. Stud. 143 and one of OS 237 or OS 536 2 c.u.
5. Electives 2 c.u.
chosen from:
OS 225, 233, 237, 336, 432, 433, 436, 438, 439, 516, 536, 537,
539; Art History 416, 417; Anthro. 540; Hist. 81, 166; Legal
Studies 529; Poli. Sci. 162, 461, 462, 463
Arabic Honors Program
In addition to the major requirements listed above, students who
opt for departmental honors will be required to take an additional
2 c.u. in reading Arabic Texts. These may be selected from the
courses numbered OS430, 432, and 433. Honors students will also
be required to write a senior thesis under the supervision of one
of the department's faculty members specializing in the Islamic
Middle East.
Minor Program Requirements [Minimum requirement: 8 c.u.]
The minor program consists of 8 c.u.'s selected from the following
list; four of the eight must be chosen from the listing of
language courses:
Language courses: OS 30, 31, 33, 431, 435, 530
General courses: OS 137, 225, 233, 237, 336, 432,433, 434, 436,
438, 439, 516, 536, 537, 539; Art history 416, 417; Anthro. 540;
Hist. 81, 166; Legal Studies 529; Poli. Sci. 162, 461, 462, 463;
Rel. Stud. 143
The choice of the 8 courses for the Minor must be approved by the
Undergraduate Adviser for the Islamic Middle East Major.
REQUIREMENTS
Students entering this program will work initially towards the A.M. degree (12 course units) and will then take the additional course units towards the Ph.D. degree. For the purpose of applying to the Graduate School and for fellowship purposes, they should register as Ph.D. candidates. The Arabic & Islamic Studies faculty has determined that the A.M. degree is both a useful qualification in its own right and a good preliminary process to advanced work towards the Ph.D.
There is a LANGUAGE PREREQUISITE for entry into the program: the equivalent of OS 33 (Intermediate Arabic). Entering graduate students may, of course, take language courses below this level, but credit given for those courses will not count towards their graduate degree program.
Students entering the program from other institutions or other majors should also realize that the graduate courses which are part of this program will assume some basic knowledge of the subject in each of the major fields (History, Literature, Religion). If you do not have a background knowledge (usually in the form of an undergraduate survey course) of any of these fields, you will be strongly encouraged to audit such a course during the early part of your program without gaining graduate credit.
I) T H E M A J O R P R O G R A M
a) A.M. degree.
COURSES Students will take four (4) course units in language
beyond the Intermediate level as specified above. These
include one each in syntax and composition and two
reading courses. In addition, they are required to take
four (4) courses in Islamics (history & religion) and
two (2) courses in Arabic literature. Two (2) course
units of a minor Islamic language (usually Persian or
Turkish) are required, as is a reading knowledge of one
European language (usually French or German although
substitutions may be made with the approval of the
faculty).
EXAMS At the conclusion of coursework (and once the European
language reading exam has been passed), the student
will prepare for comprehensive examinations. A BASIC
READINGS LIST FOR THIS PURPOSE IS AVAILABLE.
The criteria for the European language examination
(passages for translation selected from a work in the
field of specialization of the candidate) are:
1) Accuracy of translation;
2) Speed (how much is translated in the allotted
time);
3) Readability of the English version.
The subjects for the A.M. examinations are as follows:
1) Arabic language and its history;
2) Islamics: Middle Eastern history and
historiography during the Islamic period;
institutions;
3) Arabic literature & criticism.
THESIS Upon successful completion of these exams, the A.M thesis
is prepared under the supervision of one or more
members of the faculty in Arabic & Islamic studies.
Students proceeding to the Ph.D. program must complete
an A.M. thesis. Students wishing for a TERMINAL A.M.
degree may submit two lengthy term papers for
consideration by the faculty instead of the A.M.
thesis.
b) Ph.D. degree.
COURSES This degree program consists of a further eight (8)
course units beyond those required for the A.M.
program described above. (For students entering with an
A.M. equivalent degree from another institution, up to
eight (8) course units MAY be transferred into this
program at the discretion of the Arabic and Islamic
Studies faculty and the Graduate Chairman of the
Oriental Studies Department.
The required eight (8) course units break down as
follows:
three (3) in Arabic literature and Islamics (at the
advanced seminar--600+--level, distributed according to
the field of interest in the ratio of 2:1;
two (2) course units at the second-year/Intermediate
level in the minor language (the first-year/Elementary
level i part of the A.M. requirements);
and three (3) elective courses to be chosen in
conjunction with the major adviser and the student's
committee (on which see below).
EXAMS At the conclusion of course work, a second reading exam in
a European language must be passed (again French or
German, with other options open at the discretion of
the faculty). The criteria for this exam are the same
as those mentioned in the A.M. section above.
There will also be a comprehensive examination (for
which a reading list is also available). As opposed to
the equivalent examinations for the A.M. degree, these
examinations will presume a high degree of familiarity
with sources in the Islamic languages chosen by the
student and of readings in texts from the various
disciplines within the fields of study.
DISSERTATION Upon successful completion of the examination
process students will prepare a DISSERTATION PROPOSAL
under the guidance of their adviser and committee.
Regulation regarding this process are to be found in
the general departmental guidelines for graduate
students.
COMMITTEE All graduate work will be done under the supervision of
an adviser who will be a member of the Oriental Studies
Department. This adviser will be a member of the
faculty in Arabic & Islamic Studies and will chair the
student's committee. This committee will normally
consist of members of the Oriental Studies Department,
although other members of the Graduate Group in
Oriental Studies may be invited to join when the
interests of the student seem to justify such an
expansion of the committee.
I) T H E M I N O R P R O G R A M
COURSES A thorough knowledge of modern standard Arabic equivalent
to proficiency in Intermediate Arabic (OS 33). This
may be shown either through course work at this
university or through reaching the required level (80%
aggregate) on the appropriate proficiency test.
EXAMS Two subjects will be examined:
1) Arabic language literature (history and criticism,
based on sources in European languages);
2) Islamics: the history of the Middle East in the
Islamic era, and the institutions of Islam.
Students interested in taking the Minor Program are
strongly encouraged to take the appropriate courses at
this university in order to achieve the necessary
standards for these examinations. They should also
consult the Arabic & Islamic Studies faculty about
additional readings.
COURSES
COURSE NUMBER: OS 30
INSTRUCTOR: Sabah al-Ghandour
TITLE: Elementary Arabic I & II
SCHEDULING: 5 hours per week, Both semesters
CREDIT: 2 semester credits which will normally be given at
the end of the academic year; students must begin the
course in the Fall Semester
PREREQUISITE: None
DESCRIPTION: This is the beginners course in Modern Standard
Arabic (MSA). It will introduce you to the speaking,
listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means
of communication in the Arab World. The course is
proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the
course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context
of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning.
Evaluation is done in two ways: firstly by the more
traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, dictations,
grammar and translation exercises); secondly through a series
of proficiency tests (including the Oral Proficiency
Interview) the aim of which is to let you know how well you
could survive and operate in the native-speaking context.
The textbook for the course is Let's Learn Arabic.
We anticipate that by the end of this first year students
will range in proficiency from NOVICE HIGH to INTERMEDIATE
MID; in other words (using the government's Foreign Service
Institute terminology) from "incipient survival" to "full
survival" in the native-speaking environment.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 31
TITLE: Intermediate Arabic I & II
INSTRUCTOR: Shawkat Toorawa
SCHEDULING: 5 hours per week, Both semesters
CREDIT: 2 semester credits which will normally be given at the
end of the academic year; students must begin the course in
the Fall Semester
PREREQUISITE: Proficiency in OS 30 (see above) OR equivalency
by examinations. For the latter, you should contact Prof.
Roger Allen, 840 Williams Hall, tel. #6337 or 7466.
DESCRIPTION: This is the continuation of OS30, the Elementary
course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Note that as an
alternative OS34 is available as an intensive Intermediate
course, covering the materials of both OS 31 and 33. This
course is also proficiency-based, implying that all
activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the
learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment
from the very beginning. As in OS 30, evaluation is done in
two ways: firstly by the more traditional testing methods
(vocabulary tests, dictations, grammar and translation
exercises); secondly through a series of proficiency tests
(including the Oral Proficiency Interview) the aim of which
is to let you know how well you could survive and operate in
the native-speaking context. The textbook for the course is
Let's Learn Arabic.
By the end of this course it is our goal that student
proficiency in speaking and listening will range from
INTERMEDIATE LOW to HIGH, and in Reading from INTERMEDIATE
MID TO HIGH. The Writing skill will still be at the
INTERMEDIATE LOW to MID range.
Completion of this course fulfills the College's "language
requirement" in Arabic. It should be emphasized however
that, to achieve anything like a useful proficiency in the
language, you will need a longer period of study. You can
accelerate the process by continuing with summer school after
the completion of this course; we particularly recommend the
courses at the School of Arabic at Middlebury College in
Vermont.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 33
TITLE: Advanced Intermediate Arabic
INSTRUCTOR: Sabah al-Ghandour
SCHEDULING: 5 hours per week, Both Semesters.
CREDIT: 2 semester credits which will normally be given at the
end of the academic year; students must begin the course in
the Fall Semester
PREREQUISITE: Proficiency in OS 31 (see above), OR equivalency
by examinations. For the latter, you should contact Prof.
Roger Allen, 840 Williams Hall, tel. #6337 or 7466.
DESCRIPTION: This is a proficiency-based course which continues
from the first Intermediate course, OS 31. Emphasis
continues to be on all four language skills: Speaking,
Listening, Reading & Writing. The readings for the class are
chosen from actual texts from both medieval and modern Arabic
in a variety of fields and subjects. Students will be
expected to give classroom presentations and to write short
essays in Arabic. Evaluation will be both achievement- and
proficiency-based. The test of speaking ability will consist
of the Oral Proficiency Interview.
COURSE NUMBER: 36
TITLE: Islamic Civilization
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Lenore Fernadez
SCHEDULING: Fall Semester
CREDIT: 1 semester credit
PREREQUISITE: none
DESCRIPTION: This course focuses on the unity and diversity of
what is known as "the Muslim World," from the rise of Islam
to modern times. It is an overview of the social,
intellectual, economic and political features of the Muslim
World. Readings include selections from original materials in
translation. In addition to class lectures, short
documentaries will be shown and discussed.
COURSE NUMBER: 38
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Roger Allen
TITLE: FRESHMAN SEMINAR: Journeys in Arabic Narrative
SCHEDULING: Spring Semester TR 10.30 - 12
CREDIT: I c.u.
PREREQUISITE: none
DESCRIPTION: All readings for this course will be in ENGLISH.
They will include the Sindbad Tales from the 1001 Nights and
fiction by the Nobel Laureate, Naguib Mahfouz. A variety of
narratives from different literary genres will be read,
focussing on the theme of travel, whether it be a physical
journey from one place to another, a process of change--a rite
of passage perhaps, or an inward psychological quest. The
writers are both male and female, and are drawn from different
periods in Arabic literary history. The course will begin with
an introduction to narrative and journeys, as well as
background information on Islamic Middle Eastern culture and
Arabic literary history. Students will be expected to
participate in classroom discussions; two short (5 page) papers
and a term paper (maximum 20 pages) will be required.
COURSE NUMBER: 137 [cross-listed w/ History 147]
TITLE: Islamic History to 1517
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Adel Allouche
SCHEDULING: Fall Semester
CREDIT: I semester credit
PREREQUISITE: none
DESCRIPTION: [required for Near East/Islamic majors] This
course covers the political history of the major dynasties
which ruled parts of the muslim World from 661 A.D. to 1517
A.D., the later date being that of the Ottoman conquest of
Egypt.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 225
TITLE: Modern Middle Eastern Literatures in Translation
INSTRUCTORS: Profs. William Hanaway, Roger Allen
SCHEDULING: Spring Semester CREDIT: I semester credit
PREREQUISITE: none
DESCRIPTION: This course is team-taught by four professors with
specialties in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish literatures;
all foud attend all the sessions of the course. The course
deals with the modern literature within each tradition and
focuses on poetry, the short story and the novel (among which
have been in recent years: Al-Tayyib Salih's Season of
Migration to the North, Yehoshua's The Lover, Hedayat' The
Blind Owl, and Kemal's Memet My Hawk). The readings are all in
English.
The course is conducted in a seminar format. Students are
expected to participate in classroom discussion of the
materials assigned for each session, and evaluation is
partially based on the quality of that participation. A short
paper is assigned on each of the three genres mentioned above,
and there is a final examination.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 233
TITLE: Arabic Literary History
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Roger Allen
SCHEDULING: offered every other year in the Fall Semester (it
alternates with OS 434 described below); 3 hours per week
CREDIT: 1 semester credit (one of the "literature" requirements
for the undergraduate major in Islamic Near East, and
strongly recommended for graduate students who have not taken
such a course as a lead-up to the A. M. Comprehensive
Examinations)
PREREQUISITE: none
DESCRIPTION: This course provides a survey of the genres and
major figures in Arabic literary history from the 6th century
up to the present day. Selected works are read in
translation; poetry is discussed first, then belles-lettrist
prose. Selected suras from the Qur'an are read as the
centerpiece of the course. Each set of texts is accompanied
by a collection of background readings which place the
authors and works into a literary, political and societal
context. This course thus attempts to place the ohenomenon
of "literature" into the larger context of Islamic studies by
illustrating the links between Arab litterateurs and other
contributors to the development of an Islamic/Arab culture on
the one hand and by establishing connections between the
Arabic literary tradition and that of other (and particularly
Western) traditions.
There are mid-term and final examinations (both involving
essay questions) and a term-paper is also required. This is
designated in the Course Roster as a "Seminar (SM)" course;
it is NOT a lecture course. You will be expected to
participate in discussions of the literary works and
background readings assigned. For that reason, a substantial
portion (up to 40%) of the grade is reserved for an
evaluation of your contribution to classroom discussion.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 236/428
TITLE: Islamic Religion and Law
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. George Makdisi
SCHEDULING:
CREDIT: 1 semester credit
PREREQUISITE: none, although OS 136/Rel. Stud. 143,
Introduction to Islam, is desirable
DESCRIPTION: This introductory course is divided into lectures
and discussions. After a brief introduction to the history
of Islam, and its basic religious values, it goes into some
detail regarding the law of Islam, its theology and sufism;
its system of education and its intellectual and artistic
culture. Emphasis is placed on classical Islam, with some
attention given to the modern period. There will be quizzes
throughout the semester, and a final exam, and a term paper
will be required of graduate students. There are no pre-
requisites for this course.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 237
TITLE: Islamic Intellectual Tradition
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Everett Rowson
SCHEDULING:
CREDIT: 1 semester credit
PREREQUISITE: none, although OS 136/Rel. Stud. 143,
Introduction to Islam, would be helpful
DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the development of
different forms of intellectual discourse in classical Islamic
societies. The primary focus will be on religious thought and
its legal, theological and mystical aspects, but the role of
secular philosophy and science will also be examined.
COURSE NUMBER: 336
TITLE: Middle East and Russia
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Michael Lenker
SCHEDULING: Fall Semester
CREDIT: 1 c.u.
PREREQUISITE: none
DESCRIPTION: A history fo czarist and Russian relations with
Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan; Soviet involvement in the Arab-
Israeli conflict, and Soviet influence on the revolutionary
movements in the Middle East.
COURSE NUMBER: 430
TITLE: Arabic readings in History and Islam
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Everett Rowson
SCHEDULING: Offered every other year in the Fall Semester; meets 3
hours per week
CREDIT: 1 semester credit
PREREQUISITE: OS 33 Intermediate Arabic or equivalent
DESCRIPTION: This course is intended to train advanced students
of Arabic in reading standard classical historical,
biogrphical, and non-technical religious texts. Most of the
readings will be in straightforward narrative prose, and the
emphasis will be on progressing beyond decoding of short texts
to more natural reading of larger quantities of language at
increased speed. Students with limited previous exposure to
classical Arabic will gain familiarity with basic differences
in vocabulary and syntax from modern forms of the language.
The choice of texts to be read will be made partly on the basis
of the interests of those enrolled in the course, but will also
illustrate a variety of styles from different periods and
genres. Written assignments will stress vocabulary
reinforcement and practice with unfamiliar classical
constructions.
COURSE NUMBER: 431
TITLE: Advanced Spoken Standard Arabic
INSTRUCTOR: Sabah al-Ghandour
SCHEDULING: 3 hours per week, Fall semester
CREDIT: 1 semester credit; this course will fulfill part of the
language requirements for the Arabic & Islamic Studies Major,
the A.M. and Ph.D. degrees in Oriental Studies.
PREREQUISITE: Proficiency in OS 33/34 (Intermediate Arabic) or
the equivalent (by examination)
DESCRIPTION: The course will concentrate on the Listening and
Speaking skills, but students will also be expected to
function in both reading and writing. Students will be
assigned reading and audio-visual materials on which to
prepare oral classroom presentations. Performance will be
evaluated on the basis of both these presentations and on
participation in the oral discussions which will follow the
presentations of every student. Final evaluation in the
course will be based on performance in the Oral Proficiency
Interview.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 432
TITLE: Readings in Arabic Belles-lettres
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Roger Allen
SCHEDULING: offered every other year in the Fall Semester; 3
hours per week
CREDIT: 1 semester credit; two of the courses numbered OS 430,
432 & 433 are required as part of the Undergraduate Honors
Major Program. The Honors Major is also required for those
who wish to submatriculate into the A.M. program.
PREREQUISITE: OS 33 Intermediate Arabic
DESCRIPTION: The aim of this course is to introduce advanced
students in Arabic, undergraduate and/or graduate, to the
various genres of Arabic literature throughout its history.
At the same time the course tries to stimulate students to
move beyond the reading and anaylsis of short passages of
paragraph length (as found in language textbooks used at
lower levels) and to consider short but complete literary
works from a literary perspective. Among the genres selected
are: short poems from all periods, short stories, short
plays, and segments from the Qur'an and adab prose works.
The final examination is a translation exam on selected
texts from the reading list for the course.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 433
TITLE: Arabic Readings in the Social Sciences and the Media
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Adel Allouche
SCHEDULING: meets 3 hours per week. Offered every other year
in the Spring Semester.
CREDIT: I semester credit
PREREQUISITE: completion and proficiency level OS 33/34 or
higher
DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to train students in
reading original Arabic materials selected from recently
published books, current newspapers, and from scholarly
journals. The choice of texts reflects various topics and
styles. No vocabulary lists are distributed, and students are
expected to prepare for the readingson their own with the help
of a dictionary. Each text is read in class and its topic
discussed in Modern Standard Arabic. Generally, a written
assignment is given at the completion of the reading. The
selection of specialized texts takes into account the academic
or professional interests of those enrolled in the course and
their input is usually solicited.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 434
TITLE: Literary Theory and Arabic Literature
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Roger Allen
SCHEDULING: offered every other year in the Fall Semester (it
alternates with OS 233 described above); 3 hours per week
CREDIT: 1 semester credit (one of the "literature" requirements
for the undergraduate major in Islamic Near East, and
strongly recommended for graduate students who have not taken
such a course as a lead-up to the A. M. Comprehensive
Examinations)
PREREQUISITE: none (although OS 233--see above--or its
equivalent will certainly be beneficial)
DESCRIPTION: This course takes a number of different areas of
Literary Theory and, on the basis of research completed and
in progress in both Arabic and Western languages, applies
some of the ideas to texts from the Arabic literary
tradition. Among these ares are: Evaluation and
Interpretation, Structuralism, Metrics, Genre Theory,
Narratology, and Orality.
There are mid-term and final examinations (both involving
essay questions) and a term-paper is also required. This is
designated in the Course Roster as a "Seminar (SM)" course;
it is NOT a lecture course. You will be expected to
participate in discussions of the theoretical studies and
their applications to Arabic literature to be found in the
assigned readings. For that reason, a substantial portion
(up to 40%) of the grade is reserved for an evaluation of
your contribution to classroom discussion.
COURSE NUMBER: 435
TITLE: Advanced Arabic Composition
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Adel Allouche
SCHEDULING: Fall Semester
CREDIT: 1 semester credit
PREREQUISITE: Proficiency in OS 33 or 34
DESCRIPTION: A workshop for advanced students of Arabic,
focusing on the development of writing skills within a
variety of subjects. A study of cohesive devices and other
strategies for writing extended passages. Students will be
required to write samples based on readings discussed in the
classroom.
COURSE NUMBER: 436
TITLE: Hydraulic Imperatives: Water, Politics and Conflict in the
20th Century Middle East
SCHEDULING:
CREDIT: 1 c.u.
PREREQUISITE:
DESCRIPTION: This courses analyses water as the historic and
contemporaneous determinant of social, political, and economic
life in the Middle East. These issues will be apporached
within the framework of the relationship of the vital natural
resources to conflict and conflict resolution, focussing on the
20th century. Topics such as the following will be examined:
water as historical myth, icon, and symbol; hydrology and human
activities; physical and political hydrotechnical issues; the
eceonomic dminesions of water issues; the concept of the
international river basin; hydrodemographics and historical
conflicts; water and population in the Middle East; water and
conflict; the potential and limits of law in international
hydropolitics; the concept of scarcity. Special attention wil
be given to the role that water has played in the Arab-Israeli
conflict and its centrality to the issue of a settlement.
While the course will be historical in nature, it will also
be cross-disciplinary and will involve other faculty from
geology, political science, and environmental studies as
occasional guest lecturers. A case study approach will be
employed using the six major river systems in the Middle East.
There will be no prerequisites, and training in research
methods will be given. Students will be required to write
research papers. They will have access to a special data base
for the purpose.
This course will be offered initially on a one-time bases in
the fall of 1992.
COURSE NUMBER: 438
TITLE: The Middle East in the 19th Century
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Thomas Naff
SCHEDULING: Fall Term, Tu Thurs 9 - 10.30
CREDIT: I c.u.
PREREQUISITE:
DESCRIPTION: This course, which covers the period from the end of
the 18th century to the eve of World War I, analyses the
process of change that trasformed the Middle East in the 19th
century from a region still medieval in many respects to one
that underwent rapid modernization. Focus will be on such
themes as the response of the people of the region to the
penetration and impact of Europe; Islamic concepts of state,
government, and law; the idea and application of reform and
revolution in islam; the western concepts of nationalism,
constitutionalism, and modernizaion as they were perceived in
the Islamic Middle East. These topics will be examined in
relation to the major events in the region during the period
being studied. The course is designed as a building block to
other courses on the modern Middle East in various disciplines.
Some training in research methods is also offered.
COURSE NUMBER: 439
TITLE: The Middle East in the 20th Century
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Thomas Naff
SCHEDULING: Spring Term, 9 - 10.30
CREDIT: I c.u.
PREREQUISITE:
DESCRIPTION: The end of the old order; new ideologies and
national movements; social change; World War I and the
Mandates; creation of modern nation states; the constancy of
Islam.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 530
TITLE: Advanced Arabic and Syntax
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Everett Rowson
SCHEDULING: Every year, Both semesters are required. Grades
will be given on completion of both semesters
CREDIT: Required of all Ph.D. students.
PREREQUISITE: OS 33 or equivalent (permission of instructor, if
not OS 33).
DESCRIPTION: Advanced syntax through the reading of Arab
grammarians. Development of reading in bulk. Emphasis on
classical Arabic read in works by medieval and modern
writers. This course is designed to give the student
experience in reading whole works in Arabic.
COURSE NUMBER: 536
TITLE: Islamic Institutions
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Everett Rowson
SCHEDULING:
CREDIT: I semester credit
PREREQUISITE: OS 428, Islamic Religion & Law
DESCRIPTION: This advanced course in conducted as a seminar in
which pre-assigned readings will be discussed in weekly
seminars. Detailed study will be made of religious movements
in law, theology and sufism; to the organization of powers
(the executive, the legislative and the judiciary); of the
rise of colleges and their relationship to the movement of
Arabic-Islamic humanism.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 537
TITLE: Islamic Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Everett Rowson
SCHEDULING:
CREDIT: I semester credit
PREREQUISITE: OS 530 or an advanced reading ability
DESCRIPTION: Close readings of selected philosophical texts from
different periods. Specific topic areas will vary from year to
year. Besides discussion in class, students will be required to
prepare a lengthy term paper.
COURSE NUMBER: 539
TITLE: Conference on the Modern Middle East
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Thomas Naff
SCHEDULING: To be arranged
CREDIT: 1 c.u.
PREREQUISITE: Permission of Instructor
DESCRIPTION: This is a tutorial for advanced students and is
entirely thematic, each theme tailored to the interests and
needs of the individual student. The course involves
considerable training in methodology and historiography, if
needed.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 630
TITLE: Seminar in Islamic History
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Adel Allouche
SCHEDULING: By arrangement
CREDIT: I semester credit (Required of all Ph.D. students)
DESCRIPTION: This seminar is designed to treat questions in the
field of Islamics on the basis of Arabic documentation in
print as well as in manuscript. The subject matter of the
seminar varies from year to year as called for by the needs of
the attending graduate students.
COURSE NUMBER: OS 631
TITLE: Seminar in Islamics
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Everett Rowson
SCHEDULING:
CREDIT: I c.u.
PREREQUISITE: An advanced reading ability
DESCRIPTION:
COURSE NUMBER: OS 633
TITLE: Seminar in Selected Topics in Arabic Literature:
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Roger Allen
SCHEDULING: Normally on Wednesday afternoons, for a two-hour
period; offered three semesters out of every four (the fourth
is always in the Fall).
CREDIT: I semester credit; for the purpose of requirements in
the A.M. and Ph.D. programs, this course can, indeed will
probably need to be, repeated. Students are encouraged to
suggest topics for the course in addition to those listed
below.
PREREQUISITE: OS 432 or an advanced reading ability
DESCRIPTION: This is the graduate seminar course in which a
variety of aspects of Arabic literature studies are covered
at the advanced graduate level. Students in this course are
expected to be able to read large amounts of literature on a
weekly basis and to be able to discuss them critically during
the class itself. Topics are chosen to reflect student
interest.
An extensive term-paper is required, normally involving the
application of critical and/or theoretical ideas to the texts
read in the course or, if the student so wishes, to others
belonging to the same genre.
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COURSES FOR FALL SEMESTER 1993:
COURSE NUMBER: 30
TITLE: Elementary Arabic
COURSE NUMBER: 31
TITLE: Intermediate Arabic
COURSE NUMBER: 33
TITLE: Advanced Intermediate Arabic
COURSE NUMBER: 38
TITLE: Journeys in Arabic Narrative (Freshman Seminar)
COURSE NUMBER: 136 (cross-listed with Religious Studies 143)
TITLE: Introduction to Islam
COURSE NUMBER: OS 233
TITLE: Arabic Literary History
COURSE NUMBER: 431
TITLE: Advanced Spoken Standard Arabic
COURSE NUMBER: OS 530
TITLE: Advanced Arabic and Syntax
NG: offered every other year in the Fall Semester; 3
hours per week
CREDIT: 1 semester credit; two of the courses numbered OS 430,
432 & 433 are required as part of the Undergraduate Honors
Major Program. The H€