INTL 2800 - Introduction to the Middle East

4.00 Credit Hours

Prerequisites: None

This multi‑disciplinary introductory course offers a general survey of the arts, humanities, social science, history and geography of the Middle East. Topics will be drawn from historical and contemporary issues relevant to the analysis of the Middle East as a complex and rich regional system within a changing globalized world. The course will also explore Middle Eastern diversity and its expressions in music, art, literature, and film produced by the cultures of the region. Special attention will be given to the consistent contact between the West and the Middle East, beginning in the middle ages through the crusades and perpetuating to current times, as manifested in different western economic and military policies implemented in the region. In addition, the curriculum will touch on critical issues such as the veil and women’s rights, the Middle‑Eastern experience in the US, the war on terror, the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict, and the Arab Spring. A central objective of the course is targeted towards increasing sensitivity to racial bias and improving students’ awareness of multicultural issues.

(4 contact hrs)

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