Premodern Islamic Worlds

This course introduces the Islamic world from the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (d. 632) to 1500 CE. The Islamic world stretches across a remarkable geographical expanse from modern Spain and Senegal in the west to the north of modern India in the east. Telling one cohesive story out of many histories is therefore challenging, even if we had a full lifetime to devote to it. We cannot include everything and, as with every complicated story worth knowing, what we choose to exclude is important. This semester, we bypass some of the traditional narratives of political and military history, which privilege the rise and fall of dynasties, the rule of great men, and the clashes of armies. We will still organize along political lines, but the focus of our conversations will be the incredible diversity of the various communities in the Islamic world. We approach these histories through primary sources— poems, coins, buildings, etc.—that we will read together in every class meeting. Our goal will be to situate each source in the political, cultural, and religious contexts of its production. This approach will allow us to appreciate premodern Islamic worlds through the centuries.

Through the assignments and conversations in class and section, students will


Explore the diversity of premodern Islam;

Analyze primary sources produced in the Islamic world before 1500, both individually and as a class;

Engage with modern scholarship about Islam in India and Central Asia; the Middle East; North, West, and East Africa; and Southern Europe;

Construct a source-based argument about the Islamic world before 1500.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Sarah Bin Tyeer
  CULPA: 1 h-index: 1 Info
• 4 points

Game of Thrones : On Epics and Emp

Game of Thrones: Epics/Em

This undergraduate course offered in the context of the Global Core component of the Core Curriculum is an examination of the globally popular HBO series “Game of Thrones” as a prototype for a comparative understanding of the larger question of epics and empires.  In this course we expand the domains of our interests and inquiries far wider and divide our syllabus into four parts: (1) Westeros: The Mythic Empire; (2) Persia:  The First Empire, (3) America: The Last Empire; and (4) On Epics and Empires.  Our objective will be to examine the main themes and overall arch of “Game of Thrones” into wider mythic, heroic, and transhistorical dimensions of our contemporary history.  

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Hamid Dabashi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

Game of Thrones Discussion Section

Discussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.

• T 5:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• T 6:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• W 5:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• W 9:10 a.m.-10 a.m.
• W 10:10 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Hamid Dabashi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia Info
• 0 points

ELEMENTARY TAMIL I

This course constitutes the first half of a year-long introduction to Tamil, the official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as well as an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore. In addition to being spoken by almost 80 million people worldwide, Tamil also has an impressive classical past, having served as a language of religious, intellectual, and literary life in South India for nearly two millennia. Assuming no prior experience with the language, this introductory sequence provides students with the grammar, language skills, and cultural context necessary for achieving their individual Tamil language goals, whether they be conducting fieldwork or scholarly research, chatting with relatives back home, or simply waxing poetic over an artful 
dosai
. In order to cultivate students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension skills, this course draws upon a wide variety of teaching materials, including the core textbook, oral drills, audio recordings, short films, music videos, memes, and more. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 1:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Jay Ramesh
  Info
• 4 points

ELEMENTARY SWAHILI I

Essentials of grammar, basic vocabulary, practice in speaking and reading Swahili the most widely used indigenous language of East Africa. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 9:10 a.m.-10 a.m.
• Instructor: Abdul Nanji
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

ELEMENTARY WOLOF I

Introduction to the basic grammatical structures of Wolof, a major language of West Africa spoken in Senegal and Gambia. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 12:10 p.m.-1 p.m.
• Instructor: Mariame S Sy
  Info
• 4 points

FIRST YEAR ARABIC I

An introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
• MTWR 11:40 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
• MTWR 4:10 p.m.-5:15 p.m.
• MTWR 2:40 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
• Instructor: Nasr Abdo
  Info
• Instructor: Rym Bettaieb
  CULPA: 7 Info
• Instructor: Reem Faraj
  CULPA: 4 Info
• Instructor: May Ahmar
  CULPA: 9 Info
• 5 points

FIRST YEAR ARABIC II

Prerequisites: First Year Arabic I or instructor permission. An introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
• Instructor: Ouijdane Absi
  CULPA: 6 Info
• 5 points

ELEMENTARY ARMENIAN I

In Elementary Armenian I, students learn the Armenian script and the basic grammar that will enable them to communicate about topics relating to themselves and their immediate surroundings: family, school, daily occupations, describing people, expressing likes and dislikes, requesting and giving information about themselves and others, proper forms of greetings, etc. They also begin to read signs, advertisements, and develop the skills to read texts like short stories and Armenian fables. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Charry Karamanoukian
  Info
• 4 points

ELEMENTARY SANSKRIT I

This course constitutes the first half of a year-long introduction to Classical Sanskrit, the translocal language of religious, intellectual, and literary life in South Asia for nearly two millennia. Assuming no prior experience with the language, this introductory sequence provides students with the grammar, reading strategies, and cultural context necessary to begin accessing the language’s many rich textual traditions, including scripture (sruti), epic (itihasa), poetry (kavya), drama (na?aka), systematic thought (sastra), and more.

• MTWR 9:10 a.m.-10 a.m.
• Instructor: Jay Ramesh
  Info
• 4 points

1ST YR MOD HEBREW:ELEM I

This is an introductory course for which no prior knowledge is required. Equal emphasis is given to listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, or paragraph writing. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 8:50 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
• Instructor: Illan Gonen
  CULPA: 3 Info
• 5 points

ELEMENTARY HINDI-URDU I

An introduction to the most widely spoken language of South Asia. Along with an understanding of the grammar, the course offers practice in listening and speaking. The Hindi (Devanagari) script is used for reading and writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 4:10 p.m.-5:15 p.m.
• Instructor: Aftab Ahmad
  CULPA: 12 Info
• 5 points

HINDI FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS I

This is an accelerated course for students of South Asian origin who already possess a knowledge of basic vocabulary and limited speaking and listening skills in Hindi. They may not have sufficient skills in reading and writing but are able to converse on familiar topics such as: self, family, likes, dislikes and immediate surroundings. This course will focus on developing knowledge of the basic grammar of Hindi and vocabulary enrichment by exposing students to a variety of cultural and social topics related to aspects of daily life; and formal and informal registers. Students will be able to read and discuss simple texts and write about a variety of everyday topics by the end of the semester. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 2:40 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
• Instructor: Rakesh Ranjan
  CULPA: 6 Info
• 5 points

URDU FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS I

Prerequisites: a knowledge of basic vocabulary and limited speaking and listening skills in Urdu. This is an accelerated course for students of South Asian origin who already possess a knowledge of basic vocabulary and limited speaking and listening skills in Urdu. They are not expected to know how to read and write in Urdu but are able to converse on familiar topics such as self, family, likes, dislikes and immediate surroundings. This course will focus on developing knowledge of the basic grammar of Urdu and vocabulary enrichment by exposing students to a variety of cultural and social topics related to aspects of daily life; and formal and informal registers. Students will be able to read and discuss simple Urdu texts and write about a variety of everyday topics by the end of the semester. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 2:40 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
• Instructor: Aftab Ahmad
  CULPA: 12 Info
• 5 points

ELEMENTARY PERSIAN I

An introduction to the spoken and written language of contemporary Iran. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 3:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Saeed Honarmand
  Info
• 4 points

ELEMENTARY MODERN TURKISH I

An introduction to the written and spoken language of Turkey. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Zuleyha Colak
  CULPA: 2 h-index: 0 Info
• 4 points

South Asia at the Crossroads of Empires

S. Asia Crossroads of Emp

In this course we will study the late colonial and early post-colonial periods of South Asian history together. Some of the events we will cover include: the climax of anti-colonial movements in South Asia, WWII as it developed in South and Southeast Asia, the partition of British India, the two Indo-Pakistan wars, and the 1971 Bangladesh War. While we will read selected secondary literature, we will focus on a range of primary sources, including original radio broadcasts and oral history interviews. We will also study artistic interpretations of historical developments, including short stories and films. In this course, we will strive to remain attentive to the important changes engendered by colonialism, while simultaneously recognizing the agency of South Asians in formulating their own modernities during this critical period. We will also seek to develop a narrative of modern South Asian history, which is attentive to parallel and/or connected events in other regions.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Isabel Huacuja Alonso
  Info
• 3 points

INTERMEDIATE SWAHILI I

Prerequisites: SWHL W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission. A review of the essentials of Swahili grammar; detailed analysis of Swahili texts; practice in conversation. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Abdul Nanji
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

INTERMEDIATE WOLOF I

Prerequisites: WLOF W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission. Further develops a student's knowledge of Wolof, a major language of West Africa spoken primarily in Senegal and Gambia. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Mariame S Sy
  Info
• 4 points

SECOND YEAR ARABIC I

Prerequisites: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
• MTWR 8:50 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• MTWR 4:10 p.m.-5:15 p.m.
• Instructor: Rym Bettaieb
  CULPA: 7 Info
• Instructor: Nasr Abdo
  Info
• Instructor: May Ahmar
  CULPA: 9 Info
• 5 points

SECOND YEAR ARABIC II

Prerequisites: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 11:40 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
• Instructor: Ouijdane Absi
  CULPA: 6 Info
• 5 points

ARABIC FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS I

Prerequisites: Instructor permission. This is an intensive course that combines the curriculum of both First and Second Year Arabic in two semesters instead of four, and focuses on the productive skills (speaking and writing) in Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha). Students are exposed intensively to grammar and vocabulary of a high register. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to move on to Third Year Arabic. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 10:10 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
• Instructor: Youssef Nouhi
  CULPA: 7 Info
• 5 points

INTERMEDIATE ARMENIAN I

Prerequisites: MDES UN1301 and MDES UN1302 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of reading, writing and speaking of Armenian. In Intermediate Armenian I, students learn to communicate about a wide range of topics. Such topics include biographical narration, cooking and recipes, health and well-being, holidays and celebrations, travel and geography, etc. At this level, students continue to develop their skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening while perfecting the grammatical concepts to which they were introduced in the first year. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• TR 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Charry Karamanoukian
  Info
• 4 points

INTERMEDIATE SANSKRIT I

Prerequisites: Elementary Sanskrit II or instructor permission. This course constitutes the first half of a year-long reading course designed to give students the tools necessary for advanced study in Classical Sanskrit. Readings in epic (itihasa), poetry (kavya), systematic thought (sastra), and commentary (vyakhyana) will introduce students to a variety of important genres and their distinctive conventions. A focus upon the Sanskrit tradition’s own categories of analysis—grammatical, commentarial, and prosodic—will enable students to begin to make sense of original Sanskrit texts as generations of the tradition’s own readers have. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Jay Ramesh
  Info
• 4 points

2ND YR MOD HEBREW:INTER I

Prerequisites: 1st Year Modern Hebrew II or the equivalent and instructor's permission. Equal emphasis is given to listening, speaking, reading and writing. Regular categories of the Hebrew verb, prepositions, and basic syntax are taught systematically. Vocabulary building. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, or short compositions. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 11:40 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
• Instructor: Danielle Katz-Shenhar
  Info
• 5 points

INT HEBREW:INTENSVE GRAMMAR REV

This course focuses on Modern Hebrew grammar, and verb conjugation in particular. It is designed for students with substantial knowledge of Modern Hebrew. Over the semester, students will systematically review the grammatical patterns of regular verbs (shlemim), and learn the grammatical patterns of the irregular verbs (gzarot), as well as several other grammatical topics. After successful completion of this course, the foreign language requirement will be fulfilled (for students of Columbia College and other academic units that require a 4th-semester proficiency). Successful completion of this course also allows students to register in third-year Modern Hebrew.

• MWR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Illan Gonen
  CULPA: 3 Info
• 4 points

HEBREW FOR HERITAGE SPEAKERS I

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. Hebrew for Heritage Speakers I forms part of a year-long sequence with Hebrew for Heritage Speakers II. The course is intended for those who have developed basic speaking and listening skills through exposure to Hebrew at home or in day-school programs but do not use Hebrew as their dominant language and have not reached the level required for exemption from the Columbia language requirement. Heritage speakers differ in the degree of their fluency, but their vocabulary is often limited to topics in daily life and many lack skills in reading and writing to match their ability to converse. The course focuses on grammar and vocabulary enrichment, exposing students to a variety of cultural and social topics in daily life and beyond. By the end of the semester students are able to read and discuss simple texts and write about a variety of topics. Successful completion of the year-long sequence prepares students to enroll in third-year modern Hebrew. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MWR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Danielle Katz-Shenhar
  Info
• 4 points

INTERMEDIATE HINDI-URDU I

Prerequisites: (MDES UN1601) and (MDES UN1602) MDES UN1601-UN1602 or the instructor's permission. Continuing practice in listening, speaking, and grammatical understanding. Along with the Hindi (Devanagari) script, the Urdu (Perso-Arabic) script is taught in the class; both scripts are used for reading and writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 1:10 p.m.-2:15 p.m.
• Instructor: Rakesh Ranjan
  CULPA: 6 Info
• 5 points

INTERMEDIATE PERSIAN I

Prerequisites: Elementary Persian II or the equivalent. This course involves reading, writing, translating, conversation and grammatical foundations for Persian Language (PL). The materials are selected from two books: Āmuzesh-e Fārsi: Intermediate Level (required) and English-Persian Dictionary, plus verb system and charts (recommended). These books are assigned and have to be available to every student. There are also handouts, which will be provided throughout the course. This course serves as intermediate and makes students able to read and compose proper Persian language as well as the colloquial one. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Saeed Honarmand
  Info
• 4 points

INTERMEDIATE MODERN TURKISH I

A continuation of the study of the written and spoken language of Turkey, with readings of literary, historical, and other texts. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Zuleyha Colak
  CULPA: 2 h-index: 0 Info
• 4 points

AFRICA BEFORE COLONIALISM

This course is an interdisciplinary exploration of the precolonial history of the African continent. It investigates in-depth the political, social, cultural and economic developments of different Africa communities, covering various regions and periods, from prehistory to the formation of the Indian Ocean and Atlantic worlds. Its focus is the intersection of politics, economics, culture and society. Using world history and Africa’s location in the production of history as key analytical frames, it pays special attention to social, political and cultural changes that shaped the various individual and collective experiences of African peoples and states and the historical discourses associated to them.

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Mamadou Diouf
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Rethinking Imperialism in the Middle Eas

Rethinking Imperialism: M

What is imperialism? Why does it happen? What different forms did it take over time? And why is addressing imperialism essential in understanding histories of the Global South, and its contemporary social, political, economic, and cultural realities? How did the economic exploitation of societies by this system affect their socio-economic structures? Is imperialism responsible for the persistent and growing global inequalities? In this course, we will approach these questions and more from a South-centered perspective introducing students to some of the histories, debates, and questions on the subject. 

This course surveys histories of Imperialism in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The course is divided into three units reflecting cases from the three regions while focusing on different historical periods. First, we will study British imperialism in India in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. For the second unit, we will focus on the case of Egypt and its occupation in the late 19th century. Third, we will examine the British Empire in West Africa and East Africa at the turn of the century. 

Each unit will touch on three themes with various degrees of focus. First, we will ask why imperialism? explaining the different reasons and dynamics for imperialist expansion in the three regions. In the second theme, we will examine the political economy of colonial rule and how it manifested differently over time and space. In the third theme, we will explore social change, resistance, and questions of labor in colonial settings. 

The course will also serve to introduce students to using primary materials in their studies, using documents varying from contracts, laws, newspaper articles, reports, and correspondences. In some weeks we will explore some basics on how to find primary sources, the different types of sources, and how to use them in your research. 

 

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Nadeem Mansour
  Info
• 3 points

ADVANCED SWAHILI I

Prerequisites: SWHL UN2101-UN2102 or the instructor's permission. An introduction to the advanced syntactical, morphological, and grammatical structures of Swahili grammar; detailed analysis of Swahili texts; practice in conversation. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Abdul Nanji
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

ADVANCED WOLOF I

Prerequisites: Two years of Wolof or instructor permission. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class

• TR 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Mariame S Sy
  Info
• 4 points

CONTEMP CULTURE IN ARAB WORLD

This seminar, designed for seniors, aims to acquaint students with the notion and theoretical understanding of culture and to introduce them to a critical method by which they can study and appreciate contemporary culture in the Arab World. The seminar will survey examples of written and cinematic culture (fiction and autobiography), as well as music, dance, and literary criticism in the contemporary Arab world. Students will be reading novels, autobioghraphies and literary criticism, as well as watch films and listen to music as part of the syllabus. All material will be in translation. Films will be subtitled. Songs will be in Arabic.

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Joseph A Massad
  CULPA: 23 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

CNTRL QUESTIONS IN ISLAMIC LAW

Through detailed discussions of certain landmarks in Islamic legal history (e.g. origins; early formation; sources of law; intellectual make-up; the workings of court; legal change; women in the law; legal effects of colonialism; modernity and legal reform, etc.), the course aims at providing an introductory but integrated view of Islamic law, a definition, so to speak, of what it was/is. Please note, this course must be taken for a letter grade.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Wael Hallaq
  CULPA: 9 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

ARABIC PRISON WRITING

This course studies the genealogy of the prison in Arab culture as manifested in memoirs, narratives, and poems. These cut across a vast temporal and spatial swathe, covering selections from the Quran, Sufi narratives from al-Halllaj oeuvre, poetry by prisoners of war: classical, medieval, and modern. It also studies modern narratives by women prisoners and political prisoners, and narratives that engage with these issues. Arabic prison writing is studied against other genealogies of this prism, especially in the West, to map out the birth of prison, its institutionalization, mechanism, and role. All readings for the course are in English translations.

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Muhsin Al-Musawi
  CULPA: 8 Info
• 3 points

HONORS THESIS SEMINAR PART 1

Prerequisites: minimum GPA of 3.5 in MESAAS courses. The MESAAS honors seminar offers students the opportunity to undertake a sustained research project under close faculty supervision. The DUS advises on general issues of project design, format, approach, general research methodologies, and timetable. In addition, students work with an individual advisor who has expertise in the area of the thesis and can advise on the specifics of method and content. The thesis will be jointly evaluated by the adviser, the DUS, and the honors thesis TA. The DUS will lead students through a variety of exercises that are directly geared to facilitating the thesis. Students build their research, interpretive, and writing skills; discuss methodological approaches; write an annotated bibliography; learn to give constructive feedback to peers and respond to feedback effectively. The final product is a polished research paper in the range of 40-60 pages. Please note: This is a one-year course that begins in the fall semester (1 point) and continues through the spring semester (3 points). Only students who have completed both semesters will receive the full 4 points of credit.

• M 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Hamid Dabashi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia Info
• 1 points

Climate and Empire

Climate change destabilizes the ontic certainty of this world, time, and history. This course in MESAAS will introduce students to the literature on climate change and its relationship to ontology, religion, violence, politics, and gender. We will explore the resilience and limitations of various theoretical approaches as they relate to empirical cases. Students will become familiarized with important arguments that have been advanced to explain climate change in its more recent incarnations in the Middle East and Asia. How have different trajectories of understanding climate change led to different kinds of political cultures and governing institutions? Have some qualities of the “environment” or “climate” remained the same throughout history and across the globe? What is the role of colonialism in modern understandings of climate change?  The core of this course will seek to develop a mode of conceptualizing the present by rendering relevant geological time in addition to historical time, earth’s history in addition to world’s history.

The course begins with the question of how the “climate” has been historically and ethnographically conceptualized in various intellectual trajectories of human sciences. We consider how religion is connected to environmental change, how the “human” and “non human” are conceptualized in various ontologies, and how religious norms and ethics enact environmental practices. We interrogate the everyday sociality of climate adaption and how climate conflict informs social, political, and environmental citizenship. The course concludes by contemplating the creative ways of being in this new world. We study the innovative forms of cosmopolitan neo-humanism (post- humanism) that emerge from the specter of environmental change.

• F 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Sonia Ahsan
  CULPA: 4 Info
• 4 points

Reading Marx Historically

The historical significance of Marx lies not only in his reception in Germany or Europe, but across the world. But Marx’s thought emerged from a highly specific intellectual context of European thought. Therefore, reading Marx must have a contextual, German and European side, and, equally, a global reception side. The purpose of this course will be to read Marx’s texts closely, and to follow the trajectory of his ideas historically and therefore globally. In one sense, we understand what ‘doing’ political theory means more clearly in studying the struggles of Marx’s readers in addressing the question: how can reading Marx illuminate the historical analysis of very different societies – societies which were not in Europe, societies which were not based on a capitalist economy, societies that were not yet ‘modern’ in their economy, politics and culture. A part of the course will be about the Marxism of the ‘others’: American Black thinkers, and thinkers in China, India, Africa, the Middle East. To follow Marx’s thought historically is to read his thought globally.

The course will be in three parts. The first part will read some texts of Western social theory from which the central questions of Marx’s theoretical reflections were drawn. Following a method of Indian philosophy in which philosophic arguments are always read in relation to its purvapaksha (arguments in response to which the philosophical doctrine was conceived and elaborated), we shall start with questions first introduced in Hobbes (individual) Locke (property and its relation to government) and Adam Smith (capitalism) in the British tradition, and Hegel (on history and capitalism) and Feuerbach (religion and estrangement) in the German tradition. We shall explore the central arguments from these thinkers which Marx contends with – at times accepting and elaborating them, or modifying them, or directly questioning and rejecting them.

In the second part of the course, we shall closely read some texts from Marx, but also pair them with some of the major readings of their meanings from the Marxist tradition. Texts read will include the early journalistic writings, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, Communist Manifesto, the Grundrisse, political writings, Capital and Theories of Surplus Value, reflections on non-European history on the basis of his notes on ‘pre-capitalist formations’ and ethnological manuscripts.

In the final part of t

• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Sudipta Kaviraj
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

Urban South Africa

The aims of this seminar are 1) to introduce students to the broad parameters of urban South African history 2) to familiarize students with the immense creativity and resilience of African peoples, even in the most difficult colonial contexts 3) to illustrate how race, class and gender were socially, historically and politically constructed in South Africa 4) to guide students in the completion of an original research paper on some aspect of black South African urban life 5) to enhance student appreciation for the ways in which a researcher's perspective and interests influences their interpretation of sources 6) to make visible the ways in which research outcomes are shaped by a researcher's choice of source material 7) to develop student research and writing skills.

            This course provides only a bare introduction to the history of South Africa.  The chief aim is to provide students with a hands-on opportunity to conduct original research and to help students develop skills in documenting African agency and resilience in the face of colonial oppression, often by ‘reading between the lines’ of state-produced documents.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Laura Fair
  h-index: 15 Info
• 4 points

THIRD YEAR ARABIC I

NOTE: There are 2 sections of Third Year Arabic I. Section 001 follows the standard curriculum building all 4 language skills, as described below. Section 002 follows a reading-intensive curriculum, with less emphasis on listening and writing while still conducted in Arabic, and is intended for those preparing for advanced research in modern or classical Arabic texts. Students in the regular third-year Arabic track improve reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through close reading, compositions, class discussions, and presentations in Arabic on topics such as cultures of the Arab world, classical and modern Arabic literature, and contemporary Arabic media. Review of grammatical and syntactic rules as needed. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MTWR 8:50 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Youssef Nouhi
  CULPA: 7 Info
• 5 points

FOURTH YEAR MODERN ARABIC I

Through reading articles and essays by Arab thinkers and intellectuals, students will be able to increase their fluency and accuracy in Arabic while working on reading text and being exposed to the main themes in Arab thought The course works with all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Arabic is the language of instruction. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Taoufik Ben-Amor
  CULPA: 11 Info
• 4 points

FOURTH YEAR CLASSICAL ARABIC I

Through reading excerpts from thirteen essential works, starting with Jabarti's history of the French Campaign in Egypt to a chapter from al-Qur'an, students will be able to increase their fluency and accuracy in Arabic while working on reading text and being exposed to the main themes in Classical Arabic literature, acquire a sense of literary style over a period of fourteen centuries as well as literary analytical terminology and concepts. The texts are selections from essential works that the students will read in detail, write critical pieces, engage in discussion and have assignments which will expand their vocabulary, manipulation of advanced grammar concepts, and employing stylistic devices in their writing. This course will enable students to start doing research in classical Arabic sources and complements MESAAS's graduate seminar Readings in Classical Arabic. The course works with all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Arabic is the language of instruction. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Taoufik Ben-Amor
  CULPA: 11 Info
• 4 points

SPOKEN ARABIC I

Prerequisites: (MDES UN2201) and (MDES UN2202) $10 Arabic Materials Fee; $15 Language Resource Fee. This is an introductory course to Levantine Arabic for students who have completed two years of Standard Arabic studies, at the Intermediate level. The course is designed to further develop fluency in oral communication, through building students’ familiarity with a less formal register of Arabic, namely the Levantine dialect. The course will convert and recycle some of the previous Standard Arabic knowledge to the dialect, by comparing their prior knowledge to its dialectal counterpart; while at the same time developing students’ new communicative skills in a diverse range of contexts that are essential in any conversational interaction. The course will build students abilities to interact effectively in various areas where Levantine Arabic is spoken. In addition to varied thematic topics, the course exposes students to cultural aspects specific to the region. Additionally, the course will work on both constructing students’ knowledge of dialectal diction as well as other grammatical features of the dialects. Even though the course is designed for communication in the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), the emphasis will be mostly on speaking and listening. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• TR 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Reem Faraj
  CULPA: 4 Info
• 4 points

ARABIC AUTOBIOGRAPHY GLOBAL DIMENSIONS

This course draws a map of Arab thought and culture in its multiple engagements with other cultures. It works globally along two lines: a theoretical one that accommodates conceptualizations of self-narrative in relation to shifting categories of center and margin; and a thematic one that selects a number of Arabic autobiographical texts with strong thematic concerns that cut across multiple cultures. Although Europe sounds at times more conspicuous in early 20th century autobiography, the Afro-Asian and Latin American topographical and historical itinerary and context are no less so, especially in writings we associate with societal and cultural transformations. More than historical accounts, these intellectual itineraries speak for the successes and failures of the secular ideology of the Arab nation-state. They convey the struggle of intellectuals-- as self-styled leaders, for an ideal state on the ruins of the past. The course studies a number of autobiographical works; memoirs and reminiscences that are meant to rationalize and reproduce a writer’s experience. Probably self-censored, these serve nevertheless as trajectories for a secular journey rather than one from denial to affirmation. Staunchly established in modernity and its nahdah paradigms, most of these writings are secular itineraries that rarely end in a search for faith. They are the journeys of a generation of Arab intellectuals who are facing many crises, but not the crisis of faith. They provide another look at the making of the Arab intelligentsia- and probably the Afro-Asian and Latin American one, since the early 20th century, and help us discern not only achievements on the level of education and public service , but also the mounting discontent with failures that have been wrapping the formation of the nation state. No prior knowledge of Arabic language is required.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Muhsin Al-Musawi
  CULPA: 8 Info
• 4 points

ADVANCED ARMENIAN I

Advanced instruction in the Armenian dialect. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• F 11:30 a.m.-1:20 p.m.
• Instructor: Charry Karamanoukian
  Info
• 3 points

WAR,GENOCIDE,& AFTERMATH COMP PERSPECTIV

This 4000-level course examines how societies grapple with the legacy of mass violence, through an exploration of historical texts, memoirs, textbooks, litigation, and media reports and debates on confronting the past. Focusing on case studies of the Herero Genocide, the Armenian genocide during WWI, and the Holocaust and the Comfort Women during WWII, students investigate the crime and its sequelae, looking at how societies deal with skeletons in their closets ( engaging in silence, trivialization, rationalization, and denial to acknowledgment, apology, and repair); surveying responses of survivors and their descendants (with particular attention to intergeneration transmission of trauma, forgiveness, resentment, and the pursuit of redress); and dissecting public debates on modern day issues that harken back to past atrocities.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Khatchig Mouradian
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

READINGS IN HEBREW TEXTS II

Prerequisites: MDES W4501 or the instructors permission. Students must have a good familiarity with the Hebrew verb system, and the ability to read a text without vowels. This course focuses on central identities shaping Israeli society and is designed to give students extensive experience in reading Hebrew. Through selected readings of contemporary literary works and media texts, students will increase their proficiency in Hebrew and enhance their understanding of Israeli culture and society. All readings, written assignments, and class discussions are in Hebrew. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Naama Harel
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

3RD YR MODERN HEBREW I

Prerequisites: 2nd Year Modern Hebrew II, Hebrew for Heritage Speakers II, or the instructor's permission. This course is designed to take students from the intermediate to advanced level. Students will further develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in Hebrew through an examination of a wide range of sources, including short stories, poems, visual arts, popular music, television shows and films. All readings, written assignments, and class discussions are in Hebrew. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Naama Harel
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

ADVANCED HINDI I

Advanced Hindi I and II are third year courses in the Hindi-Urdu program that aim to continue building upon the existing four language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) along with grammar and vocabulary in a communicative approach. The objective of these courses is to strengthen students’ language skills and to go beyond them to understand and describe situations and the speech community, understand and discuss Hindi literature and films, news items, T.V. shows and current events. Students will also be given opportunities to work on their areas of interest such as popular culture, professional and research goals in the target language. Students will be expected to expand their vocabulary, enhance grammatical accuracy and develop cultural appropriateness through an enthusiastic participation in classroom activities and immersing themselves in the speech community outside. This course will be taught in the target language. All kinds of conversations such as daily life, on social/public interests’ topics as well as on academic interests, will occur in the target language. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• TR 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Rakesh Ranjan
  CULPA: 6 Info
• 5 points

Transregional

History, Politics, Literature, Society -- all these are studied as within national, or, at best, regional frames. What other scales and approaches might be appropriate to the study of particular phenomena or categories in the past, as well as some of the challenges of the present? This course introduces advanced undergraduates and graduate students to transregional studies. We explore topics, approaches, methods, problems, and disciplines through which we can cross the regions, particularly the regions of MESAAS. Case studies will consider thinking through and with oceanic studies, circulation, diaspora, shared hermeneutical traditions, lingua francas and their stories (world literatures?), and connected histories to rethink concepts of societies, collective affiliations, cosmopolitanism, and world history. Undergraduates must have taken at least one of the following: Intro to Islamic Civ (UN 2003), Intro to Indian Civ (UN 2357), African Before Colonialism (UN 2915), Societies and Cultures across the Indian Ocean (UN 3445), or some equivalent (check with me).

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Mana Kia
  CULPA: 2 h-index: 11 Info
• 4 points

Advanced Urdu

ADVANCED URDU

Prerequisites: Two years of prior study in Urdu or one year of Urdu for Heritage Speakers I&II courses at Columbia University, or approval of the professor. This is a one-semester course in advanced Urdu language. It will be taught in the fall semester. The goal of the course is to develop students’ linguistic skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading, writing and cultural skills in Urdu, and give students in-depth exposure to some of the finest works of classical and modern Urdu prose. Special emphasis will be given to developing a high-register vocabulary. Necessary grammar points will also be explained for developing an accurate and nuanced understanding of the Urdu language. After completing this course, students will be able to read and enjoy Urdu classics and critical academic texts related to various disciplines i.e. old tales, short stories, essays, history, satire, criticism, politics, current issues etc. along with effective speaking skills suited to active interaction in the speech community and a more advanced academic discussion for undergraduate and graduate students. Students will develop an in-depth understanding of South Asian society and culture as well. This course will prepare students to take MDES GU4635 Readings in Urdu Literature I.

• TR 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Aftab Ahmad
  CULPA: 12 Info
• 4 points

India after 1947: Democracy and Majorita

This course will explore recent histories of post-independence India, focusing on the first three decades of independence (1947-1977) following the end of British colonial rule. Until rather recently, most histories of South Asia concluded with independence, casting, perhaps unconsciously, the end of British rule as the end of history in the region. However, in recent years, we have witnessed a boom of historical writing on post-independence India.  In this class, we will analyze this emerging scholarship and focus on the themes of democracy and majoritarianism. We will read about the establishment of universal franchise in 1950s India, the writing and implementation of the constitution, and the country’s experiments with various economic plans. At the same time, we will study the Indian state’s often violent integration of regions originally outside Britain’s direct domain, including the princely states of Kashmir and Hyderabad, and the development of what scholars have described as new forms of colonialism in the region after 1947. Likewise
,
 we will study the growth of majoritarian ideologies and the continued struggle against caste oppression, all while considering India’s place in the larger Cold War. Throughout the class, we will remain attendant to aesthetic developments in media and literature during this period. While the course focuses on India—or more specifically on various communities’ interactions with the Indian state—we will also study developments in Pakistan (and Bangladesh after 1971) and other neighboring states, recognizing that their shared histories did not end with Partition. 

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Isabel Huacuja Alonso
  Info
• 4 points

ADVANCED PERSIAN I

While helping students advance their levels of oral and written expression, this course focuses on literature of the modern and medieval periods, with particular emphasis on the development of the modern novella and traditional and new forms of poetry. In addition to literature, students are introduced to a wide variety of genres from political and cultural essays and blogs to newspaper translations of the early 20th century. They will be further exposed to ta´rof in reference to a wide variety of socio-cultural contexts and be expected to use ta´rof in class conversations. Students will be exposed to popular artists and their works and satirical websites for insight into contemporary Iranian culture and politics. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• MW 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Saeed Honarmand
  Info
• 3 points

ADVANCED SANSKRIT I

This course constitutes the first half of a year-long advanced reading course in Classical Sanskrit. In 2021-2022, the focus of Advanced Sanskrit will be the genres of literary theory (alaṅkāraśāstra) and belles-lettres (kāvya). Lending equal attention to literary theory and literary practice, this course will introduce students to iconic works of Sanskrit literature along with the interpretive frameworks whereby they were analyzed, relished, and appraised. Literary excerpts may be drawn from an array of subgenres, including courtly epic (mahākāvya), epic drama (nāṭaka), literary prose (gadya), and individual verses (muktaka). Rigorous analysis of primary texts will be supplemented by occasional discussions about what implications the disciplined reading of kāvya may hold for practices such as translation, comparative literature, and transdisciplinarity. Prerequisites: Intermediate Sanskrit II or instructor’s permission. 

• MW 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Jonathan Peterson
  Info
• 4 points

ADVANCED TURKISH I

Advanced Turkish I is designed to use authentic Turkish materials around projects that are chosen by the student in a research seminar format where students conduct their own research and share it in class in a friendly atmosphere. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Zuleyha Colak
  CULPA: 2 h-index: 0 Info
• 3 points

READINGS IN OTTOMAN TEXTS I

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Dilek Oztoprak
  Info
• 3 points

THEORY AND METHODS II

The main purpose of this course is to acquaint students with different theories and methodological approaches to reading and interpretation of texts. This course may not be taken as Pass/D/Fail.

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Sudipta Kaviraj
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

MESAAS RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM

This course provides a structured setting for stand-alone M.A. students in their final year and Ph.D. students in their second and third years to develop their research trajectories in a way that complements normal coursework. The seminar meets approximately biweekly and focuses on topics such as research methodology; project design; literature review, including bibliographies and citation practices; grant writing. Required for MESAAS graduate students in their second and third year.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Mana Kia
  CULPA: 2 h-index: 11 Info
• 2 points

NATL IN MID EAST AS IDEA/PRAC

Intends to familiarize students with the most recent theories dealing with nationalism from a variety of angles and perspectives.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Joseph A Massad
  CULPA: 23 Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

READINGS IN AFRICAN INTEL HIST

• R 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Mamadou Diouf
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

South Asians in East Africa, 1750-1970

This graduate seminar examines the intersection of two MESAAS areas, South Asia and Africa, examining the long-term economic, social, cultural and political links between South Asia and East Africa, largely through the experience of South Asian immigrants to East Africa. Although connections between the regions have occurred for millennia, we will focus primarily on period after 1750.  In addition to providing a general introduction to some of the themes and issues in the historiography, the course requires students to substantially engage with a range of primary source materials over the course of the term, from colonial archival documents, to newspapers, autobiographies and literature. 

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Laura Fair
  h-index: 15 Info
• 4 points

Reading Politics & Law in Classical Arab

POLT/LAW: CLASSICAL ARABC

This seminar is conducted mainly in Arabic sources. The purpose is to explore legal and political theory and (when possible) practices of Islamic cultures prior to the 19th century with a view to mapping political structures and constitutional organization in Islamic history, and their relationship to the Shari`a. Among the themes of interest are: structure and rationalization of theories of governance; ethics of rule; use of history as authorizing discourse in the culture of political administration; the nature of “branches of power” and separation thereof; siyasa shar`iyya in “law” and “politics” (or the relationship between “law” and “politics”); and the very meaning of politics and sovereignty in Islam; the possibility of a state of exception; enemy-friend distinction; and related themes. Proficiency in Arabic is required. 

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Wael Hallaq
  CULPA: 9 Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

Settlers and Natives

This course is designed to introduce the student to key debates in the study of societies marked by the centrality of settler-native relations: We shall focus on four key debates: (a) how to conceptualize extreme violence, as criminal or political; (b) the relationship of perpetrators to beneficiaries; (c) the significance of human rights institutions, from the Nuremberg Court to the International Criminal Court to the question of decolonization: and (d) the making of a political community of survivors after catastrophe. The class will be organized around several case studies: (a) Ireland; (b) the Americas; (c) Haiti; (d) Australia; (e) the Nuremberg Court; (f) South Africa; and (g) Israel / Palestine.

 

• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Mahmood Mamdani
  CULPA: 21 Wikipedia h-index: 57 Info
• 4 points

DISSERTATION COLLOQUIUM

The dissertation colloquium is a non-credit course open to MESAAS doctoral students who have completed the M.Phil. degree. It provides a forum in which the entire community of dissertation writers meets, bridging the departments different fields and regions of research. It complements workshops outside the department focused on one area or theme. Through an encounter with the diversity of research underway in MESAAS, participants learn to engage with work anchored in different regions and disciplines and discover or develop what is common in the departments post-disciplinary methods of inquiry. Since the community is relatively small, it is expected that all post-M.Phil. students in residence will join the colloquium. Post M.Phil. students from other departments may request permission to join the colloquium, but places for non-MESAAS students will be limited. The colloquium convenes every semester, meeting once every two weeks. Each meeting is devoted to the discussion of one or two pre-circulated pieces of work (a draft prospectus or dissertation chapter). Every participant contributes at least one piece of work each year.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Gil Hochberg
  CULPA: 1 Wikipedia h-index: 14 Info
• 0 points