This course examines a set of questions that have shaped the study of the politics of the modern Middle East. It looks at the main ways those questions have been answered, exploring debates both in Western academic scholarship and among scholars and intellectuals in the region itself. For each question, the course offers new ways of thinking about the issue or ways of framing it in different terms. The topics covered in the course include: the kinds of modern state that emerged in the Middle East and the ways its forms of power and authority were shaped; the birth of �economic development� as a way of describing the function and measuring the success of the state, and the changing metrics of this success; the influence of oil on the politics of the region; the nature and role of Islamic political movements; the transformation of the countryside and the city and the role of rural populations and of urban protest in modern politics; and the politics of armed force and political violence in the region, and the ways in which this has been understood. The focus of the course will be on the politics of the twentieth century, but many topics will be traced back into developments that occurred in earlier periods, and several will be explored up to the present. The course is divided into four parts, each ending with a paper or exam in which participants are asked to analyze the material covered. Each part of the course has a geographical focus on a country or group of countries and a thematic focus on a particular set of questions of historical and political analysis.

Discussion Section Required.

This seminar is an interdisciplinary exploration of the history of the African continent, examining very closely the colonial and postcolonial periods. Its focus is the intersection of politics, economics, culture and society. Using colonialism, empire, and globalization as key analytical frames, it pays special attention to social, political and cultural changes that shaped the various African individual and collective experiences.

During the early twentieth century the meaning of Africa and its location within the �universal� historical narrative was a source of discussion and debate among western and African elites. In this seminar, we will study the ways that African and people of African descent participated in this discussion. Through primary and secondary readings, we will learn about how African, African American and European writers, artists and activists engaged and (re) interpreted imperial and international resources (including the insights of the new sciences of Man) to (re)imagine their political and social situations, and to participate in various political expressions , including surrealism, pan-Africanism, communism, feminism, black internationalism, and anti-imperialism.

We will also engage critically debates (e.g., Egyptianisms and Ethiopianisms) and theoretical developments in African, imperial, transnational, international and global scholarship that seeks to understand the complex traffic of people and ideas across national and imperial boundaries.

This course is intended to explore important themes in modern political thought from texts taken from traditions outside the modern West. It will not be devoted to textual exegesis, but use as sites of exploration central questions of modern politics. The attempt will be not merely to grasp what these thinkers thought, but to think more widely with and through their texts. The course will focus on the works of M K Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammad Iqbal, and Leopold Senghor. It will involve reading assigned texts and critical and comparative analysis of their theoretical ideas.

The Mughal period was one of the most dynamic eras in world history, when India was the meeting place of many cultures. Of Timurid ancestry, the earliest Mughal rulers drew upon the heritage of Central Asia in their ruling styles and cultural practices, but they would soon adapt to the complexities of their Indian milieu, which had longstanding traditions that were a blend of Sanskrit and Persian, Hindu and Muslim idioms. European culture, whether filtered through Jesuit sermons, itinerant merchants, or Flemish engravings, was also making inroads into India during this period. This course is a broad cultural history of Mughal India as seen from a range of perspectives and sources. We consider the Mughals� major achievements in visual culture as manifested in painting and architecture, as well as exploring diverse topics in religion, literature, politics, and historiography. Yet another approach is to listen to the voices of the Mughal rulers as recorded in their memoirs, as well as investigating the signal contributions of the dynasty�s women.

The emergence of modern Turkey and Iran has been linked to two strong figures of Ataturk and Reza Shah. Depicted as �men of order,� they have been held responsible for the major transformations associated with the rise of the modern nation states of Turkey and Iran. This course critically examines the legacy of these two leaders by placing them within the long term history of social and political transformations in the Ottoman Empire and Iran in the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Particular emphasis will be placed on the relationship between the emergence of these leaders and the constitutional movements that preceded them. Of interest here is the degree to which they were in continuity with, a reaction to, or a break from these movements. Of further interest is the creation of modern citizenship, authoritarianism, commitment to constitutionalism, radical reforms from above, rise of the middle class, social and political programs directed toward homogenization, and republicanism.

Required of all majors. Introduces theories of culture particularly related to the Middle East and South Asia. Theoretical debates on the nature and function of culture as a symbolic reading of human collectivities. Examines critical cultural studies of the Middle East and South Asia. Enables students to articulate their emerging knowledge of Middle East and Asian cultures in a theoretically informed language.

Prerequisites: the instructor's permission.

Explores recent studies on the Middle East with explicitly stated theoretical orientations that may be grouped under three broad catagories of nationalism, discipline, and power and resistance. Methodologies as diverse as comparative method, post-structuralism, narrative, and ethnography are not investigated in the abstract but in the context of rich empirical case studies.

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A broad introduction to the major stages, movements and works of Western Armenian literature from its �inception� in the Ottoman Empire to its contemporary Diasporic variations.

Using translations of Harutyun Kurkjyan�s comprehensive textbook Hay Kyank� yev Grakanut�yun[Armenian Life and Literature] alongside translations from Heritage of Armenian Literature III and various readings in history and criticism, this course will offer a broad introduction to the major stages, movements and works of Western Armenian literature from its �literary inception� in the 1850�s Ottoman Empire until its current trends in the Diaspora. The course, which will also touch on major developments in theatre, cinema, and music will also offer an opportunity for comparative study. Since the trajectory of Western Armenian literature is inextricably bound with major historical events, the course will naturally take an interdisciplinary approach as it brings significant historical developments into discussions of the literature�s trajectory. All readings will be in English and English translation.

This course offers a reading of a selection of novels from the Middle East, India and Africa that represent, interrogate and challenge the colonialist and post-independence history of their nations and regions. It has long been understood that colonial domination was achieved through the deployment of more than brute force. It was not only power, but also colonialist knowledge that became the foundations of European hegemony over the colonial world. It has also become a matter of little debate that post-colonial societies are still, to varying degrees, subject to overt or subtle forms of neo-colonial domination. The course examines the complex processes by which the writers of the Middle East, South Asia and Africa suffer, resist and ultimately try to extricate their cultures and societies from the legacy of colonialism. Novels in both English and English translations will constitute the primary reading material for this course. They will be supplemented by a selection of theoretical and critical readings

This course studies a number of autobiographical works; memoirs and reminiscences that are meant to rationalize and sell a writer�s experience. Although repressed accounts, these serve as trajectories for a secular journey rather than one from denial to affirmation. Staunchly established in modernity and its nahda paradigms, most of these writings are secular itineraries that rarely 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 since the early 20th century and help us discerning the pitfalls and failures, along with successes, that have been wrapping the nation state.

PS. No prior knowledge of Arabic language is required.

This course questions the whole idea of Arab modernity which is usually associated with the nahda or Arab awakening at the turn of the nineteenth century. Through close analysis of texts, poetry, narrative, travelogue and memoirs, it argues that the bane of modernity is its subordination to a Western ideal that minimizes or even negates its engagement with Islamic and Arab tradition. The nation state and through codification processes and as led by the intelligentsia forged a social program that is no less divested of tradition and rural culture. Only after 1967, the unsettling experience of total bankruptcy, that intellectuals question the dichotomies of science versus religion and the myth of progress versus tradition. New writings take to the street where they find substance and faith that has been ignored for long under cultural dependency. These works receive due attention in relation to theoretical studies that increase readers� critical insight.

PS. No prior knowledge of Arabic language is required.

An exploration of subjecthood, subjection and subjectivity in Western-Armenian literature, taking Ottoman-Armenian writer Hagop Oshagan's (1883-1948) prison-themed novels as its point of departure. Readings will also include Dostoyevsky, Hugo, Bakhtin, Luk�cs and Foucault alongside the works of other Armenian writers. Special attention will be paid to the impact of the Armenian nationalist movement and representations of "the Turk."

This reading-intensive course will engage the notion of "political theology," a notion that emerges within the Western tradition (Varro, Augustine) and has become instrumental in thinking and institutionalizing the distinction between religion and politics over the course of the twentieth century. We will take our point of departure the key texts that have revived this notion (Schmitt, Kantorowicz), engage their interpretation of the Bible and of Augustine and medieval followers. We will then examine the role of Spinoza and Moses Mendelsohn, the extention of the notion of religion to "the East" (Said, Grosrichard, Asad), and conclude with some of the current debates over secularization in the colonizing and colonized world.

This course will combine study of long-term historical sociology with more short term understanding of policies and their possible effects. Though its main purpose will be to provide students with an understanding of politics after independence, it will argue, methodologically, that this understanding should be based on a study of historical sociology � plotting long-terms shifts in the structure of social power. The course will start with analyses of the structures of power and ideas about political legitimacy in pre-modern India, and the transformations brought by colonialism into that order. After a brief study of the nature of political order under the colonial state, the courses will focus primarily on the history of the democratic state after independence.

This course approaches the phenomenon of princely India from a range of perspectives. Students learn about the political and cultural practices of specific courts that played a major role in Indian history such as the Guptas, Vijayanagarm and the Mughals, while also being exposed to aspects of Indian courtly life more generally. Topics include, among others, literature, art, architecture, intellectual practices, music and the science of erotics (Kamasutra). While the emphasis is on Indian court culture as seen from within India, cross cultural perspectives are also introduced. For instance, why were Sanskrit literature and Indian architecture emulated far afield in Southeast Asia in the first millenium? And how was Indian court culture perceived by Europeans in the early modern and colonial periods? The course concludes with some reflections on the legacy of Mughals and maharajas in postcolonial India.

Prerequisites: Knowledge of Arabic Required for MEALAC majors who wish to take this course.

The purpose of this course is to study the Thousand and One Nights in the narrative tradition. With focus on the composite and diverse nature of the tales, students are encouraged to study classical and modern narratives, their transgression, and undermining of life styles and patterns of behavior. The seminar follows up narrative techniques as interwoven into socio-political complexity. It makes use of contemporary theory to open up canons and interrogate paradigmatic patterning in dealing with Arabic culture.

The purpose of this course is to study the presence of Islam as theology and faith in modern Arabic literature. While modernity has imposed a secular line of thought in narrative, poetry, and drama, there is also the counter assumption that the writer as intellectual relies on structures of feeling and other dynamics. Regardless of the secular or religious affiliation of the writer, religion operates as culture. Even when there are negative portrayals of some jurists or Imams, there is a cultural formation of great bearing on the manner and matter of writing. The underlying assumption behind the course is the need to study these perspectives in order to understand literature as strongly involved in making up modern Arab consciousness. Texts are in English, and include novels by Mahfuz, Ghitani, Nawal Sadawi, drama by Izz al-Din al-Madani and Salah Abd al-Sabur, and poetry by Buland al-Haydari, Adunis, and al-Bayati.

A general introduction to major cultures in the Middle East and South Asia. The range of cultural issues, institutional forces, textual sources, and figures of authority who have historically defined and symbolically distinguished Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, from their earliest origins to our own time. A representative sample of sacred and secular sources is closely examined in order to guide the students toward a comprehensive conception of what constitutes these distinct cultures and how they have been redefined in the process of their contemporary adaptations.

Introduction to Indian civilization with attention to both its unity and its diversity across the Indian subcontinent. Consideration of its origins, formative development, fundamental social institutions, religious thought and practice (Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh), literary and artistic achievements, and modern challenges.

Readings in translation and discussion of texts of Middle Eastern and Indian origin. The Qur'an, Islamic philosophy, Sufi poetry, the Upanishads, Buddhist sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Indian epics and drama, and Gandhi's Autobiography.

This graduate/undergraduate course does not presuppose a background in Middle East studies or political science. This introductory course traces the intellectual history of contemporary Muslim politics, and political thinking in the Middle East/North Africa. It ends with a study of contemporary figures such as 'Abdolkarim Soroush of Iran and Hassan Hanafi of Egypt. It begins with Khayr al-Din, the prime minister of the Ottoman imperial regency of Tunis in the middle of the nineteenth century. The course proceeds in chronological order through such themes and epochs as: Islamic modernism, the controversy over the abolition/restoration of an Islamic Caliphate, feminism, Young Ottoman constitutionalism, Turkish and Arab nationalisms, social justice and the Muslim Brothers in Egypt, resistance to colonialism (in Algeria, inter al.), and revolutionary Shi'ism in Iran. The course explicates the historical milieux, explores the biographies, and engages with the writings, of Arab, Turkish and Iranian intellectuals likely to include Rifa'at al-Tahtawi, Jamal al-Din 'al-Afghani', Muhammad 'Abduh, Namik Kemal, Abdullah Cevdet, 'Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi, Qasim Amin, Rashid Ridda, 'Ali 'Abd al-Raziq, Ziya G�kalp, Sayyid Qutb, Frantz Fanon, and 'Ali Shariati. The requirements for the course are two exams and a paper on a topic of the student's design.

An introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature.

Prerequisite: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing.

Through reading and writing, students will review Arabic Grammar concepts within the context of linguistic functions such as narration, description, comparison, etc. For example, within the function of narration, students will focus on verb tenses, word order, and adverbials. Based on error analysis in the past twelve years that the Arabic Program has been using Al-Kitaab, emphasis will be placed on common and frequent grammatical errors. Within these linguistic functions and based on error analysis, the course will review the following main concepts:

Types of sentence and sentence/clause structure.The Verb system, pattern meanings and verb complementation.Quadriliteral verb patterns and derivations.Weak Verbs derivations, conjugation, tense frames and negation.Case endings.Types of noun and participle: Noun of time, place, instance, stance, instrument, active and passive participles.Types of construct phrase: al-iDafa.Types of Adverbials and verb complements: Hal, Tamyiz, Maf�ul mutlaq, Maf�ul li�ajlihi, adverbs of time, frequency, place and manner.The number system and countable nouns.Types of maa.Diptotes, al-mamnu� min-aSSarf.

Prerequisites: MDES W1310-W1311 or the equivalent.

A continuation of the study of reading, writing and speaking of Armenian.

An introduction to Bengali, a major language of northeast India and Bangladesh.

Prerequisite: BENG W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission.

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.

Prerequisites: Prerequisite: MDES W1511 or the equivalent. Students who completed First Year Hebrew at Columbia are required to enroll in section 1. New students are placed in section 1 or 2, based on their performance on the placement test.

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.

Prerequisites: For students who acquired basic knowledge of the language in Hebrew School, and received appropriate scores on the placement test.

Equal emphasis is given to listening, speaking, reading and writing. Regular Hebrew verbs, prepositions, and syntax are taught systematically. Vocabulary building. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, listening to web-casts, or short compositions. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes.

Prerequisites: Hebrew W1513 or W1515 or the instructor's permission. Students are expected to have basic familiarity with regular and irregular verbs in five categories of the Hebrew verb system: Pa'al, Pi'el, Hif'il, Hitpa'el and Nif'al.

The course focuses on vocabulary building and on development of reading skills, using adapted literary and journalistic texts with and without vowels. Verb categories of Pu'al and Huf'al are taught systematically. Other verb forms are reviewed in context. A weekly hour is devoted to practice in conversation. Daily homework includes reading, short answers, compositions, listening to web-casts, and giving short oral presentations via voice e-mail. Frequent vocabulary quizzes.

Prerequisites: MDES W4511 or MDES W1515 or MDES W1516 or the instructor's permission. Students are expected to have a good familiarity with the Hebrew verb system, and the ability to read a text without vowels.

This is an advanced course focusing on the development of reading skills using authentic, un-adapted literary, journalistic and academic texts. Verb forms are reviewed in context. In addition to the texts read by the whole class, each student completes two independent reading projects in areas of his/her interest. A weekly hour is devoted to practice in conversation. Daily homework includes reading, composition, listening to web-casts, or giving short oral presentations via voice e-mail. Frequent vocabulary quizzes. Two five page term reports on the independent readings.

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.

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.

Prerequisites: MDES W1610-W1611 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.

Prerequisites: MDES W1613 or the instructor's permission.

Conducted largely in Hindi. Includes reading and discussion of selected literary, social science, historical, and/or journalistic texts. Since the content changes each term, the course may be repeated for credit.

Prerequisites: Two years of Hindi-Urdu, or permission of the instructor.

This course introduces a range of modern Hindi-Urdu literary texts and trends. From the late nineteenth century Hindi and Urdu authors experimented with genres like the short story and novel, which had been imported through colonial contact, creating a rich array of new (and sometimes hybrid) literary offerings. In this course we read select authors from the canon of modern fiction, while also touching on the most salient literary historical and cultural currents taking place in the world outside the texts. Students will also be exposed to select works of secondary literature and a few genres and poets of historical importance. Students develop their skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as working with advanced grammar topics and learning new idioms. While it is preferred that all students develop their skills in both Hindi and Urdu scripts, students who know only one script may also be admitted to the course with the permission of the instructor.

Prerequisites: MDES W4630 or the instructor's permission.

Conducted largely in Urdu. Includes reading and discussion of selected literary, social science, historical, and/or journalistic texts. Since the content changes each term, the course may be repeated for credit.

An introduction to the spoken and written language of contemporary Iran.

Prerequisite: MDES W1710-W1711 or the equivalent. A general review of the essentials of grammar; practice in spoken and written Persian; Arabic elements in Persian; selected readings emphasizing Iranian life and culture; materials from Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Indari.

Same course as Persian W1710, on a noncredit basis.

Same course as Persian W1712, on a noncredit basis.

An introduction to Punjabi, a major language of northern India and Pakistan. Beginning with the study of the Gurmukhi script, the course offers an intensive study of the speaking, reading, and writing of the language.

Prerequisites: PUNJ W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission.

Further develops a student's writing, reading, and oral skills in Punjabi, a major language of northern India and Pakistan.

The same course as Punjabi W1101, on a noncredit basis.

Prerequisites: Punjabi W1101-W1102 or instructor's permission.

The same course as Punjabi W1201, on a noncredit basis.

An introduction to classical Sanskrit. Grammar and reading of texts.

Reading and grammatical analysis of a literary text, chosen from the dramatic and narrative tradition.

Prerequisites: Two years of Sanskrit or instructor permission

The two levels of advanced Sanskrit are typically given in alternate years. In 2005-06, kavya and alankarasastra will be offered; in 2006-07, mimamsa and nyaya. Additional courses, including Introduction to Panini and Introduction to the Literary Prakrits, are also available periodically. Final examinations will be required of all students in the first year of Advanced Sanskrit. In the second year, students are required to prepare a research project in lieu of the examination. This may be a research paper, a book or articles review, a bibliographical study, a translation, or whatever will advance the student�s research capabilities.

Introduces students to the basic grammatical and syntactical skills required to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in that region of the world. Introduces students to the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken.

Prerequisites: TAML W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission.

Further develops students' written and oral proficiency in order to allow them to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in a Tamil-speaking context. Develops the students' appreciation for the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken.

The same course as Tamil W1101, on a noncredit basis.

Prerequisites: Tamil W1101-W1102 or instructor's permission.

The same course as Tamil W1201, on a noncredit basis.

This seminar considers postcolonial African cities in historical and geographical perspective. Drawing from diverse literatures, including geography, history, anthropology, cultural studies, and development studies, it offers an interdisciplinary approach to reflect on experiences of urbanization on the continent and the socio-economic, cultural, and political aspects of contemporary African urban life.

The course, based on Zionist texts of various kinds, will offer a view of Zionism as a cultural revolution aimed at redefining Judaism and the Jewish Identity.

This seminar explores the role of Africa and Africans in imperial and international history during the first half of the twentieth century. It examines African political thought and activities for the ways that Africans contributed to imperial and international discussions, engaged concepts of political modernity, and responded to and participated in world events. It explores African involvement in international movements for racial equality and world peace, proposals for imperial reform, responses to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, and debates and controversies among African intellectuals. Drawing from new imperial and transnational history and studies of the African diaspora, it explores new frameworks for understanding modern African history.

Edward Said�s Orientalism has been transformative to academic discussions and practices, and beyond. It has generated a significant range of responses, commentaries and points of departures. Written from within the literary profession, the intricacies of its style and rhetorical gestures, complexities of its language, the possibility, in short, that Orientalism is a �difficult� book deserving of close reading � all this has perhaps not been sufficiently entertained. The purpose of this course will be to read with excruciating patience and discipline: to read Orientalism. However, we will also attend to the ways in which Orientalism has been read. Throughout, particular attention will be paid to the way the book itself deploys and enacts the figure of reading, the practice (or range of practices) of reading that Orientalism is, as well as the kind of reading Orientalism offers and advocates.

This course is intended for upper division undergraduate and graduate students. It introduces the student to the major social and cultural issues of the Arab world, as examined through various theoretical perspectives in the anthropological and sociological literature. It is hoped that the course will provide the student with the analytical tools s/he needs to take more specialized courses on the general topic.

A contextual and methodological exploration of the histories of art history utilizing the specific case of representation of Armenian medieval art in art history survey texts from the nineteenth century to the present. The course is theoretical and interdisciplinary and touches upon the issues of nationalism, orientalism, imperialism, cultural politics, educational policies, art historical methodology and politcs.

This course aims at reconsidering the concept of "displacement" in multiple levels, especially focusing on music and memory. Its major objective is to develop critical perspectives to discuss the conditions of "being displaced" and "being at home" in relation to the minoritized groups' experiences within nationalized territories. Lectures will have a special emphasis on the Armenian community of Istanbul.

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Introduction to Middle Eastern cinema as a unique cultural product in which artistic sensibilities are mobilized to address, and thus reflect, significant aspects of contemporary society, Arab, Israeli, Turkish, and Iranian cinema. Cultural and collective expressions of some enduring concerns in modern Middle Eastern societies.

This course attempts to meet the increasing need to know Iraqi culture. Through a number of typical Iraqi texts since the Epic of Gilgamesh, the question of power relations and cultural dynamics will be a way to map out an intellectual itinerary of the most ancient civilization and its subsequent histories until the modern period.

A critical reading of a selection of Arabic novels thematically connected by their representation of displacement defined as the physical dislocation of people (as refugees, immigrants, migrants, exiles, or expatriates). The lectures and class discussions will focus on the interactions between this theme and the textual strategies and discourse by which the notions of identity, community, native culture, and homeland are themselves constructed, displaced, and re-constructed in these novels.

Prerequisites: No prior knowledge of Arabic language is required.

This course questions the popular assumption that the tales of the Thousand and One Nights lack any Islamic content and that their fantastic or erotic dimensions are the only dynamic narrative components behind the vogue. This collection is read against a number of contemporaneous writings (in English translation), including al-Hamadan�s Manama, to discuss issues that relate to market inspectorships, economy, social order, marginal groups like the mad, the use of public space including the hammed, and the position on fate, destiny, time, afterlife, sex and love. The course takes its starting point from classical Arabic narratives, poetry and epistolary art and follows up the growth of this repository as it conveys, reveals, or debates Islamic tenets and jurists� stand. The course aspires to provide students with a solid and wide range of information and knowledge on Islamic culture since the emergence of the Islamic center in Baghdad (b. 762). Students are expected to develop a critical method and insightful analysis in dealing with the text, its contemporaneous works from among the belletristic tradition and popular lore, its adaptations, and use and misuse in Arabic culture since the ninth century.

An interdisciplinary overview of the secularism debates, drawing from political theory (as pertains to tolerance, law and religious freedom), literature (including modern reading practices, secular criticism and blasphemy) and anthropology (as it intersects with comparative religion and Middle East Studies).

The goal of this class is to provide an introduction to the history of Israeli cinema whose interpretation and discussion will also be an in-depth discussion of the main issues engaged by Israeli culture. Cinema provides an interesting vantage point to approach to Israeli culture, as it always expresses a social point of view and its history not only represents the major issues Israel has dealt with since its creation, but is in itself a history of the struggle for hegemony within Israeli culture and society. Each meeting will include an in class screening of one of the major works of Israeli cinema beginning in the 1950�s and leading up to �Beaufort� and �Waltzing With Bashir�. Preparation for class will consist of the reading of literary and scholarly texts that provide some of the context for the movies and the issues debated within. Discussion will be based on �Reading� cinema as a complex text that allows insight not only to the issues but to the very fabric of their discourses.

This course approaches the phenomenon of princely India from a range of perspectives. Students learn about the political and cultural practices of specific courts that played a major role in Indian history such as the Guptas, Vijayanagarm and the Mughals, while also being exposed to aspects of Indian courtly life more generally. Topics include, among others, literature, art, architecture, intellectual practices, music and the science of erotics (Kamasutra). While the emphasis is on Indian court culture as seen from within India, cross cultural perspectives are also introduced. For instance, why were Sanskrit literature and Indian architecture emulated far afield in Southeast Asia in the first millenium? And how was Indian court culture perceived by Europeans in the early modern and colonial periods? The course concludes with some reflections on the legacy of Mughals and maharajas in postcolonial India.

Assumes no previous background in Islam and South Asian studies. Explores the coming of Islam to South Asia, its growth over time, and the development of S. Asian Muslims' cultural, social, religious, and political life from the 11th through the 21st century.

No language requirements. A survey of the scientific tradition of Islam from its earliest times until the end of the Middle Ages.

Prerequisites: ASCM V2003 or equivalent.

This seminar deals with three paradigmatic sets of questions in the history of Islamic law, each set representing and encompassing key themes pertaining to three important historical phases. Long-standing debates on the �origins� of the Shari�a will be explored, as will the constitution of the formative period, which is variably claimed to stretch from two to four centuries. Scholarship on this period will be examined as ideology. In the second set of questions, squarely situated in the post-formative period (ca. 11th � 17th c.) we examine the relationship between and among social custom, juridical practice and formal legal doctrine, discussing in outline the structural mechanisms the Shari�a has developed to accommodate legal change. Scholarship on this period and on what the features of this period came to represent in the overall constructed history of the Shari�a will also be examined as ideology. In the third set of questions, we analyze so-called legal reform and the role of state in converting the Shari�a to a modern institution that is qualitatively different from its pre-modern predecessor. Scholarship on the Shari�a in the modern period will also be examined as ideology. Finally, but not necessarily at the end of the course, we will pose questions about the nature of interpretation and language in the construction of a paradigmatic idea (and history) of the Shari�a.

Prerequisites: Arabic

Traces literary appropriations in Western and Arabic cultures whenever they manifest or valorize a cultural encounter. With a focus on the composite and the diverse in these tales, their transgression and undermining of lifestyles and patterns of behavior. The seminar makes use of contemporary theory to open canons and interrogate paradigmatic patterning in dealing with Arablic culture. Knowledge of Arabic required.

An introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature.

Prerequisite: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing.

Prerequisites: MDES W4212

Through reading a full novel, Tayyib Salah's Season of Migration to the North, students will be able to increase their fluency and accuracy in Arabic while working on reading and being exposed to the main themes in modern Arabic literature, acquiring a sense of literary style as well as literary analytical terminology and concepts. The novel will be divided into twelve parts that the students will read in detail, writing critical pieces, engaging in discussion, and having assignments which will expand their vocabulary, manipulation of advanced grammar concepts, and employment of stylistic devices in their writing. The course works with all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Arabic is the language of instruction.

Prerequisites: MDES W4212

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 MEALAC'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.

Prerequisites: MDES W1310-W1311 or the equivalent.

A continuation of the study of reading, writing and speaking of Armenian.

An introduction to Bengali, a major language of northeast India and Bangladesh.

Prerequisite: BENG W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission.

Prerequisite: MDES W1510, or the equivalent, based on performance on the placement test. Continued introduction to Hebrew, with equal emphasis on all languages skills. (See MDES W1510.)

Prerequisites: MDES W1512

Equal emphasis is given to all language skills. Irregular categories of the Hebrew verb, prepositions and syntax are taught systematically. Vocabulary building. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, or writing short compositions. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. (Students completing this course fulfill Columbia College and Barnard language requirement.)

Prerequisites: W1514

Equal emphasis is given to all languages skills. Irregular Hebrew verbs, prepositions and syntax are taught systematically. Vocabulary building. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, reading, short answers, short compositions or listening to web-casts. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. (Students completing this course fulfill Columbia College and Barnard language requirement.)

Prerequisites: For students who acquired knowledge of the language in Hebrew school, and who received appropriate scores on the placement test.

This course offers an intensive review of the Hebrew verb system in one semester. (Students completing this course fulfill Columbia College and Barnard language requirement.)

Prerequisites: MDES W4510 or MDES W1515 or the instructor's permission.

Focus on transition from basic language towards authentic Hebrew, through reading of un-adapted literary and journalistic texts without vowels. Vocabulary building. Grammar is reviewed in context. A weekly hour is devoted to practice in conversation. Daily homework includes reading, short answers, short compositions, listening to web-casts, or giving short oral presentations via voice e-mail. Frequent vocabulary quizzes.

Prerequisites: MDES W4512 or MDES W1516 or MDES W1515, or the instructor's permission. Students must have a good familiarity with the Hebrew verb system, and the ability to read a text without vowels.

This is an advanced course focusing on development of reading comprehension in literary, journalistic and academic texts. In addition to the texts read by the whole class, each student completes two independent reading projects in his/her area of interest. A weekly hour is devoted to practice in conversation. Daily homework includes reading, compositions, listening to web-casts, or short oral presentations via voice e-mail. Frequent vocabulary quizzes. Two five page reports on the independent reading material.

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.

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.

Prerequisites: MDES W1610-W1611 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.

Prerequisites: MDES W1613 or the instructor's permission.

Conducted largely in Hindi. Includes reading and discussion of selected literary, social science, historical, and/or journalistic texts. Since the content changes each term, the course may be repeated for credit.

Prerequisites: Completion of Intermediate Hindi-Urdu or consent of instructor.

A review and overview of the shared Khari Boli grammar, of both scripts, and of the linguistic and literary history of Hindi-Urdu. The course will solidify your knowledge, introduce you to new resources, and prepare you to do scholarly work in either script. Students will have a chance to plan and conduct a number of �TBA� class hours according to their own interests; these classes are usually very enjoyable.

Prerequisites: MDES W4630 or the instructor's permission.

Conducted largely in Urdu. Includes reading and discussion of selected literary, social science, historical, and/or journalistic texts. Since the content changes each term, the course may be repeated for credit.

An introduction to the spoken and written language of contemporary Iran.

Prerequisite: MDES W1710-W1711 or the equivalent. A general review of the essentials of grammar; practice in spoken and written Persian; Arabic elements in Persian; selected readings emphasizing Iranian life and culture; materials from Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Indari.

The same course as Persian W1711, on a noncredit basis.

The same course as Persian W1713, on a noncredit basis.

An introduction to Punjabi, a major language of northern India and Pakistan. Beginning with the study of the Gurmukhi script, the course offers an intensive study of the speaking, reading, and writing of the language.

Prerequisites: PUNJ W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission.

Further develops a student's writing, reading, and oral skills in Punjabi, a major language of northern India and Pakistan.

The same course as Punjabi W1102, on a noncredit basis.

Prerequisites: Punjabi W1101-W1102 or instructor's permission.

The same course as Punjabi W1202, on a noncredit basis.

An introduction to classical Sanskrit. Grammar and reading of texts.

Reading and grammatical analysis of a literary text, chosen from the dramatic and narrative tradition.

Prerequisites: Two years of Sanskrit or instructor permission

The two levels of advanced Sanskrit are typically given in alternate years. In 2005-06, kavya and alankarasastra will be offered; in 2006-07, mimamsa and nyaya. Additional courses, including Introduction to Panini and Introduction to the Literary Prakrits, are also available periodically. Final examinations will be required of all students in the first year of Advanced Sanskrit. In the second year, students are required to prepare a research project in lieu of the examination. This may be a research paper, a book or articles review, a bibliographical study, a translation, or whatever will advance the student�s research capabilities.

Introduces students to the basic grammatical and syntactical skills required to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in that region of the world. Introduces students to the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken.

Prerequisites: TAML W1101-W1102 or the instructor's permission.

Further develops students' written and oral proficiency in order to allow them to function adequately in a Tamil-speaking environment. Of particular interest to students planning to conduct scholarly research or fieldwork in a Tamil-speaking context. Develops the students' appreciation for the rich culture of the Indian subcontinent where Tamil is spoken.

The same course as Tamil W1102, on a noncredit basis.

Prerequisites: Tamil W1101-W1102 or instructor's permission.

The same course as Tamil W1202, on a noncredit basis.