Colgate University

First-Year Course Offerings — Fall 2022

CORE 183C   The Middle East
Credits1
RestrictionsNo 2024 2023 Instr perm req during Drop/Add
Pre-Requisites
Co-Requisites
Core Area Communities
Area of Inquiry
Liberal Arts Practices

A multi-disciplinary introduction both to the region conventionally referred to as the Middle East, and also to the academic discipline of Middle Eastern Studies. In other words, it is a study of the people, religion, history, and culture of the region, and also about the politics of studying that region. One of the presuppositions is that a careful, rigorous, and critical study of cultural studies can help one understand one’s own assumptions, presuppositions, etc. Among the topics students examine are the multiple interpretations of religion, including sects within Islam, that exist in the region; a variety of cultural practices and various languages; and the effect of imperialism and colonialism on the area. Readings include what current native commentators are saying on cultural, economic, and social debates.