Spring 2010 Courses
Listed below are the undergraduate and graduate level courses offered this semester. For a complete list of courses offered by Washington University, please go to WUCrsL. University College courses can be found at the bottom of this list.
BEGINNING MODERN HEBREW I - L75 105D JNE
For the student with no knowledge of Hebrew. Students with background in Hebrew are required to take the placement exam and encouraged to consider MHBR 151D. Foundation for modern conversational Hebrew. Skills for writing and speaking introduced. Five class hours a week plus laboratory work. Limit: 15 students per section. 5 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 105D.
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01 MTuWThF 11:00a-12:00p XXXI Pinsberg
BEGINNING MODERN HEBREW II - L75 106D JNE
Continuation of work begun in Modern Hebrew 105D. PREREQ: GRADE OF B- OR BETTER IN MHBR 105D OR PLACEMENT BY EXAMINATION. Five class hours and additional drill or laboratory hours as assigned by instructor. 5 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 106D.
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01 MTuWThF 10:00a-11:00a XXXI Etzion
02 MTuWThF 11:00a-12:00p XXXI Etzion
BEGINNING ARABIC II - L75 108D JNE
Continuation of Beginning Arabic I. Emphasis on obtaining skill in reading, writing, speaking, and aural comprehension of modern standard Arabic. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in Arabic 107D or placement by examination. Five hours a week with additional drill or laboratory hours arranged by instructor. 5 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 108D.
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01 MTuWThF 9:00a-10:00a III Tarbouni
02 MTuWThF 10:00a-11:00a III Tarbouni
03 MTuWThF 12:00p-1:00p III Bennis
04 MTuWThF 12:00p-1:00p III Staff
BEGINNING HINDI II - L75 112D JNE
This course is a continuation of the first semester of Beginning Hindi-Urdu I. The aim of this course is to further achieve proficiency in spoken comprehension and to enable the student to acquire the major language skills--listening, speaking, reading, and writing. A standard text, web-based materials, a reader prepared by the instructor, as well as audio materials are used, with equal emphasis on both spoken and written Hindi-Urdu. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in L73-111D or placement by examination. 5 units. Same as home course L73 Hindi 112D.
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01 MTuWThF 10:00a-11:00a XXXI Warsi
BEGINNING PERSIAN II - L75 117D JNE
A continuation of Beginning Persian I. Emphasis on enhancing skill in reading, writing, speaking and aural comprehension of modern Persian. Prereq: Persian 116D or equivalent. Five class hours a week with additional drill or laboratory hours as assigned by instructor. 5 units. Same as home course L47 Pers 117D.
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01 MTuWThF 12:00p-1:00p III Fayaz
THE GRAPHIC NOVEL AND THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE - L75 178 JNE
Continuation of the FOCUS program: The Jewish Experience. This freshman seminar will examine the graphic novel in the context of global Jewish culture of the last half century, focusing on two primary aspects. First, it will look at the historical and aesthetic development of comic art and the graphic novel, endeavors in which Jewish graphic novelists in particular, who bring a rich tradition of Jewish storytelling to a hybrid literary and artistic form, have played a critical role. Second, it will study the ways in which Jewish artists have utilized the narrative possibilities of the graphic novel to explore Jewish identity and the Jewish historical experience, concentrating on such diverse topics as the Holocaust, Sephardic culture and Jewish-American life. Prereq: Admission to the FOCUS program: The Jewish Experience. 3 units. Same as home course L61 Focus 178.
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01 MW 4:00p-5:30p X McGlothlin
INTERNSHIP - L75 200 JNE
For students with at least one course in Jewish, and Near Eastern Studies who wish to do an internship. Prereq: permission of the director of the program. A "learning agreement" must be submitted and approved prior to beginning internship work. 3 units.
01 TBA XXXI Berg
INTERMEDIATE HINDI II - L75 2021 JNE
Continuation of Hindi 201. This course is designed to further develop skills in speaking and reading comprehension. Emphasis is given especially to communicative skill development, that is, use of language in various socio-cultural contexts. A standard text, web-based materials, and a reader prepared by the instructor, as well as audio materials are used. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in Hindi 201 or placement by examination. 5 units. Same as home course L73 Hindi 202.
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01 MTuWThF 11:00a-12:00p XXXI Warsi
INTERMEDIATE ARABIC II - L75 208D JNE
Continued development of practical language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culture) in modern standard Arabic by exploring weekly topics. Reading modern and classical material; attention also given to media language and colloquial Arabic. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in Arabic 207D or placement by examination. Five class hours a week with additional drill or laboratory hours arranged by instructor. 5 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 208D.
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01 MTuWThF 11:00a-12:00p III Tarbouni
02 TuTh 1:00p-2:30p III
MW 1:00p-2:00p Bennis
INTRO TO JEWISH CIVILIZATION - L75 208F JNE
This course is a selective survey of the historical, religious, cultural, literary, and political development of Judaism from antiquity to the present. Topics include the development of the Bible and subsequent textual tradition of Judaism, the basic concepts of Jewish religious thought, Jewish law, custom and ritual, and art. The course will highlight a variety of Jewish communities in different cultural and geographical settings, such as the Jews in the Roman Empire, Jewish life under Medieval Islam and Christianity, and the Jewish experience in modern Europe, the US, and Israel. Each week a different topic will be studied through primary and secondary readings (in translation), to be supplemented by audiovisual materials. 3 units. Same as L23 Re St 208F.
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01 MW 12:00p-1:00p XXII Barmash
Discussion sections:
A F 12:00p-1:00p XXXI [TBA]
B F 11:00a-12:00p XXXI [TBA]
SCRIPTURES AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS - L75 2091 JNE
Certain books, "sacred scriptures," have shaped human culture in powerful and complex ways. Religious communities believe that Scriptures are ancient texts that are ever-flowing sources of timeless truths. We will do close readings of crucial Scriptural texts and explore how they are interpreted and why they have had such a profound impact on human communities, in social organization and the behavior of individuals, in literature, art, and politics. This year the course will focus on the canonical texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Preference given to TEXT & TRADITION and IPH students. 3 units. Same as home course L93 Hum 209.
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01 TuTh 2:30p-4:00p XXXI Poag
SECT 02: This section will have additional art historical themes. Students will also study the changing shape of the actual books of sacred scripture in the different religions, the scriptural suport/intolerance for artistic representation in sacred texts, and issues of narrative selection in art and texts.
02 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXI Fleck
03 MW 11:30a-1:00p XXXI Fleck
INTERMEDIATE MODERN HEBREW II - L75 214D JNE
Continuation of work begun in Modern Hebrew 213D. PREREQ: GRADE OF B- OR BETTER IN MODERN HEBREW 213D OR PLACEMENT BY EXAMINATION. Five class hours and additional drill or laboratory hours as assigned by instructor. 5 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 214D.
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01 MTuWThF 12:00p-1:00p XXXI Pinsberg
02 MTuWThF 1:00p-2:00p XXXI Pinsberg
INTERMEDIATE PERSIAN II - L75 217D JNE
A continuation of Persian 216D. Emphasis on enhancing skills in speaking, reading, writing, and understanding modern Persian. Reading of annotated classical and modern texts; elementary composition. Prereq: Persian 216D or equivalent. Five class hours a week with additional drill or laboratory hours as assigned. 5 units. Same as home course L47 Pers 217D.
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01 MTuWThF 11:00a-12:00p III Fayaz
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE HOLOCAUST IN LITERATURE AND FILM - L75 240 JNE
As the Holocaust recedes into the historical past, our knowledge of the event becomes increasingly dominated by literary and cinematic representations of it. This course focuses on such depictions of the Holocaust in literature and film and raises a number of provocative questions: What does it mean to represent the horror of the Holocaust? Can one effectively depict the event in realistic terms, or do unrealistic representations work better? What happens to the history of the Holocaust when it becomes the subject of a fictional text? Who is authorized to speak for the victims? Are representations of perpetrators appropriate? What types of representations will help us to remember the Holocaust in the twenty-first century? We will grapple with these challenging questions by examining both literary texts by American, European and Israeli authors from a range of genres, including survivor memoirs, fictional narratives, a graphic novel, drama and poetry, and a number of films that depict the Holocaust. 3 units.
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01 TuTh 2:30p-4:00p XXXII Alt
ADVANCED ARABIC II - L75 308D JNE
A continuation of Arabic 307. Continued integration of language development through reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities centered around advanced authentic material. This semester will prove critical for making the transition from Modern Arabic to Classical Arabic, including Qur'anic Arabic. Continued development of colloquial Arabic. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in Arabic 307 or placement by examination. Fourth contact hour TBA. 4 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 308D.
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SECT 01: L75-508D is intended for GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY.
01 MW 10:00a-11:30a III Bennis Omri
FROM COUNTRY TO HEAVY METAL: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE OLD WORLD - L75 3122 JNE
This course will explore the archaeology of Europe, the Near East, and Central Asia from approximately 10,000 years ago to classical times (ending before Ancient Greece). This prehistoric epoch saw major developments among various civilizations of the Old World, such as the introduction of agriculture, animal domestication, the growth of cities, and technological developments such as pottery, metallurgy, and horse-riding. A major focus will be the trajectory of cultural innovations of regional populations through time, and the complexity of their social, political, and ritual practices. We will also investigate the variation in human adaptive strategies to various environmental and social contexts, from hunter/gatherers to early Neolithic farmers, to the interactions between nomadic populations and larger scale, urban societies in the Bronze and Iron Ages. 3 units. Same as home course L48 Anthro 3122.
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01 TuTh 11:30a-1:00p XXXII Frachetti
ISLAMIC HISTORY 622-1200 - L75 313C JNE
The cultural, intellectual, and political history of the Islamic world, beginning with the prophetic mission of Muhammad and concluding with the Mongol invasions. Topics covered include: the life of Muhammad; the early Muslim conquests; the institution of the caliphate; the translation movement from Greek into Arabic and the emergence of Arabic as a language of learning and artistic expression; the development of new educational, legal and pietistic institutions; changes in agriculture, crafts, commerce and the growth of urban culture; multiculturalism and inter-confessional interaction among Jews, Christians, Muslims, Zoroastrians and others; large-scale movements of nomadic peoples; synoptic glances at Islamic polities in Sicily, Spain, North Africa, the Near East as well as Central and South Asia. This course satisfies the pre-modern course requirement for the history major. PREREQ: SEE HISTORY HEADNOTE. 3 units. Same as home course L22 History 313C.
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01 MW 11:30a-1:00p XVII Karamustafa
THIRD LEVEL MODERN HEBREW II - L75 322D JNE
Designed to develop communicative skills, this course provides opportunities for students to practice the art of speaking and writing correctly, clearly, and effectively. Includes reading and discussion of selected short stories from modern Hebrew literature as well as articles from current Hebrew newspapers. Class discussions deal with literary topics as well as contemporary social and political issues related to life and institutions in Israel. PREREQ: GRADE OF B- OR BETTER IN MHBR 320D OR PLACEMENT BY EXAMINATION. 3 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 322D.
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SECT 01: L75-522D is intended for GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY.
01 MWF 1:00p-2:00p III Etzion
WOMEN AND ISLAM - L75 3313 JNE
An anthropological study of the position of women in the contemporary Muslim world, with examples drawn primarily from the Middle East but also from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States. Students will examine ethnographic, historical, and literary works, including those written by Muslim women. Topics having a major impact on the construction of gender include Islamic belief and ritual, modest dress (veiling), notions of marriage and the family, modernization, nationalism and the nation-state, politics and protest, legal reform, formal education, work, and westernization. The course includes a visit to a St. Louis mosque, discussions with Muslim women, and films. L75 5313 IS INTENDED FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY. 3 units. Same as home course L48 Anthro 3313.
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01 Tu 1:00p-3:30p XXXI Beck
MEDIEVAL JEWISH TRAVELOGUES, CHRONICLES, AND BIOGRAPHIES - L75 348 JNE
Premodern Hebrew literature includes a wide range of highly fascinating narratives, many of which are commonly classified as chronicles, travelogues, biographies or diaries. In this course, we will explore a variety of authors and texts from the Middle Ages to early modern times, originating from both Christian Europe and the Middle East. We will ask questions such as: To what extent do these texts mirror the personal experiences of their authors and to what extent must they be regarded as literary fictions? How did pre-modern Jewish writers reflect on their own person, the 'authorial self'? How did they perceive Christians, Muslims, and Jews from other countries than their own? How did they construe the role of women in a world dominated by men? How did they reflect on history, geography, and other fields of knowledge that were not covered by the traditional Jewish curriculum; and how did they relate religious and secular learning to each other? All texts will be read in English translation. Prereq: JNE 208F or instructor's permission. 3 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 348.
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SECT 01: L75-548 Intended for Graduate Students only.
01 TuTh 2:30p-4:00p XXIV Jacobs
MUSIC IN JEWISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY - L75 3582 JNE
The common term 'Jewish Music' raises numerous questions that emanate from the difficulty to define 'Jewish' identity of any given music. This course will deal with various approaches to the definition of Jewish music, perceived as a cultural and sociological component in the Jewish communities throughout the Diaspora. We will survey the functions in which music is performed in traditional Jewish communities, especially Jewish liturgy, and the substantial vicissitudes in these musics after the European Enlightenment, European colonialism in north-Africa, and in the Mediterranean. We will study the background and the different characteristics of selected Jewish communities - Ashkenazic, Sephardic, Italian, Yemenite, and others - as well as instrumental music, questions of gender, and the relationship between music and text." A secondary goal of this course will be the study of the bibliography and discography of Jewish musics. 3 units. Same as L75 JNE 5582, L27 Music 3582, L23 Re St 386.
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01 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXII Shelleg
THE SOUNDTRACK OF ISRAELI HISTORY - L75 3583 JNE
This course explores connections between Israeli history, nationality, and culture, and between Israeli art music. Such an encounter between reveals the reflection of, and responses to, local social developments in various historic and constitutive moments in Israeli history such as: the fifth Aliya (wave of immigration) in the 1930s, the statehood years, the waning of nationalistic sentiments in the late 1950s, the aftermath of Israeli wars, the negotiation between Israeli and Jewish identities, and even artistic expressions of postmodernity within the Israeli context. These histories will be surveyed through historical studies as well as through their musics and against the background of developments in 20th century music. 3 units. Same as L22 History 3588, L75 JNE 5583, L27 Music 3583.
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01 MW 4:00p-5:30p X Shelleg
LITERATURE AND ETHICS - L75 364 JNE
This course will examine narratives in texts beyond the realm of literature, to focus on the role of storytelling in legal decisions in both fiction and historical judicial records. We will explore the interactions between literature and law in East Asia, the US, and elsewhere, focusing our attention on the art of narrative construction in the establishment of truth claims and the creation of persuasive arguments. Readings to include crime reports from 18th-century China and "crime case" (gong'an) fiction from that period; films such as RASHOMON and contemporary crime fiction from Japan; legal musings by Judge Richard Posner; Truman Capote's IN COLD BLOOD; narratives of extra-judicial torture in Ariel Dorfman's DEATH AND THE MAIDEN; and reports from truth and reconciliation projects in several countries. Our critical and theoretical readings will range from Peter Brooks's TROUBLING CONFESSIONS to selected articles from the Critical Legal Studies debates, sections from Michael Riffaterre's FICTIONAL TRUTH, and others. 3 units. Same as home course L16 Comp Lit 364.
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04 MW 1:00p-2:30p XXXII Hegel
IN THE BEGINNING: CREATION MYTHS OF THE BIBLICAL WORLD - L75 3751 JNE
This course will study myths and epic literature from the Bible, ancient Egypt, the ancient Near East and ancient Greece about the birth of the gods, the creation of the world and of humanity, and the establishment of societies. These masterpieces of ancient literature recount the deeds of gods and heroes and humanity's eternal struggle to come to terms with the world, supernatural powers, love, lust, and death. This course will examine how each culture borrows traditions and recasts them in a distinct idiom. The course will further examine different approaches to mythology and to the study of ancient cultures and the Bible. 3 units. Same as L75 JNE 5751, L23 Re St 3750.
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01 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXII Barmash
ISRAELI POLITICS - L75 3781 JNE
Israel at 60: Struggling with Itself, with the Region and with the World. Advanced Topics in Israeli Politics in the Domestic, regional and Global Arenas. As Israel has wrestled with complicated issues during its 60 years of statehood, students will have to grapple with the difficult questions in Israel's domestic politics, the comparative politics of the region and matters of international diplomacy and strategy. 3 units. Same as home course L32 Pol Sci 3781.
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01 MW 1:00p-2:30p XXIII Sened
TOPICS IN BIBLICAL HEBREW TEXTS: THE BOOK OF ISAIAH - L75 385D JNE
We will read the book of Isaiah, one of the most significant prophetic books, in the original Hebrew. Special attention will be paid to strategies of biblical interpretation in order to acquire literary competence in Biblical Hebrew and to be free from the authority of translations and commentaries. Prereq: BHBR 384/584 or instructor's permission. 3 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 385D.
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SECT 01: L75-585D is intended for GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY.
01 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXI Barmash
RELIGION AND POLITICS IN SOUTH ASIA: WRITING INTENSIVE SEMINAR - L75 38C8 JNE
The relationship between religion, community, and nation is a topic of central concern and contestation in the study of South Asian history. This course will explore alternative positions and debates on such topics as: changing religious identities; understandings of the proper relationship between religion, community, and nation in India and Pakistan; and the violence of Partition (the division of India and Pakistan in 1947). The course will treat India, Pakistan, and other South Asian regions in the colonial and post-colonial periods. This course satisfies the modern course requirement for the history major. PREREQ: SEE HISTORY HEADNOTE. 3 units. Same as home course L22 History 38C8.
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01 TuTh 11:30a-1:00p XXXI Adcock
FOURTH LEVEL MODERN HEBREW II - L75 402 JNE
Students with advanced proficiency maintain and develop reading, speaking, and writing skills. Class conducted in Hebrew. Readings focus on key works of Hebrew poetry and fiction from earlier in this century and from contemporary Israel; additional reading and discussion of essays and editorials from current Israeli press, viewing of films and current news broadcasts produced in Israel. Prereq: MHBR 4010. 3 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 402.
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01 MW 1:00p-2:30p XXIII Berg
FOURTH LEVEL MODERN ARABIC II - L75 4081 JNE
Focused reading and discussion of classical and modern texts centered around selected topics in Arabic literature, poetry, and media. Continued development of oral, aural, and writing skills. Students' interests will be taken into consideration before finalizing the selection of texts. Practice in writing and grammar. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in Arabic 407 or placement by examination. 3 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 408.
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01 TuTh 3:00p-4:30p III Bennis
"TERRORISM" AND "THE CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS" - L75 4243 JNE
This course is about conflicts in which violent means are deployed and moralistic terms are invoked so as to give legitimacy to such means. The code words in the title are bracketed in order to emphasize they are used in public discourses rhetorically, for political effect. When particular social situations are disputed, each side deploys moralistic claims so as to clothe their actions and viewpoint with an aura of legitimacy and to enlist popular support. But when issues are contested, similar terms can be used by opposing sides with simlar but contrary intents: one person's "terrorist" is another person's "freedom fighter"; and note that certain radical Islamist groups specifically embrace Huntington's notion of the "clash of civilizations" (formulated for western audiences) as grounds for their anti-western posture. Rhetorical formulae such as these are promoted or scorned, embraced or renounced, for essentially strategic reasons. In this course, we examine some notorious situations of conflict in order to identify the particular ways that disputing sides have deployed violence and moralistic forms in their own interest -- as when popular movements arise and clash with state power (e.g., the Tianamen Square incident in China) or when coalitions with radical social agendas take form and brutalize neighbors (as in Yugoslavia in the 19902; Rwanda in 1994) or when widely supported public movements develop seemingly without coordination (the 2006 demonstrations against the King of Nepal), or when movements animated by a shared ambition to establish a non-statal political entity (such as Al Qaeda for the re-institution of the caliphate) form across state boundaries with little coordinated leadership. Our emphasis will fall on the ways that human collectivities deploy cultural forms -- linguistic and rhetorical, artistic and representational -- to give particular "readings" to social issues and to clothe activities (often brutal) with an appearance of legitimacy. Prereq: Sophomore standing or above and permission of instructor. 3 units. Same as home course L48 Anthro 4243.
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01 TuTh 10:00a-11:30a XXXII Canfield
Discussion sections:
A Tu 8:30a-10:00a XXXII Canfield
PALESTINE, ISRAEL, AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT - L75 4274 JNE
This course examines the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Topics include: Palestine in the late Ottoman period; the development of modern Zionism; British colonialism and the establishment of the Palestine Mandate; Arab-Jewish relations during the Mandate; the growth of Palestinian nationalism and resistance; the establishment of the state of Israel and the dispersion of the Palestinians in 1948; the Arab-Israeli wars; both Palestinian uprisings; and the peace process. This course satisfies the modern course requirement for the history major. PREREQ: SEE HISTORY HEADNOTE. 3 units. Same as home course L22 History 4274.
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01 TuTh 1:00p-2:30p XVIII Reynolds
THE MYSTICAL TRADITION IN JUDAISM - L75 444 JNE
What is Jewish "mysticism"? What is its relationship to the category of "religion"? Is Jewish mysticism just one form of a general phenomenon common to a variety of religious traditions or is it a specific interpretation of biblical, rabbinic, and other Jewish traditions? Taking the above questions as a starting point, this course aims at a systematic and historically contextualized analysis of a broad range of Jewish texts that are commonly classified as "mystical". (All primary texts will be read in translation.) Within a broad historical time frame reaching from late antiquity up to the turn of the 19th century, the topics to be discussed will include: classical rabbinic literature and its relationship to early esoteric teachings; the alphabetical mysticism of the Book of Creation; traditions of heavenly ascent (Hekhalot Literature) and magical power; the emergence of classical Kabbalah in medieval France and Spain, and the composition of its central text, the Zohar ("Book of Splendor"); Isaac Luria and the further development of Kabbalah in Ottoman Palestine and beyond; Sabbatai Tzvi's messianic movement between Judaism and Islam; the Hasidic communities in Eastern Europe and the phenomenon of mystical leadership. At the same time, we will explore such overarching themes as: the interplay of esoteric exegesis of the Bible and visionary experiences; the place of traditional Jewish law (halakhah) within mystical thought and practice; the role of gender, sexuality, and the body in Jewish mystical speculation and prayer; the relationship between mysticism and messianism; Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions and their mutual impact on Jewish mysticism; the "absence of women" from Jewish mystical movements; esoteric traditions of an elite vs. mysticism as a communal endeavor; and the tension between innovation and (the claim to) tradition in the history of Jewish mysticism. Prereqs: L75 208F Intro to Jewish Civilization or permission of the instructor. 3 units. Same as home course L23 Re St 444.
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01 TuTh 11:30a-1:00p XXXII Jacobs
TOPICS IN MODERN ARABIC LITERATURE AND CULTURE: MODERN ARABIC PROSE - L75 451 JNE
This course explores the impact modernity had on both the individual and the community in the Arab world, reactions to modernity, and perceptions of the West. Considerable attention is given to forms of representing and narrating modernity, including the ways in which Arabic literature has been transformed since the nineteenth century. These include travel narrative (rihla), autobiography, the novel. Texts date from roughly 1830 to 1970, covering the colonial period in much of the Arab world, the reform era (nahda), and early independence. All primary texts are read in Arabic. Prereqs: Senior standing and permission of the instructor. 3 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 451.
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01 Tu 8:30a-11:00a XXX Omri
TOPICS IN MODERN PERSIAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE - L75 457 JNE
This course provides an in-depth study of the modern developments of literary/cultural concepts, generic patterns, or intellectual currents in Persian literature from the 18th century to the present. This semester we will explore the role of literature in constructing modernity and the self-image of the poet/writer in modern Iran. We will start with examining the patterns of literary change in the 18th and 19th centuries according to various scenarios of modernity put forth by Iranian literati of the time as well as our contemporary literary critics. The focus of the course will be on major writers of the 20th century. Persian primary sources will comprise a substantial part of the reading. Prereq: senior standing or permission of the instructor. 3 units. Same as home course L47 Pers 457.
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01 W 2:30p-5:30p V Keshavarz
SENIOR SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES: PILGRIMAGE AND SACRED SPACE IN ANTIQUITY - L75 479 JNE
The ancient Mediterranean was a world of travelers. The oracle at Delphi attracted those seeking answers for problems ranging from the everyday to major state matters; the temple of Asclepius accepted those in need of the god's healing powers; Egypt enticed those seeking wisdom and enlightenment, be it from the knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, through encounters with spiritual ascetics, or by finding mementos of pagan or Christian antiquity. In this course, we will explore texts that describe or discuss pilgrimage. Our aim is to understand what motivated individuals to undertake expensive, difficult, and oftentimes dangerous journeys. We will examine texts ranging from archaic Greece to Late Antique Egypt, covering both Greco-Roman and early Christian traditions. Authors to be read will range from Herodotus to Saint Augustine. PREREQ: SENIOR STANDING. The class is also open, with permission of the instructor, to advanced undergraduates with previous coursework in Religious Studies or Classics. 3 units. Same as home course L23 Re St 479.
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01 TuTh 11:30a-1:00p XXXII Abraham
TOPICS IN ISLAMIC THOUGHT: PROSEMINAR IN METHODS AND APPROACHES IN ISLAMIC STUDIES - L75 4901 JNE
This seminar is an introduction to the methods, research tools, and theoretical assumptions that Islamicists have used to study diverse aspects of Islamic societies and civilizations, past and present. Critical reading and discussion of scholarly works will be paired with bibliographical research assignments. PERMISSION OF THE INSTRUCTOR. 4 units. Same as L23 Re St 4901.
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01 M 2:00p-5:00p XXXII Karamustafa
GUIDED READINGS IN ARABIC II - L75 498 JNE
PREREQ: SENIOR STANDING AND PERMISSION OF DEPARTMENT. 3 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 498.
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01 TBA XXX Ahmed
02 TBA XXX Bennis
03 TBA XXX Omri
04 TBA XXX Tarbouni
05 TBA XXX Staff
GUIDED READINGS IN PERSIAN II - L75 4982 JNE
Prereq: Senior standing and permission of the instructor and the department chair. Credit variable, max 3 units. Same as home course L47 Pers 4982.
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01 TBA XXX Staff
GUIDED READINGS IN MODERN HEBREW - L75 4983 JNE
PREREQ: SENIOR STANDING, INSTRUCTOR'S PERMISSION, AND PERMISSION OF DEPARTMENT CHAIR. Credit variable, max 5 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 4983.
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01 TBA XXX Berg
02 TBA XXX Etzion
03 TBA XXX Pinsberg
GUIDED READINGS IN ARAMAIC - L75 4984 JNE
PREREQ: INSTRUCTOR'S PERMISSION. Credit variable, max 6 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 4984.
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01 TBA XXX Barmash
02 TBA XXX Jacobs
GUIDED READINGS IN BIBLICAL HEBREW - L75 4985 JNE
PREREQ: INSTRUCTOR'S PERMISSION. Credit variable, max 6 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 4985.
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01 TBA XXX Barmash
02 TBA XXX Jacobs
GUIDED READINGS IN AKKADIAN - L75 4987 JNE
PREREQ: INSTRUCTOR'S PERMISSION. Credit variable, max 6 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 4983.
AS:> LA
01 TBA XXX Barmash
STUDY FOR HONORS IN JEWISH, ISLAMIC AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES - L75 499 JNE
PREREQ, SENIOR STANDING AND PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE JEWISH AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES PROGRAM. 3 units.
AS:> TH
01 TBA XXXI Barmash
02 TBA XXXI Beck
03 TBA XXXI Berg
04 TBA XXXI Martin Jacobs
05 TBA XXXI Berger
08 TBA XXXI Sened
09 TBA XXXI Parsons
10 TBA XXXI Izenberg
11 TBA XXXI Karamustafa
12 TBA XXXI Keshavarz
14 TBA XXXI Kieval
17 TBA XXXI Schraibman
18 TBA XXXI Reynolds
21 TBA XXXI Mao
INDEPENDENT WORK IN JEWISH, ISLAMIC AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES - L75 500 JNE
PREREQ, SENIOR STANDING AND PERMISSION OF DIRECTOR OF THE JEWISH , ISLAMIC AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES PROGRAM. Credit variable, max 6 units.
01 TBA XXXI Barmash
02 TBA XXXI Beck
03 TBA XXXI Berg
04 TBA XXXI Martin Jacobs
05 TBA XXXI Canfield
09 TBA XXXI Parsons
10 TBA XXXI Izenberg
11 TBA XXXI Karamustafa
12 TBA XXXI Keshavarz
14 TBA XXXI Kieval
17 TBA XXXI Schraibman
18 TBA XXXI Ahmed
21 TBA XXXI Mao
ADVANCED ARABIC II - L75 508D JNE
A continuation of Arabic 307. Continued integration of language development through reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities centered around advanced authentic material. This semester will prove critical for making the transition from Modern Arabic to Classical Arabic, including Qur'anic Arabic. Continued development of colloquial Arabic. Prereq: Minimum grade of B- in Arabic 307 or placement by examination. Fourth contact hour TBA. 4 units. Same as home course L49 Arab 308D.
AS:> LA
SB:> HUM, IS
SECT 01: L75-508D is intended for GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY.
01 MW 10:00a-11:30a III Bennis Omri
FROM COUNTRY TO HEAVY METAL: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE OLD WORLD - L75 5122 JNE
This course will explore the archaeology of Europe, the Near East, and Central Asia from approximately 10,000 years ago to classical times (ending before Ancient Greece). This prehistoric epoch saw major developments among various civilizations of the Old World, such as the introduction of agriculture, animal domestication, the growth of cities, and technological developments such as pottery, metallurgy, and horse-riding. A major focus will be the trajectory of cultural innovations of regional populations through time, and the complexity of their social, political, and ritual practices. We will also investigate the variation in human adaptive strategies to various environmental and social contexts, from hunter/gatherers to early Neolithic farmers, to the interactions between nomadic populations and larger scale, urban societies in the Bronze and Iron Ages. 3 units. Same as home course L48 Anthro 3122.
AS:> SS
SB:> IS
FA:> SSP
01 TuTh 11:30a-1:00p XXXII Frachetti
ISLAMIC HISTORY 622-1200 - L75 513 JNE
The cultural, intellectual, and political history of the Islamic world, beginning with the prophetic mission of Muhammad and concluding with the Mongol invasions. Topics covered include: the life of Muhammad; the early Muslim conquests; the institution of the caliphate; the translation movement from Greek into Arabic and the emergence of Arabic as a language of learning and artistic expression; the development of new educational, legal and pietistic institutions; changes in agriculture, crafts, commerce and the growth of urban culture; multiculturalism and inter-confessional interaction among Jews, Christians, Muslims, Zoroastrians and others; large-scale movements of nomadic peoples; synoptic glances at Islamic polities in Sicily, Spain, North Africa, the Near East as well as Central and South Asia. This course satisfies the pre-modern course requirement for the history major. PREREQ: SEE HISTORY HEADNOTE. 3 units. Same as home course L22 History 313C.
AS:> TH
SB:> IS
FA:> SSP
01 MW 11:30a-1:00p XVII Karamustafa
THIRD LEVEL MODERN HEBREW II - L75 522D JNE
Designed to develop communicative skills, this course provides opportunities for students to practice the art of speaking and writing correctly, clearly, and effectively. Includes reading and discussion of selected short stories from modern Hebrew literature as well as articles from current Hebrew newspapers. Class discussions deal with literary topics as well as contemporary social and political issues related to life and institutions in Israel. PREREQ: GRADE OF B- OR BETTER IN MHBR 320D OR PLACEMENT BY EXAMINATION. 3 units. Same as home course L74 MHBR 322D.
AS:> LA
SB:> IS
SECT 01: L75-522D is intended for GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY.
01 MWF 1:00p-2:00p III Etzion
WOMEN AND ISLAM - L75 5313 JNE
An anthropological study of the position of women in the contemporary Muslim world, with examples drawn primarily from the Middle East but also from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States. Students will examine ethnographic, historical, and literary works, including those written by Muslim women. Topics having a major impact on the construction of gender include Islamic belief and ritual, modest dress (veiling), notions of marriage and the family, modernization, nationalism and the nation-state, politics and protest, legal reform, formal education, work, and westernization. The course includes a visit to a St. Louis mosque, discussions with Muslim women, and films. L75 5313 IS INTENDED FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY. 3 units. Same as home course L48 Anthro 3313.
AS:> CD, SS
SB:> BA
FA:> SSP
01 Tu 1:00p-3:30p XXXI Beck
MEDIEVAL JEWISH TRAVELOGUES, CHRONICLES, AND BIOGRAPHIES - L75 548 JNE
Premodern Hebrew literature includes a wide range of highly fascinating narratives, many of which are commonly classified as chronicles, travelogues, biographies or diaries. In this course, we will explore a variety of authors and texts from the Middle Ages to early modern times, originating from both Christian Europe and the Middle East. We will ask questions such as: To what extent do these texts mirror the personal experiences of their authors and to what extent must they be regarded as literary fictions? How did pre-modern Jewish writers reflect on their own person, the 'authorial self'? How did they perceive Christians, Muslims, and Jews from other countries than their own? How did they construe the role of women in a world dominated by men? How did they reflect on history, geography, and other fields of knowledge that were not covered by the traditional Jewish curriculum; and how did they relate religious and secular learning to each other? All texts will be read in English translation. Prereq: JNE 208F or instructor's permission. 3 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 348.
AS:> TH
SB:> ETH
FA:> Lit
SECT 01: L75-548 Intended for Graduate Students only.
01 TuTh 2:30p-4:00p XXIV Jacobs
MUSIC IN JEWISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY - L75 5582 JNE
The common term 'Jewish Music' raises numerous questions that emanate from the difficulty to define 'Jewish' identity of any given music. This course will deal with various approaches to the definition of Jewish music, perceived as a cultural and sociological component in the Jewish communities throughout the Diaspora. We will survey the functions in which music is performed in traditional Jewish communities, especially Jewish liturgy, and the substantial vicissitudes in these musics after the European Enlightenment, European colonialism in north-Africa, and in the Mediterranean. We will study the background and the different characteristics of selected Jewish communities - Ashkenazic, Sephardic, Italian, Yemenite, and others - as well as instrumental music, questions of gender, and the relationship between music and text." A secondary goal of this course will be the study of the bibliography and discography of Jewish musics. 3 units. Same as home course L75 JNE 3582.
AS:> CD, TH
SB:> HUM
FA:> AH, SSP
01 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXII Shelleg
THE SOUNDTRACK OF ISRAELI HISTORY - L75 5583 JNE
This course explores connections between Israeli history, nationality, and culture, and between Israeli art music. Such an encounter between reveals the reflection of, and responses to, local social developments in various historic and constitutive moments in Israeli history such as: the fifth Aliya (wave of immigration) in the 1930s, the statehood years, the waning of nationalistic sentiments in the late 1950s, the aftermath of Israeli wars, the negotiation between Israeli and Jewish identities, and even artistic expressions of postmodernity within the Israeli context. These histories will be surveyed through historical studies as well as through their musics and against the background of developments in 20th century music. 3 units. Same as home course L75 JNE 3583.
AS:> CD, TH
SB:> IS
FA:> SSP
01 MW 4:00p-5:30p X Shelleg
IN THE BEGINNING: CREATION MYTHS OF THE BIBLICAL WORLD - L75 5751 JNE
This course will study myths and epic literature from the Bible, ancient Egypt, the ancient Near East and ancient Greece about the birth of the gods, the creation of the world and of humanity, and the establishment of societies. These masterpieces of ancient literature recount the deeds of gods and heroes and humanity's eternal struggle to come to terms with the world, supernatural powers, love, lust, and death. This course will examine how each culture borrows traditions and recasts them in a distinct idiom. The course will further examine different approaches to mythology and to the study of ancient cultures and the Bible. 3 units. Same as home course L75 JNE 3751.
AS:> CD, TH, WI
SB:> ETH
FA:> SSP
01 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXII Barmash
ISRAELI POLITICS - L75 5781 JNE
Israel at 60: Struggling with Itself, with the Region and with the World. Advanced Topics in Israeli Politics in the Domestic, regional and Global Arenas. As Israel has wrestled with complicated issues during its 60 years of statehood, students will have to grapple with the difficult questions in Israel's domestic politics, the comparative politics of the region and matters of international diplomacy and strategy. 3 units. Same as home course L32 Pol Sci 3781.
AS:> CD, SS
SB:> IS
FA:> SSP
01 MW 1:00p-2:30p XXIII Sened
TOPICS IN BIBLICAL HEBREW TEXTS: THE BOOK OF ISAIAH - L75 585D JNE
We will read the book of Isaiah, one of the most significant prophetic books, in the original Hebrew. Special attention will be paid to strategies of biblical interpretation in order to acquire literary competence in Biblical Hebrew and to be free from the authority of translations and commentaries. Prereq: BHBR 384/584 or instructor's permission. 3 units. Same as home course L35 BHBR 385D.
AS:> TH
SB:> HUM
SECT 01: L75-585D is intended for GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY.
01 MW 10:00a-11:30a XXXI Barmash
RELIGION AND POLITICS IN SOUTH ASIA: WRITING INTENSIVE SEMINAR - L75 58C8 JNE
The relationship between religion, community, and nation is a topic of central concern and contestation in the study of South Asian history. This course will explore alternative positions and debates on such topics as: changing religious identities; understandings of the proper relationship between religion, community, and nation in India and Pakistan; and the violence of Partition (the division of India and Pakistan in 1947). The course will treat India, Pakistan, and other South Asian regions in the colonial and post-colonial periods. This course satisfies the modern course requirement for the history major. PREREQ: SEE HISTORY HEADNOTE. 3 units. Same as home course L22 History 38C8.
AS:> CD, TH, WI
01 TuTh 11:30a-1:00p XXXI Adcock
DIRECTED WRITING: THESIS - L75 591 JNE
Credit variable, max 6 units.
01 TBA XXXII Barmash
02 TBA XXXII Karamustafa
03 TBA XXXII Keshavarz
04 TBA XXXII Martin Jacobs
University College Spring 2010
BASIC MODERN HEBREW II - U94 111 JINE
Continuation of Basic Modern Hebrew I. Basic modern conversational Hebrew, including work in writing, reading, and overall comprehension of the language. Prereq: U37-109. (Note: This class does not replace the Modern Hebrew 105-106 seuqence in the College of Arts and Sciences.) 3 units. Tuition: $1,545.00. Same as home course U37 Hebr 111.
01 W 7:00p-9:30p Rami Pinsberg
BASIC ARABIC II - U94 113 JINE
Continuation of Basic Arabic I. Course intended to meet practical needs for travel and business. Prereq: U35-112 or instructor's permission. Note: This class does not replace the Arabic 107-108 sequence in the College of Arts & Sciences. 3 units. Tuition: $1,545.00. Same as home course U35 Arab 113.
01 M 5:30p-8:00p Younasse Tarbouni
JUDAISM AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM - U94 321 JINE
This course will examine the origins and development of the three major, monotheistic religious traditions of Western civilization: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three great religions came into existence in one small area (Israel and northwest Arabia). Each developed out of specific social and cultural conditions. We will study their origins, relationships, theology and values. 3 units. Tuition: $1,545.00.
01 Tu 6:30p-9:00p XXXII Joe Rosenbloom
ISLAMIC SPAIN (AL-ANDALUS): THREE FAITHS, ONE LAND - U94 377 JINE
From the 8th to the 15th century, while northern Europe floundered in the Dark Ages, the Iberian Peninsula flourished under Islamic control. Islamic Spain, also known as "Al-Andalus," became a place in which three different cultures and religious faiths--Muslims, Jews and Christians-coexisted, sometimes peacefully, sometimes violently. We will study historical events that shaped the period, along with social, cultural, intellectual, and linguistic dimensions of al-Andalus. We also will use this historical backdrop to address issues and questions associated with the social and political relationship between Spain and Arabic/Muslim countries today. 3 units. Tuition: $1,545.00. Same as U16 Hist 3771, U43 IS 3772.
01 Tu 6:00p-8:30p Barbara Boloix-Gallardo