Arts and Literatures of Modern Central Asia

Catalog description

This is a multidisciplinary course that aims to explore 20th-century and 21st-century Central Asian cultures through the prism of modern literature, film, and art in order to reach a better understanding of the region, its traditions, and the pivotal periods of its modern history. The questions that this course will seek to answer are, among others: What is Central Asia? What is Central Asian art? Are there recurring themes in Central Asian works of art and literature? What are the gender politics of Central Asian culture? How do films and books represent Central Asian history and identity? How are the region’s profound 20th-century socio-political transformations represented in art? How is its nomadic heritage felt in contemporary works?