Advanced Arabic Content Course: Arab Media and its Language

Catalog description

This course examines audio/visual, written, and digital media in contemporary Arab societies and the ways in which they shape the socio-political landscape and Arab public opinion, while introducing students to the vocabulary, structure, and content of the Arabic press and other news outlets. Through the study of news stories, documentaries, talk shows, live broadcasts, and other audiovisual materials, students will read, watch, summarize, analyze, interrogate, and discuss a wide range of current issues, gaining insight into the transformations and processes that continue to define this diverse and ever-changing region. For example, we will be introduced to the Arab Citizen Journalism, War journalism, framing narratives in news from different sources that shows its biased journalism. We will also see how a specific historic event in the past takes several shapes in different media outlets and different languages too. Practicing journalists will visit the class online to share their professional experiences, reflect on the role of the media, giving participants an opportunity to engage critically with both the practice and study of the language of journalism. By broadening and deepening their comprehension of the language used in Arabic newspapers and broadcast media, students will be asked at the end of the course to cover a news in Arabic happening at the campus recorded as video or written as final paper in order to strengthen the writing skills of the students. Satisfies a minor requirement in Arabic. Counts toward the Middle East Studies interdisciplinary minor Prerequisites & Notes ARB 202 or permission of instructor.