Beyond the Veil: Women in Middle Eastern History and Literature

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary, team-taught course focuses on the history and literature of Middle Eastern women, including North African and Israeli women. Beginning with the birth of Islam we will look at the way women were viewed by Mohammed and his followers and examine the position of Muslim women and the advent of their creative writing through the medical Arab period and the Ottoman Empire. For the modern period, we will explore women in society and their poetry, fiction and memoirs in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Palestine, and Israel. Issues of community life, colonialism and post-colonialism, and the life and work of the artist will be explored. Satisfies 6 credits toward Middle Eastern Studies Minor. Satisfies 6 credits toward Womens' and Gender Studies Major/Minor. Old Core: Fulfills non-Western History and LIT 211 or LIT 212. New Core: Fulfills 3 credits in ENG 201 and 3 credits Area of Knowledge III.