Topic: Urban Politics

Catalog description

Through canonical texts and films, this class will explore the international relations, historical narratives and, and daily experiences/practices of two regions of interest, the Middle East and South Asia. The class material will highlight the complex cultural and socio-political life in the contemporary Middle East and South Asia and will challenge some of the assumptions and stereotypes about the history, cultures, religions and politics associated with these regions. We will address issues of colonialism, border conflicts, ethnic minorities, diasporas, land disputes, government structures, and local cultural struggles. Gender analysis will play a central role in the class.