EGPT 20101 Middle Egyptian Texts II
| Second quarter reading course of ME texts |
Prerequisites
EGPT 10101-10102-10103 or consent of instructor
2025-2026 Autumn
2025-2026
NEHC 20200/30200 Ancient Egyptian History
| This course surveys the political, social, and economic history of ancient Egypt from pre-dynastic times (ca. 3400 B.C.) until the advent of Islam in the seventh century of our era. |
2025-2026 Autumn
20105/30105 Wit and Wisdom in Persian Quatrains: Omar Khayyam, Mahsati, 'Attar, and Others
| In this course, students will learn to read, understand, and recite Persian quatrains (roba’iyat): short, two-line poems that often end with a witty “punchline,” funny or profound. We will explore quatrains attributed to several figures including Omar Khayyam, the 12th-century philosopher; ‘Attar, the 13th-century Sufi poet; and Mahsati, one of the best-known female poets in the canon and a member of Sultan Sanjar’s mid-12th-century court. Special attention will be paid to the various oral and textual means of these poems’ transmission, including anthologies and compilations. To contextualize these verses, we will analyze selections from Persian rhetorical writings, histories, and hagiographies that shed light on the quatrain’s meter, origin, and function within various courtly, intellectual, and religious settings. In addition to Persian-language primary sources, the course includes secondary source readings in Persian and English, but the language of class discussion will be English. One year of prior Persian-language study (or equivalent) is required and two years are recommended. |
Prerequisites
One year of Persian language study (two recommended)
2025-2026 Autumn
ARAB 20115 Colloquial Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture
| Colloquial Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture I is an introductory course designed to familiarize students with the Egyptian Arabic dialect, the most widely spoken and understood dialect in the Arab World. To be eligible for this course, you must have completed 1-year of university-level Arabic or have the consent of the instructor. The course will develop the student's proficiency in Egyptian Arabic in all four language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Additionally, students will explore various aspects of the rich Egyptian culture. This course is part of a 3-course sequence. Colloquial Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture I, II and III are offered in the Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters respectively. |
Prerequisites
ARAB 10101 or equivalent
2025-2026 Autumn
ARAB 20211/30211 Poetry and Empire: Readings in Abbasid Arabic Poetry
(CMLT 20211, CMLT 30211, ISLM 36211)
| Arabic poetry has been a major force in Middle Eastern societies since the seventh century when it became the elite culture of the Arabo-Islamic empire until today. This course focuses on poetry from the “Golden Age of Islam” during the Abbasid period and especially on three famous poets: Abū Nuwās (d. 814), al-Mutanabbī (d. 965), and al-Maʿarrī (d. 1057). While the emphasis will be on close reading of their poems (in Arabic), we will also discuss broader questions: How does this poetry reflect the vast and quickly evolving world of the Islamic empire? How does it relate to its societies, political structures, and religious institutions? Ideally, students with 3 years of Arabic (or equivalent) would take this class. If you have less and have a good reason to take it, please contact the instructor. |
Prerequisites
3 years of Arabic (or equivalent), contact instructor with questions
2025-2026 Autumn
NEHC 20201/30201 Islamicate Civilization I: 600 - 950
(HIST 15611, HIST 35621, ISLM 30201, MDVL 20201, RLST 20201)
| This course is an introduction to the history and the study of early Islamicate societies, from the rise of Islam in late antiquity to the early Abbasid period (ca. 600-950 CE), considering various religious and social groups. We will look at the same historical arc from multiple perspectives: political events, such as the Muslim conquests and the rise of ruling dynasties, but also other factors that impacted people’s lives in the early centuries of Islamic rule—the environment they inhabited and transformed, documents they created, social institutions, and economic activities. What broad developments characterized the early Islamic period? Who brought those changes about? And how are they studied today? |
2025-2026 Autumn
HEBR 20001 Hebrew Letters and Transcriptions
| Acquisition of the ability to read Hebrew and Transjordanian inscriptions of the pre-exilic period |
2025-2026 Autumn
HEBR 20501 Intermediate Modern Hebrew
(JWSC 25300)
| The course, which builds upon Introductory Modern Hebrew, focuses on the acquisition of proficiency and communicative skills in Modern Hebrew. The purpose of this class is to expand and strengthen beginners' Hebrew skills so that they become more self-assured, communicative, and versatile when they listen to, read, speak, and write Hebrew. It emphasizes both communicative and cultural themes and focuses on developing a rich and active vocabulary in several language domains. |
Prerequisites
HEBR 10503 or equivalent
2025-2026 Autumn