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 Middle East in Modern Times | Fall
1997
I. Course DescriptionThe aim of this reading-, speaking-, and writing-intensive course is to engage students in the ongoing historiographical debates on modernity and gender in the Middle East. The seminar problematizes the eurocentric definitions of modernity and modernization as categories of historical change. Students are encouraged to articulate alternative accounts of Arab, Iranian, and Turkish modernities. II. Course Requirements1. Weekly analytical responses to course readings for a total of 14 one-page, single-spaced position papers designed to facilitate participation in the week's discussion. These responses should be made available to other students via e-mail 24 hours prior to class meeting. 2. Weekly on-line responses to points and issues discussed in class members' position papers for a total of 14 one-page correspondences spaced over the course of the semester. Dialogic interaction with other students is strongly recommended. 3. Research groups will lead weekly discussions over assigned readings. Groups should provide handouts for class members to facilitate discussion and participation. 4. A memo-proposal describing the final research project, with two-page working bibliography attached. Please include a carefully considered title to be used in the conference program. 5. A final research paper (10 to 15 pages) making use of frameworks from the course. Students are expected to present their papers in the end-of-the-semester conference on "Modernity, Nationalism, and Gender," to be held on Saturday and Sunday, December 6-7, 1997. 6. A writing portfolio consisting of weekly position papers, e-mail correspondences, group presentation handouts, proposal and bibliography, and the final research paper. Due no later than December 9, 1997.
III. GradesStudents will be evaluated by attendance and participation in the course, cyber discussions, as well as by the quality of their written work. Students who miss more than four class sessions may not pass the course. Percentages will be assigned on this basis: 1. Weekly summaries/analyses: 20% 2. Weekly e-mail responses: 20% 3. Group presentations: 20% 4. Proposal and bibliography: 10% 5. Research paper and conference presentation: 30% IV. Required ReadingsTo see a list of required reading materials for this course please download the corresponding word file. |
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