LANG2664 - 01 - The Arab World Through Literature

(DM) Diversity & Multiculturalism (LI) Literary Inquiry

In "The Arab World Through Its Literature" students will be exposed to one of the richest and oldest cultures of the world while focusing on the aesthetic and cultural significance of influential Arabic literary texts written in a variety of genres. After placing each text in its historical and cultural context, class discussions will focus on critical issues presented in each reading and on the literary merits of each text. Some of the authors include legendary pre-Islamic poet Antara Ibn Shaddad, as well as the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature Najib Mahfuz. Students will also read a selection from the eighth century aesthetic poetess Rabia al-Adawiyya as well as contemporary leading Arab feminists that include Egyptian author Nawal al-Sadawi and the Moroccan Fatima al-Mernissi. This course will also cover the impact of the Arab Spring on Arab literary expressions to demonstrate the influence of this momentous event on the consciousness of Arab literary figures.