2014-2015 Catalog

AKKD 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Akkadian I-II-III.

The first two quarters of this sequence cover the elements of Babylonian grammar and the cuneiform writing system, with reading exercises in Old Babylonian texts (ca. 1900 to 1600 B.C.), such as the Laws of Hammurabi. The third quarter introduces Standard Babylonian, the literary language of ca. 1200 to 600 B.C., with readings in royal inscriptions and literary texts.

AANL 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Hittite I-II-III.

This three-quarter sequence covers the basic grammar and cuneiform writing system of the Hittite language. It also familiarizes students with the field’s tools (i.e., dictionaries, lexica, sign list). Readings come from all periods of Hittite history (1650 to 1180 BC).

AANL 20125. Advanced Readings in Hittite. 100 Units.

 The focus of this course is the close reading and analysis of selected Hittite texts; specific texts and topics may vary from year to year.

Instructor(s): P. Goedegebuure     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Elementary Hittite

AANL 20303. Hieroglyphic Luwian 2nd Millennium BC. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): T. van den Hout     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): Hieroglyphic Luwian I

ARAB 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Arabic I-II-III.

This sequence concentrates on the acquisition of speaking, reading, and aural skills in modern formal Arabic. The class meets for six hours a week.

ARAB 10250. Colloquial Levantine Arabic. 100 Units.

Spoken Levantine Arabic is a proficiency-based course designed to develop the linguistic skills necessary for personal day-to-day life. The course focuses on spoken rather than Standard written Arabic, and will therefore target primarily the oral/aural skills. Through the knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic and the introduction of colloquial vocabulary, expressions and grammar, the course will build the students’ competence in spoken Arabic. Students will also be introduced to the Levantine culture of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine.

Instructor(s): O. abu-Eledam     Terms Offered: Spring

ARAB 20101-20102-20103. Intermediate Arabic I-II-III.

This sequence concentrates on speaking, reading, and aural skills at the intermediate level of modern formal Arabic.

ARAB 20588. Media Arabic. 100 Units.

Media Arabic is a course designed for the advanced student of Modern Standard Arabic. The course objective is to improve students' listening comprehension skills. Students will advance toward this goal through listening to a variety of authentic materials from Arabic TV (on politics, literature, economics, education, women, youth, etc.).

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): At least two years of Modern Standard Arabic
Equivalent Course(s): ARAB 30588

ARAM 10101-10102-10103. Biblical Aramaic; Old Aramaic Inscriptions; Imperial Aramaic.

Three quarter sequence in Aramaic spanning Biblical Aramaic (Autumn), Old Aramaic (Spring), and Imperial Aramaic (Winter).

ARME 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Modern Armenian I-II-III.

This three-quarter sequence utilizes the most advanced computer technology and audio-visual aids enabling the students to master a core vocabulary, the alphabet and basic grammatical structures and to achieve a reasonable level of proficiency in modern formal and spoken Armenian (one of the oldest Indo-European languages). A considerable amount of historical-political and social-cultural issues about Armenia are skillfully built into the course for students who have intention to conduct research in Armenian Studies or to pursue work in Armenia.

ARME 20101-20102-20103. Intermediate Modern Armenian I-II-III.

The goal of this three-quarter sequence is to enable students to reach an advanced level of proficiency in the Armenian language. This sequence covers a rich vocabulary and complex grammatical structures in modern formal and colloquial Armenian. Reading assignments include a selection of original Armenian literature and excerpts from mass media.

EGPT 10101-10102. Introduction to Middle Egyptian Hieroglyphs I-II.

This course examines hieroglyphic writing and the grammar of the language of classical Egyptian literature.

EGPT 10103. Middle Egyptian Texts I. 100 Units.

This course features readings in a variety of genres, including historical, literary, and scientific texts.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 10101-10102 or consent of the instructor
Equivalent Course(s): ANCM 30502

EGPT 10201. Introduction to Coptic. 100 Units.

This course introduces the last native language of Egypt, which was in common use during the late Roman, Byzantine, and early Islamic periods (fourth to tenth centuries CE). Grammar and vocabulary of the standard Sahidic dialect are presented in preparation for reading biblical, monastic, and Gnostic literature, as well as a variety of historical and social documents.

Instructor(s): R. Ritner     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Second-year standing required; knowledge of earlier Egyptian language phases or Classical Greek or Koine Greek helpful but not required
Equivalent Course(s): HCHR 30601

EGPT 10202. Coptic Texts. 100 Units.

This course builds on the basics of grammar learned in EGPT 10201 and provides readings in a variety of Coptic texts (e.g., monastic texts, biblical excerpts, tales, Gnostic literature).

Instructor(s): R. Ritner     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 10201
Equivalent Course(s): HCHR 30602

EGPT 20101. Middle Egyptian Texts II. 100 Units.

This course features readings in a variety of genres, including historical, literary, and scientific texts.

Instructor(s): J. Johnson     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 10101-10102-10103 or consent of the instructor

EGPT 20102. Introduction to Hieratic. 100 Units.

This course introduces the cursive literary and administrative script of Middle Egyptian (corresponding to the Middle Kingdom period in Egypt) and is intended to provide familiarity with a variety of texts written in hieratic (e.g., literary tales, religious compositions, wisdom literature, letters, accounts, graffiti).

Instructor(s): K. Lockhart     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 10101-10102-10103 or equivalent required; EGPT 20101 recommended

EGPT 20110. Introduction to Old Egyptian. 100 Units.

This course examines the hieroglyphic writing and grammar of the Old Kingdom (Egypt's "Pyramid Age"), focusing on monumental readings from private tombs, royal and private stelae, administrative decrees, economic documents, and Pyramid texts. Some attention is given to Old Egyptian texts written in cursive Hieratic.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 10101-10102-10103 or equivalent required; EGPT 20101 recommended

EGPT 20210. Introduction to Late Egyptian. 100 Units.

This course is a comprehensive examination of the grammar, vocabulary, and orthographic styles of the nonliterary vernacular of New Kingdom Egypt (Dynasties XVII to XXIV), as exhibited by administrative and business documents, private letters, and official monuments. We also study the hybrid "literary Late Egyptian" used for tales and other compositions. Texts from the various genres are read and analyzed in EGPT 20211.

Instructor(s): R. Ritner     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 10101-10102-10103 or equivalent required; EGPT 20101 recommended

EGPT 20211. Late Egyptian Texts. 100 Units.

Building on the basics of grammar, vocabulary, and orthographic styles learned in EGPT 20210, this course focuses on the reading and analysis of Late Egyptian texts from the various genres.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): EGPT 20210
Equivalent Course(s): ANCM 34200

GEEZ 10101-10102. Elementary Ge'ez I-II.

This is a two quarter sequence introducing the fundamental grammar and writing structure of Ge'ez (Classical Ethiopic).

HEBR 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Classical Hebrew I-II-III.

The purpose of this three-quarter sequence is to enable the student to read biblical Hebrew prose with a high degree of comprehension. The course is divided into two segments: (1) the first two quarters are devoted to acquiring the essentials of descriptive and historical grammar (including translation to and from Hebrew, oral exercises, and grammatical analysis); and (2) the third quarter is spent examining prose passages from the Hebrew Bible and includes a review of grammar.

HEBR 10501-10502-10503. Introductory Modern Hebrew I-II-III.

This three quarter course introduces students to reading, writing, and speaking modern Hebrew. All four language skills are emphasized: comprehension of written and oral materials; reading of nondiacritical text; writing of directed sentences, paragraphs, and compositions; and speaking. Students learn the Hebrew root pattern system and the seven basic verb conjugations in both the past and present tenses, as well as simple future. At the end of the year, students can conduct short conversations in Hebrew, read materials designed to their level, and write short essay.

HEBR 20104-20105-20106. Intermediate Classical Hebrew I-II-III.

A continuation of Elementary Classical Hebrew. The first quarter consists of reviewing grammar, and of reading and analyzing further prose texts. The last two quarters are devoted to an introduction to Hebrew poetry with readings from Psalms, Proverbs, and the prophets.

HEBR 20301-20302. Tannaitic Hebrew Texts I-II.

This course consists of readings in the Mishnah and Tosefta, the main corpus of legal and juridical texts assembled by the Palestinian academic masters during the second and early third centuries. Goals are to introduce: (1) views and opinions of early rabbinic scholars who flourished in the period immediately following that of the writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls; (2) aspects of the material culture of the Palestinian Jews during that same period; and (3) grammar and vocabulary of what is generally called “early rabbinic Hebrew” and thereby to facilitate the ability to read and understand unvocalized Hebrew texts.

HEBR 20501-20502-20503. Intermediate Modern Hebrew I-II-III.

The main objective of this course is to provide students with the skills necessary to approach modern Hebrew prose, both fiction and nonfiction. In order to achieve this task, students are provided with a systematic examination of the complete verb structure. Many syntactic structures are introduced (e.g., simple clauses, coordinate and compound sentences). At this level, students not only write and speak extensively but are also required to analyze grammatically and contextually all of material assigned.

KAZK 10101. Elementary Kazakh I. 100 Units.

This sequence introduces students to Kazakh, a Turkic language spoken in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. The course teaches the fundamentals of grammar and it enables students to read, write, and speak Kazakh. Students will be exposed to the history and culture of Kazakhstan through modern and 19th-century literature, as well as to current events through mass media.  Subsequent quarters of this sequence and the Intermediate Kazakh sequence (KAZK 20101-20102-20103) are offered based on interest.�

Instructor(s): K. Arik     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): LGLN 18700

NEAA 10630. Islamic Art and Architecture, 1100 to 1500. 100 Units.

This course surveys the art and architecture of the Islamic world from 1100 to 1500. In that period, political fragmentation into multiple principalities challenged a deeply rooted ideology of unity of the Islamic world. The course of the various principalities competed not only in politics but also in the patronage of architectural projects and of arts (e.g., textiles, ceramics, woodwork, arts of the book). While focusing on the central Islamic lands, we consider regional traditions from Spain to India and the importance for the arts of contacts with China and the West.

Instructor(s): P. Berlekamp     Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): Students must attend first class to confirm enrollment. For nonmajors, any ARTH 14000 through 16999 course meets the general education requirement in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts.
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 16709

NEAA 10631. Islamic Art and Architecture, 1500–1900. 100 Units.

This course surveys the art and architecture of the Islamic world from 1500–1900. This was the period of the three great Islamic empires: the Ottomans, the Safavids, and the Mughals. Each of these multi-religious, multi-linguistic, multi-ethnic empires developed styles of art and architecture that expressed their own complex identities. Further, they expressed their complex relations with each other through art and architecture. The various ways in which contact with regions beyond the Islamic world throughout this period impacted the arts will also be considered.

Instructor(s): P. Berlekamp     Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Students must attend first class to confirm enrollment. This course meets the general education requirement in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts.
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 16809

NEAA 17205. Islamic Gardens in Landscape and Image. 100 Units.

Garden imagery is ubiquitous in the art and architecture of the Islamic world from the eighth century to the eighteenth, and from Spain to India. The poetic trope whereby a visually pleasing object or site is compared to the garden of paradise is equally ubiquitous. But does this imply any historical consistency in the significance of garden imagery, of actual gardens, or of the poetic trope? In this class we explore this question by examining both garden imagery and actual gardens from many different times and places in the Islamic world. How do their visual forms and cultural significance shift according to specific historical circumstances?

Instructor(s): P. Berlekamp     Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Students must attend first class to confirm enrollment. For nonmajors, any ARTH 17000 through 18999 course meets the general education requirement in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts.
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 17205

NEAA 20001. Archaeology of the Ancient Near East I: Mesopotamia. 100 Units.

This course surveys the archaeology and art of the Mesopotamia.

Instructor(s): M. Gibson     Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): This sequence does not meet the general education requirements in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEAA 30001

NEAA 20005. Archaeology of the Ancient Near East V: Islamic Period. 100 Units.

This survey of the regions of the Middle East presents the urban systems of each region.  The focus is a comparative stratigraphy of the archaeological evidence and the contribution of this material towards an understanding of Islamic history and ancient archaeological periods in the Near East.

Instructor(s): D. Whitcomb     Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): This sequence does not meet the general education requirements in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEAA 30005

NEAA 20006. Archaeology of the Ancient Near East VI: Egypt. 100 Units.

This sequence provides a thorough survey in lecture format of the art and archaeology of ancient Egypt from the late Pre-dynastic era through the Roman period.

Instructor(s): N. Moeller     Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): This sequence does not meet the general education requirements in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEAA 30006

NEAA 20030. The Rise of the State in the Near East. 100 Units.

This course introduces the background and development of the first urbanized civilizations in the Near East in the period from 9000 to 2200 BC. In the first half of this course, we examine the archaeological evidence for the first domestication of plants and animals and the earliest village communities in the "fertile crescent" (i.e., the Levant, Anatolia, Mesopotamia). The second half of this course focuses on the economic and social transformations that took place during the development from simple, village-based communities to the emergence of the urbanized civilizations of the Sumerians and their neighbors in the fourth and third millennia BC.

Instructor(s): G. Stein
Prerequisite(s): Any course in archaeology or permission of instructor
Equivalent Course(s): ANTH 26715

NEAA 20051. Method and Theory in Near Eastern Archaeology. 100 Units.

This course introduces the main issues in archaeological method and theory with emphasis on the principles and practice of Near Eastern archaeology. Topics include: (1) the history of archaeology, (2) trends in social theory and corresponding modes of archaeological interpretation, (3) the nature of archaeological evidence and issues of research design, (4) survey and excavation methods and associated recording techniques, (5) the analysis and interpretation of various kinds of excavated materials, and (6) the presentation and publication of archaeological results. This course is offered in alternate years.

Instructor(s): D. Schloen     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): An introductory course in archaeology
Equivalent Course(s): NEAA 30051

NEAA 20061-20062. Ancient Landscapes I-II.

The landscape of the Near East contains a detailed and subtle record of environmental, social, and economic processes that have obtained over thousands of years. Landscape analysis is therefore proving to be fundamental to an understanding of the processes that underpinned the development of ancient Near Eastern society. This class provides an overview of the ancient cultural landscapes of this heartland of early civilization from the early stages of complex societies in the fifth and sixth millennia B.C. to the close of the Early Islamic period around the tenth century A.D.

NEAA 20532. Problems in Islamic Archaeology: The Islamic City. 100 Units.

This course is intended to follow the Introduction to Islamic archaeology, a survey of the regions of the fertile crescent from the 9th to the 19th century.  Beginning with P. Wheatley's Places where Men Pray Together, the institution of the Islamic are examined in light of its beginnings and definitions.  Emphasis is on archaeological remains from the Middle East.

Instructor(s): D. Whitcomb     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Consent Only
Equivalent Course(s): NEAA 30532

NEAA 20801. Art, Architecture, and Identity in the Ottoman Empire. 100 Units.

Though they did not compose a “multi-cultural society” in the modern sense, the ruling elite and subjects of the vast Ottoman Empire came from a wide variety of regional, ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. The dynamics of the Empire’s internal cultural diversity, as well as of its external relations with contemporary courts in Iran, Italy, and elsewhere, were continuously negotiated and renegotiated in its art and architecture. This course examines classical Ottoman architecture, arts of the book, ceramics, and textiles. Particular attention is paid to the urban transformation of Byzantine Constantinople into Ottoman Istanbul after 1453, and to the political, technical, and economic factors leading to the formation of a distinctively Ottoman visual idiom disseminated through multiple media in the sixteenth century.

Instructor(s): P. Berlekamp     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 23400,ARTH 33400,NEAA 30801

NEAA 29700. Reading and Research Course: Near Eastern Art and Archaeology. 100 Units.

Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): Consent of faculty adviser and counselor for undergraduate studies

NEHC 10101. Introduction to the Middle East. 100 Units.

Prior knowledge of the Middle East not required. This course aims to facilitate a general understanding of some key factors that have shaped life in this region, with primary emphasis on modern conditions and their background, and to provide exposure to some of the region's rich cultural diversity. This course can serve as a basis for the further study of the history, politics, and civilizations of the Middle East.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 15801

NEHC 20001-20002-20003. Ancient Near Eastern History and Society I-II-III.

This sequence meets the general education requirement for civilization studies.

NEHC 20004-20005-20006-30004. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and Literature I-II-III-I.

This sequence surveys the thought and literature of the Near East. Each course in the sequence focuses on a particular culture or civilization. Texts in English. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. Taking these courses in sequence is not required.

NEHC 20011-20012-20013-30011. Ancient Empires I-II-III-I.

This sequence introduces three great empires of the ancient world. Each course in the sequence focuses on one empire, with attention to the similarities and differences among the empires being considered. By exploring the rich legacy of documents and monuments that these empires produced, students are introduced to ways of understanding imperialism and its cultural and societal effects—both on the imperial elites and on those they conquered.

NEHC 20401-20402-20403. Jewish History and Society I-II-III.

Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. Students explore the ancient, medieval, and modern phases of Jewish culture(s) by means of documents and artifacts that illuminate the rhythms of daily life in changing economic, social, and political contexts. Texts in English.

NEHC 20404-20405-20406. Jewish Thought and Literature I-II-III.

Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. Students in this sequence explore Jewish thought and literature from ancient times until the modern era through a close reading of original sources. A wide variety of works is discussed, including the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and texts representative of rabbinic Judaism, medieval Jewish philosophy, and modern Jewish culture in its diverse manifestations. Texts in English.

NEHC 20411-20412-20413-30411-30412-30413. Medieval Jewish History I-II-III-I-II-III.

This sequence does NOT meet the general education requirement in civilization studies. This three-quarter sequence deals with the history of the Jews over a wide geographical and historical range. First-quarter work is concerned with the rise of early rabbinic Judaism and development of the Jewish communities in Palestine and the Eastern and Western diasporas during the first several centuries CE. Topics include the legal status of the Jews in the Roman world, the rise of rabbinic Judaism, the rabbinic literature of Palestine in that context, the spread of rabbinic Judaism, the rise and decline of competing centers of Jewish hegemony, the introduction of Hebrew language and culture beyond the confines of their original home, and the impact of the birth of Islam on the political and cultural status of the Jews. An attempt is made to evaluate the main characteristics of Jewish belief and social concepts in the formative periods of Judaism as it developed beyond its original geographical boundaries. Second-quarter work is concerned with the Jews under Islam, both in Eastern and Western Caliphates. Third-quarter work is concerned with the Jews of Western Europe from the eleventh through the fifteenth centuries.

NEHC 20416-20417-20418. Semitic Languages Cultures and Civilizations I-II-III.

This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.

NEHC 20491. Jews and Judaism in the Classical Era and Late Antiquity: From Temple to Text, from “Land” to “Torah” 100 Units.

This course will address the thousand-year evolvement of post-Biblical Judaism from a Temple and Land orientation to the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism. The first section of the course will focus on the political and cultural effects of the Hellenistic and early Roman periods on Jews and Judaism, with a stress placed not only on the social and political developments in Judea but on the early stages and subsequent growth of Jewish diaspora communities as well. In this context special attention will be given to the variegated literary corpus produced by Jews both in Judea and the diaspora. The second section will analyze the changes in Jewish life and self-identity in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70CE, and the gradual emergence of Rabbinic Judaism as an alternative expression of Jewish religious commitment. The Roman Empire's embracing of Christianity on the one hand, and the growing assertiveness of a Babylonian Rabbinic community on the other, will also be closely examined.

Instructor(s): I. Gafni     Terms Offered: Winter 2015
Equivalent Course(s): RLST 20911,HIJD 30911,JWSC 20911

NEHC 20501-20502-20503-30501. Islamic History and Society I-II-III-I.

This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. This sequence surveys the main trends in the political history of the Islamic world, with some attention to economic, social, and intellectual history. Taking these courses in sequence is recommended but not required.

NEHC 20573. The Burden of History: A Nation and Its Lost Paradise. 100 Units.

What makes it possible for the imagined communities called nations to command the emotional attachments that they do?  This course considers some possible answers to Benedict Anderson’s question on the basis of material from the Balkans. We will examine the transformation of the scenario of paradise, loss, and redemption into a template for a national identity narrative through which South East European nations retell their Ottoman past.  With the help of Žižek’s theory of the subject as constituted by trauma and Kant’s notion of the sublime, we will contemplate the national fixation on the trauma of loss and the dynamic between victimhood and sublimity.

Instructor(s): A. Ilieva     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): SOSL 27300,CMLT 23401,CMLT 33401,HIST 24005,HIST 34005,NEHC 30573,SOSL 37300

NEHC 20601-20602-20603-30601-30602-30603. Islamic Thought and Literature I-II-III-I-II-III.

This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. Taking these courses in sequence is recommended but not required.

NEHC 20634. North Africa, Late Antiquity to Islam. 100 Units.

Examination of topics in continuity and change from the third through ninth centuries CE, including changes in Roman, Vandalic, Byzantine, and early Islamic Africa. Topics include the waning of paganism and the respective spread and waning of Christianity, the dynamics of the seventh-century Muslim conquest and Byzantine collapse. Transformation of late antique North Africa into a component of Islamic civilization. Topography and issues of the autochthonous populations will receive some analysis. Most of the required reading will be on reserve, for there is no standard textbook. Readings in translated primary sources as well as the latest modern scholarship. Final examination and ten-page course paper.

Instructor(s): W. Kaegi     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 25701,CLAS 30200,CLCV 20200,CMES 30634,CRES 25701,HIST 35701,NEHC 30634

NEHC 20636. Survey: Classical Arabic Literature in Translation. 100 Units.

Spanning seven centuries and three continents, classical Arabic literature developed in diverse artistic directions. Poetic genres (e.g., brigand poetry, love lyrics, court panegyrics, satires, mystical poetry) and prose genres (e.g., scripture, orations, epistles, fables, mirrors for princes, popular tales) all developed their own, fascinating features. Students read the texts to explore the culture and thought of the medieval Arabic-speaking world. Texts in English.

Instructor(s): T. Qutbuddin
Prerequisite(s): Knowledge of Arabic and/or Islamic studies helpful but not required
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30636

NEHC 20652. Translation History & Practice: Lit. of the Islamic World. 100 Units.

This course takes as its focus the history, theory and practice of translation from Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu to English, with a view toward understanding the evolving translation history from Islamicate literatures into English; the relationship between translation, scholarship, linguistic competence, and bi-culturalness; the colonial, orientalist and modern contexts in which translations were/are published and circulated; and particular practical, technical and ethical issues/problems in translation of these literatures.  In order to hone translation skills and improve particular translation projects, this course will include a practicum: a workshop component for presentation and discussion / critique of particular translations-in-progress.

Instructor(s): F. Lewis     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Two years or the equivalent of at least one of the following languages: Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Urdu.
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30652

NEHC 20765. Introduction to the Musical Folklore of Central Asia. 100 Units.

This course explores the musical traditions of the peoples of Central Asia, both in terms of historical development and cultural significance. Topics include the music of the epic tradition, the use of music for healing, instrumental genres, and Central Asian folk and classical traditions. Basic field methods for ethnomusicology are also covered. Extensive use is made of recordings of musical performances and of live performances in the area.

Instructor(s): K. Arik     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): Knowledge of Arabic and/or Islamic studies helpful but not required
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30765,ANTH 25905,EEUR 23400,EEUR 33400,MUSI 23503,MUSI 33503

NEHC 20885. Returning the Gaze: The Balkans and Western Europe. 100 Units.

This course investigates the complex relationship between South East European self-representations and the imagined Western "gaze" for whose benefit the nations stage their quest for identity and their aspirations for recognition. We also think about differing models of masculinity, the figure of the gypsy as a metaphor for the national self in relation to the West, and the myths Balkans tell about themselves. We conclude by considering the role that the imperative to belong to Western Europe played in the Yugoslav wars of succession. Some possible texts/films are Ivo Andric, Bosnian Chronicle; Aleko Konstantinov, Baj Ganyo; Emir Kusturica, Underground; and Milcho Manchevski, Before the Rain.

Instructor(s): A. Ilieva     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): SOSL 27200,CMLT 23201,CMLT 33201,NEHC 30885,SOSL 37200

NEHC 26106. The Medieval Persian Romance: Gorgani's Vis and Ramin. 100 Units.

This class is an inquiry into the medieval romance genre through the close and comparative reading of one of its oldest extant representatives, Gorgâni’s Vis & Râmin (c. 1050). With roots that go back to Late Antiquity, this romance is a valuable interlocutor between the Greek novel and the Ovidian erotic tradition, Arabic love theory and poetics, and well-known European romances like Tristan, Lancelot, and Cligès: a sustained exploration of psychological turmoil and moral indecision, and a vivid dramatization of the many contradictions inherent in erotic theory, most starkly by the lovers' faithful adultery. By reading Vis & Râmin alongside some of its generic neighbors (Kallirrhoe, Leukippe, Tristan, Cligès), as well as the love-theories of writers like Plato, Ovid, Avicenna, Jâhiz, Ibn Hazm, and Andreas Cappellanus, we will map out the various kinds of literary work the romance is called upon to do, and investigate the myriad and shifting conceptions of romantic love as performance, subjectivity, and moral practice. An optional section introducing selections from the original text in Persian will be available if there is sufficient student interest.

Instructor(s): C. Cross     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): RLLT 26106,FNDL 26106

NEHC 26514. Travel and Pilgrimage in the Roman Empire. 100 Units.

This course will take a trip around the Roman Empire, exploring the different motivations and contexts for travel in Antiquity. Through surviving literary texts we will survey varieties of travel, including military campaigns, scientific exploration, conquest, commerce and piracy, economic displacement, pilgrimage, and even tourism. Stops in different provinces of the Empire will provide geographical information as well as details about the practicalities of travel: vessels, caravans and other means, cost of travel, infrastructure at the traveler’s disposal, maritime and land routes, safe-conducts, guidebooks and language aids for the traveler. Along the way, the course will also provide an introduction to the diversity and uniformity of the Roman Empire.

Instructor(s): S. Torallas Tovar     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): CLCV 26514,CLAS 36514,NEHC 36514

NEHC 26914. Death in the Classical World: Texts and Monuments. 100 Units.

This course will focus on the evolution of beliefs and rituals related to death in the Mediterranean cultures of the Greek world and the Roman Empire, including the Egyptians among others. The course will draw on literary and documentary sources as well as archaeology and remnants of material culture. The topics that will be covered include not only the practicalities of death (funerary rituals, legal aspects of death like wills and inheritance), but also beliefs and myths of the afterlife, magical rituals such as necromancy, the impact of Christianization on Roman understandings of death, and later Christian developments like the cult of the saints.

Instructor(s): S. Torallas Tovar     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): CLCV 26914,CLAS 36914,NEHC 36914

NEHC 29700. Reading and Research Course. 100 Units.

Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of faculty adviser and counselor for undergraduate studies

NEHC 29800. BA Paper Seminar. 100 Units.

Required of fourth-year students who are majoring in NELC. This is a workshop course designed to survey the fields represented by NELC and to assist students in researching and writing the BA paper.

Instructor(s): A. El-Shamsy     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and counselor for undergraduate studies

NEHC 29999. BA Paper Preparation. 100 Units.

Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. In consultation with a faculty research adviser and with consent of the counselor for undergraduate studies, students devote the equivalent of a one-quarter course to the preparation of the BA paper.

Instructor(s): A. El-Shamsy     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and counselor for undergraduate studies

PERS 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Persian I-II-III.

This sequence concentrates on modern written Persian as well as modern colloquial usage. Toward the end of this sequence, students are able to read, write, and speak Persian at an elementary level. Introducing the Iranian culture is also a goal.

PERS 20101-20102-20103. Intermediate Persian I-II-III.

This sequence deepens and expands students’ knowledge of modern Persian at all levels of reading, writing, and speaking. Grammar is taught at a higher level, and a wider vocabulary enables students to read stories, articles, and poetry. Examples of classical literature and the Iranian culture are introduced.

PERS 20320. Persian Poetry: Shahnameh of Ferdowsi. 100 Units.

Abu al-Qâsem Ferdowsi of Tus (940 – 1019?) completed his verse rendition of the tragic history of the Iranian nation just over a millennium ago, in early March of 1010.  
Conventionally classed as an “epic,” the Shahnameh’s various episodes include a variety of disparate genres and themes: creation narrative, mythology, heroic saga, folk tale, romance, royal chronicle.  Through a close reading in Persian of several prominent episodes, and discussion this course aims to create a deep understanding of the language, the characters and the themes of the Shahnameh, analyzing the poem as an example of both national epic and world literature, reading with an eye toward literary structure; genre; Indo-Iranian mythology; political theory; ideals of masculinity, femininity and heroism; the interaction of text, oral tradition, illustration, scholarship, and translation in the shaping and transmission of the literary tradition; and, of course, the meaning(s) of the work.   The aims of this course will be to gain familiarity with the style and language of Ferdowsi, to understand his rhetoric and esthetics, to understand the martial values animating the culture of the military and the zur-xâne, and to understand how individual episodes contribute to the broader overall meaning of the text.  Alongside the selected episodes in Persian, we will read the entire Shahnameh in English translation and discuss some of the wider scholarly issues surrounding Ferdowsi’s text and the Shahnameh sources, transmission, illustration, and popular and scholarly reception.  Class discussions will be in English

Instructor(s): F. Lewis     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): At least two years of Persian
Equivalent Course(s): PERS 30320

PERS 20321. Persian Poetry: Shahnameh II. 100 Units.

This is the second course in a two-course sequence about Abu al-Qâsem Ferdowsi of Tus's Shahnameh.

Instructor(s): F. Lewis     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): PERS 20320, at least two years of Persian
Equivalent Course(s): PERS 30321

TURK 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Turkish I-II-III.

This sequence features proficiency-based instruction emphasizing grammar in modern Turkish. This sequence consists of reading and listening comprehension, as well as grammar exercises and basic writing in Turkish. Modern stories and contemporary articles are read at the end of the courses.

TURK 10105-10106-10107. Introduction to Old Turkic I-II-III.

An introductory course in the written language of the Orkhon Inscriptions, dating back to the fifth-to-eighth-century Kök Türk State of Central Eurasia, and of related inscriptions from the Yenisei River area, Mongolia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. The language of the inscriptions is considered to be the ancestor of the majority of Turkic languages spoken today and uses a distinctive alphabet sometimes known as the Old Turkic Runiform Alphabet. The course covers a brief historic overview, basic grammar, reading selections from the inscriptions in the original and in translation, and familiarization with the alphabet itself.

TURK 20101-20102-20103. Intermediate Turkish I-II-III.

This sequence features proficiency-based instruction emphasizing speaking and writing skills as well as reading and listening comprehension at the intermediate to advanced levels in modern Turkish.  Modern short stories, novel excerpts, academic and journalistic articles form the basis for an introduction to modern Turkish literature. Cultural units consisting of films and web-based materials are also used extensively in this course, which is designed to bring the intermediate speaker to an advanced level of proficiency.

UGAR 20101-20102-20103. Ugaritic I-II-III.

This is the introductory sequence to Ugaritic, a language of the Northwest-Semitic group that is attested on tablets dating to the Late Bronze Age. This sequence is offered in alternate years.

UZBK 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Modern Literary Uzbek I-II-III.

This sequence enables students to reach an intermediate level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing modern literary Uzbek, the most widely spoken Turkic language after Turkish. Students learn both the recently implemented Latin script and the older Cyrillic script versions of the written language and view audio-video materials in Uzbek on a weekly basis.  Subsequent semesters and Intermediate and Advanced Uzbek are offered based on interest.