wfu logo     Middle East and South Asia Studies


Requirements

The Middle East and South Asia studies minor provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to engage in a multidisciplinary study of the history, politics, literature, peoples, and cultures of the Middle East and South Asia. To fulfill the minor, students must complete eighteen hours from an approved list of courses. Students may count no more than 10 hours from any of the foreign language offerings toward the minor.

Approved Courses

Recently approved courses are listed below. The program coordinator maintains a more complete and up-to-date list of all approved elective courses. Please refer to the undergraduate bulletin for course descriptions.

Anthropology 334. Peoples and Cultures of South Asia (3h)
383,384. Field Research in Cultural Anthropology (when topic is appropriate) (3h, 3h)
Arabic 111, 112. Elementary Arabic (3h, 3h)
153. Intermediate Arabic (4h)
213. Introduction to Arabic Literature (3h)
218. Basic Arabic Conversation (1.5h or 3h)
Art 104. Topics in World Art (when topic is appropriate) (3h)
English 358. Postcolonial Literature (3h)
359. Studies in Postcolonial Literature (3h)
History 107. Middle East & the World (3h)
242. The Middle East before 1500 (3h)
243. The Middle East since 1500 (3h)
260. Premodern South Asia (3h)
261. Modern South Asia (3h)
305 Medieval & Early Modern Iberia (3h)
311. Special Topics in History (when topic is appropriate) (3h)
388. Nation, Faith, and Gender in the Middle East (3h)
387. Islamic Empires Compared: The Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals (3h)
390. Research Seminar (when topic is appropriate)
Humanities 2248. Cross-cultural Encounters in Morocco (3h)
Near Eastern Lang. & Lit. 111,112. Elementary Hebrew (3h, 3h)
153. Intermediate Hebrew (3h)
211, 212. Hebrew Literature I and II (3h, 3h)
301. Introduction to Semitic Languages (3h) (taught on demand only)
302, 303. Akkadian I and II (3h, 3h) (taught on demand only)
310. Intermediate Readings in Classical Hebrew (1h) (taught on demand only)
311. Aramaic (3h) (taught on demand only)
315. Syriac (3h) (taught on demand only)
321, 322. Middle Egyptian (3h, 3h) (taught on demand only)
325. Coptic (3h) (taught on demand only)
Political Science 242. Topics in Comparative Politics (when topic is appropriate) (3h)
246. Politics and Policies in South Asia (3h)
247. Islam and Politics (3h)
252. Topics in International Politics (when topic is appropriate) (3h)
259. The Arab-Israeli Conflict (3h)
263. U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East (3h)
269. Topics in Political Theory (when topic is appropriate) (3h)
274. Religion and Politics in Medieval Thought (3h)
282. Gandhi (3h)
290. Senior Seminar in Political Science (when topic is appropriate) (4h)
Religion

104. Introduction to Asian Religions (3h)
261. Foundations of Traditional Judaism (1.5h)
262. Topics in Islam (1.5h)
312. The Critical Study of the Pentateuch (3h)
313. Near Eastern Archeology (3h)
362. Islam (3h)
385. Topics in South Asian Religions (3h)
386. Indian Epics in Performance (3h)
387. Magic, Ritual & Power (3h)
388. South Asian Women (3h)
390. Special Topics in Religion (when topic is appropriate) (3h)

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Summer 2008 Courses

POL 259A       The Arab-Israeli Conflict                      MTWRF 09:25 am-10:40 am               Charles H. Kennedy
POL 263A       US Foreign Policy in Middle East          MTWRF 12:15 pm-01:30 pm              Charles H. Kennedy
REL 104A       Intro to Asian Religions                         MTWRF 09:25 am-10:40 am               Jarrod L. Whitaker

Fall 2008 Courses

ARB 111A      Elementary Arabic                                 MWF 11:00 am-11:50 am                    Darlene R. May
ARB 111B      Elementary Arabic                                 MWF 02:00 pm-02:50 pm                   Darlene R. May
ARB 153A      Intermediate Arabic                               MTWRF 01:00 pm-01:50 pm              Darlene R. May
ARB 218A      Basic Arabic Conversation                    TBA                                                     TBA    

HST 107A      Middle East & the World                       TR 09:30 am-10:45 am                        Charles L. Wilkins
HST 242A      Middle East before 1500                       TR 01:30 pm-02:45 pm n                     Charles L. Wilkins
HST 260A      Premodern South Asia                           MWF 10:00 am-10:50 am                   Rais Rahman  
HST 305A       Medieval & Early Modern Iberia          TR 12:00 pm-01:15 pm 28                   Monique E. O'Connell

NLL 111A      Elementary Hebrew                               MWF 01:00 pm-01:50 pm                   Neal H. Walls
NLL 153A      Intermediate Hebrew                             MWF 01:00 pm-01:50 pm                   Kenneth G. Hoglund

POL 252A      Terrorism & Pol. Viol                            MWF 11:00 am-11:50 am                    Thomas E. Brister

REL 104A      Intro to Asian Religions                          MWF 10:00 am-10:50 am                    James L. Ford
REL 104B      Intro to Asian Religions                          TR 12:00 pm-01:15 pm                        Tanisha Ramachandran
REL 104C      Intro to Asian Religions                          TR 03:00 pm-04:15 pm                        Jarrod L. Whitaker
REL 388A      South Asian Women                              TR 09:30 am-10:45 am                        Tanisha Ramachandran

Spring 2009 Courses

ANT 334A      Peoples & Cultures of South Asia         TR 1:30pm-2:45pm                              Folmar

ARB 112A      Elementary Arabic                                MWF 11:00am-11:50am                      May
ARB 112B      Elementary Arabic                                 MWF 2:00pm-2:50pm                         May
ARB 213A      Intro to Arabic Lit                                 MWF 12:00pm-12:50pm                     May

HST 243A       Middle East since 1500                        TR 12:00pm-1:15 pm                           Wilkins
HST 261A       Modern South Asia                              TR 9:30am-10:45 am                            Rahman
HST 390D       War & Society in Early Modern            R 3:00pm-5:30pm                                Wilkins

NLL 211A       Hebrew Literature                                MWF 1:00pm-1:50pm                         Hoglund

POL 246A       Politics and Policies in South Asia         TR 12:00pm-1:15pm                            Kennedy
POL 252B       Terrorism & Political Violence              MWF 1:00pm-1:50pm                         Brister
POL 259A       Arab-Israeli Conflict                             TR 9:30am-10:45am                            Kennedy

REL 104B        Intro to Asian Religions                        TR 1:30pm-2:45pm                              Ramachandran

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Affiliated Faculty

Michaelle Browers, Political Science, browerm@wfu.edu
Andrew Ettin, English, ettinav@wfu.edu

Steven Folmar, Anthropology, folmarsj@wfu.edu
Sandya Hewamanne, Anthropology, hewamask@wfu.edu
Kenneth Hoglund, Religion, hoglund@wfu.edu
Fred Horton, Religion, horton@wfu.edu
Hank Kennedy (program coordinator), Political Science, ckennedy@wfu.edu
Darlene May, Arabic, maydr@wfu.edu
Ellen Miller, Anthropology, millerer@wfu.edu
Anandra Mitra, Communication, ananda@wfu.edu
M. Rais Rahman, History, rahmanmr@wfu.edu
Tanisha Ramachandran, Religion, ramacht@wfu.edu
Neal Walls, Divinity School, wallsnh@wfu.edu
Jarrod Whitaker, Religion, whitakjl@wfu.edu
Charles Wilkins, History, wilkincl@wfu.edu
Fulbright Scholar, Alaa Zalzaleh, Arabic, zalzala@wfu.edu

 

 

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Summer Study Abroad Program in Morocco

Each summer Wake Forest University runs a study abroad program based at the Arabic Language Institute in Fes, Morocco (ALIF). Students take 6 credit hours in Arabic (beginning, intermediate, or advanced) or French (intermediate only) and a 3 credit hour course in English that draws upon topics relevant to some aspect of Morocco, but varies according to the WFU faculty member directing that particular summer. Students also participate in a homestay with a Moroccan family, weekend excursions, and an end of program country tour. Click here for more information.  Click here to apply online.


During the summer of 2007, Neal Walls offered a 2-3 credit course, part of which was held in Fes, Morocco June 1-10, on the topic of "Sacred Music and Religious Pluralism in Morocco."  Students attended the annual Festival of World Sacred Music and engaged in an intensive study of such topics as Islam and Sufism, religious experience, interfaith dialogue, the ethics of tourism, problems of post-colonialism, and the history, literatures and cultures of Morocco.  A picture of some of the course participants at an evening Sufi performance (notice the student wearing a Wake Forest t-shirt in the upper right hand corner) can be found on the festival website. Professor Walls hopes to offer the course again in the summer of 2008.

 

 

Events of Interest

2008
December 1. Dr. Nelly van Doorn-Harder (Valparaiso University) will speak on “Fighting for Women’s Human Rights: Muslim Women in Indonesia.” 3:30pm in 302 Wingate Hall. Sponsored by the Religion Department.

November 23. Professor Ron Geaves (Liverpool Hope University) will present a lecture on “Islam at Home in the English Speaking World: A Report from the United Kingdom.” 2pm in Wait Supported by the Fund for Ethics, Leadership, and Civic Responsibility under a grant from the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation to Wake Forest University through the Office of the Provost.

November 6. Dr. Darlene May (Arabic) will present a lecture on“Women and Islam” at 7:00 p.m. in Scales 102. Sponsored by WFU Muslim Students’ Association and the Chaplain’s Office. Flyer

October 30.  Informational session on Wake Forest's study abroad program in Morocco.  5pm in Tribble C316.  More information here.

October 22. Professor Akhram Khater of North Carolina State University will speak on “Becoming 'Syrian' in America: A Global Geography of Ethnicity and Nation.” 6:00pm in Scales Fine Arts Center (Room 102).

October 8. Reception for Middle East and South Asia Studies faculty and students. 4-5pm, Tribble Hall Foyer.  More information here.

October 7.  Showing and panel discussion of "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet." Sponsored by the Muslim Students Association.  DeTamble auditorium. 7:30 pm.  More information here.

September 2. Professor Manachem Hofnung, "Cours and Terror: Democratic Governance and State Security.  4:30pm in Tribble C-316. Flyer

April 22.  Prince Among Slaves.  Showing of this award-winning film, followed by a lecture by the Dr. Sylviane Diouf , director of the Shomburg-Mellon Humanities Institute in New York.  7pm in Scales Fine Arts Center Auditorium.  Flyer.

April 16:Charles Kurzman of the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill will speak on “The Challenges of Radical Islam.” 5:00pm in Detamble Auditorium (Tribble Hall).  Sponsored by the Departments of Political Science, Sociology, Religion, and History. Flyer.

April 15: Paradise Now (2005), 7:00pm in Detamble Auditorium, Tribble Hall. Arabic film showing followed by discussion led by Hank Kennedy (Political Science) and Tom Brister (Political Science). Flyer

March 18: Charles Wilkins of Wake Forest’s Department of History will speak on “Slavery and Household Formation in Ottoman Aleppo, 1640-1700.” 4:30pm in Tribble A209.  Sponsored by Medieval Studies.

March 4-5: Interfaith Feminisms—Jewish, Christian and Muslim Perspectives, featuring Mary C. Boys, Susannah Heschel, Yvonne Haddad, and Hibba Abugidieri. Phyllis Trible Lecture Series. Information at http://divinity.wfu.edu/trible-lectures.html

March 3: Khairi Abaza of the University of London and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy will speak on “The Arab World: No Stability Without Reform.” 7:00 pm, Annenberg Forum (Carswell 111).  Sponsored by the Communication Department.

February 19: Where is Iraq (2004), 7:00pm in Detamble Auditorium, Tribble Hall. Arabic film showing followed by a discussion led by Sarah Lischer (Political Science) and Charles Wilkins (History). Flyer

 February 14: Eileen Joy of Southern Illinois University will speak on "The Old English Wonders of the East and the 2002 Gujarat, India, Massacre," 4:30pm in Tribble A209. Sponsored by Medieval Studies.

January 24: Daniel Ellsberg, "Iraq & Iran: The Need for New Pentagon Papers," 7:00pm in Brendle Recital Hall

 

2007

November 7: "What is the role of religion in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?"  Panel discussion featuring Ken Hoglund (Religion), Hank Kennedy (Political Science) and Charles Wilkins (History).  6-7pm in Benson 410.

 

October 29: Vali Nasr.  Lecture by an Iranian-American expert in contemporary Middle Eastern affairs, Islam and politics, 7:00 pm at Wait Chapel.

 

September 29: Indian classical music concert featuring Pritam Bhattacharjee accompanied by Prithwiraj Bhattacharjee on Tabla (sponsored the Indo-US Cultural Association in association with Wake Forest Music Department), 7:00 pm at Brendle Hall. Flyer

 

April 12: Michaelle Browers, “The US in the Middle East” (part of the Great Decisions series sponsored by the Center for International Studies). At 7: 00pm, A102 Scales Fine Arts Center.

 

March 28: Salim Tamari, Birzeit University, “Palestinian Politics After Mecca” (sponsored by the Departments of Political Science, Religion, History and Sociology). Pugh Auditorium at 6pm.

 

March 4: Roberta Morosini, Department of Romance Languages, Wake Forest University, “‘Whispers of the Dove’: Women and Polyandria in the Legend of Muhammad the Prophet of Islam, Dante’s ‘Inferno’ XXVIII, and the ‘Roman De Mahomet’” (sponsored by Medieval Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies). At 4:30pm, Tribble A209.

 

 

News & Announcements

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