YCMES Course Catalouge

ANTH 201: Peoples and Cultures of the Contemporary Middle East. What is the difference between Berber and Arab, Iranian and Turk? What is a tribal society as opposed to a peasant one? How is a souk organized and run? Is there such a thing as an Islamic city? These and other questions will be examined in this course on the anthropology of the Middle East.

ANTH 203/LIT 203: Comparative Arab Cultures. Survey course that will deal with Mashriq, Maghrib and Arabian literary and filmic materials in the modern period.

ANTH 301: Recovering the Past: Problems of Cultural Heritage in the Middle East. There are movements in all Middle Eastern countries to support or in some cases to discourage efforts to uncover their pasts or to preserve their cultural and linguistic legacies. These may include the archaeological unearthing of important historical sites, the preservation of World Heritage cities, the restoration of natural environments like the Iraqi marshes, or the movement to preserve Berber and Kurdish languages and cultures. This course will explore the forces that threaten cultural heritage or that encourage its preservation (and why). How are efforts of cultural survival and preservation affected by political, economic and other factors?

ANTH 311: “What Do They Want From Us?” Dialogue Across Cultures Why does U.S. rhetoric about human rights or democracy seem hollow at best and hypocritical at worst to Middle Easterners? Why does the phenomenon of veiling appear to westerns as oppression against women? What does friendship entail in many Middle Eastern societies that it does not in many western ones? The course asks: what are the possibilities of dialogue across cultures on these and other topics that will enhance our understanding of each other? Each week a particular subject will be explored through readings and discussion with an expert on the topic.

ARAB101: Elementary Arabic. This is an Arabic course consisting of 100 classroom hours that concentrates on building two essential abilities: first, to allow the individual who is residing or traveling in Yemen to meet the language demands of daily living; and second, to introduce the student to fundamental reading and conversational skills in Modern Standard Arabic. The 101 course teaches students the Arabic alphabet, familiarity with elementary grammatical structures, and vocabulary pertinent to the objective skills listed above. Specific target skills include: ability to take public and private transportation, make small purchases in a grocery or market, order meals in a restaurant, send and receive mail, tell time, know the days of the week and the months, read street signs and to introduce oneself and greet others appropriately.

Using Practical Arabic, Al-Kitaab fii Tacallum al-cArabiyya and Durus Fi-l 'Arabiyya as the primary texts, the student begins learning basic grammar and sentence construction, simple vocabulary, and grammatical terms. Upon completion of 101, students will be comfortable with all tenses of the regular and irregular verb forms, and able to read a number of styles of Arabic print. These skills are reinforced through readings and exercises in the textbooks, YLC prepared supplemental materials corresponding to each lesson, readings from 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'Alaam, selections from the Arabic press and numerous classroom drills. Students frequently practice reading aloud in class with the aim of increasing comprehension, speed, confidence, and clarity of pronunciation. Short writing exercises are occasionally assigned to build familiarity with new vocabulary and grammatical constructions. In addition, a significant percentage of class time is devoted to oral drills and conversation based on materials covered by the textbook and companion materials.

ARAB 102: Upper Elementary Arabic. In the 102 upper elementary course, the chief emphasis continues to reinforce reading and conversational ability, although increased attention is devoted to developing composition skills as a means of retaining new grammar and vocabulary. Course materials include Al-Kitaab fii Tacallum al-cArabiyya, Durus Fi-l 'Arabiyya, al-Durus al-Asasiyya and selected units from 'Arabiyya Wasa'l Al-'Alaam, the Arabic press, the internet, and supplementary materials prepared by the YLC. It is expected that at the conclusion of this course the student will possess the ability to form simple, grammatically correct sentences with ease, pronounce words clearly and recognizably, read and comprehend basic texts, write brief compositions dealing with different topics, converse confidently and accurately on simple subjects, and demonstrate a solid understanding of elementary Modern Standard Arabic, including familiarity with all derived verb forms, participles and conditionals.

ARAB 203: Intermediate Arabic. The intermediate class concentrates heavily on expanding the reading and speaking vocabulary of the student in a number of specific subject areas including politics, economics, history, art, and culture. This course utilizes Al-Kitaab fii Tacallum al-cArabiyya, Durus Fi-l 'Arabiyya, 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'Alaam and short stories in Arabic. Companion materials to the texts include: daily newspaper and magazine clippings, short subjects prepared by the teaching staff and brief reading exercises from other sources such as the internet. In addition, the Intermediate course stresses increased oral comprehension, using recorded television and radio news broadcasts (in conjunction with 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'Alaam) as a regular classroom listening activity.

The 203 intermediate course focuses on developing the student's sophistication in the use of grammatical structures and new vocabulary for reading and speaking. As the students progress, they continue with lessons in both Al-Kitaab fii Tacallum al-cArabiyya and Durus Fi-l 'Arabiyya and 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'Alaam, in addition to a wide sample of readings from the supplementary materials list. Students are also encouraged to propose texts of their own choosing for classroom review and discussion. A weekly writing exercise on topics assigned by the teachers is an important component of this course. It is expected that students who successfully complete the 203 class will achieve a plateau of ability which will enable them to read, speak, and write on diverse subjects with a modest degree of assurance and fluency.

ARAB 204: Upper Intermediate Arabic. The upper intermediate class refines the skills acquired in the 203 class. Students in upper intermediate are expected to make presentations on various subjects in class. At the conclusion of 204, students will be able to discuss complex abstract issues, to understand the general themes of Arab radio and television broadcasts, and will have gained a wide grammatical knowledge. Materials for 204 include: 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'Alaam, a packet of texts on Arab culture produced by YLC and texts chosen by the student.

ARAB 305: Advanced Arabic. The 305 advanced course is intended to consolidate the reading, writing, and speaking skills which have been emphasized in the prior two levels. Strong emphasis is placed on the acquisition of new vocabulary, reinforced by daily speaking and composition exercises. Additionally, the course concentrates on various activities designed to increase the student's threshold in reading comprehension, particularly when encountering longer texts with unfamiliar vocabulary. Course materials include 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'Alaam in conjunction with extensive supplementary texts chosen by both the student and teacher. The supplementary materials represent a wide spectrum of subject matter at a challenging level of difficulty, and may include short books, lengthy articles from newspapers, magazines, journals, or readings from similar sources. At the conclusion of the 305 advanced course, the student will be responsible for preparing a short research paper in Arabic based on the supplemental readings.

ARAB 306: Upper Advanced Arabic. The upper advanced class is a finishing course for students with highly-developed Arabic skills which helps the student concentrate on improving specific areas of proficiency. Course materials include: readings from major works of contemporary Arabic literature, assorted texts, films, television programs, and other audio-visual materials. Writing exercises of moderate length are assigned regularly, for which the student is expected to conduct substantive background research. Outside of class, the student will select a book, with the approval of the teacher, for reading at home, and report verbally on his/her progress at several intervals during the course. Particular attention is given to acquiring a deeper understanding of the connotation of words and the rhythm of the language.

ARAB 390: Yemeni Colloquial Arabic. This course is designed to introduce the student to Yemeni Colloquial Arabic. The course examines the differences between dialects such as Sana’ani and Ta’izi, and its relation to MSA. Phonology, common Yemeni greetings, conversation, local vocabulary, and grammatical constructions are covered. The main textbook used is Al-‘Arabiyya al-Yamaniyya, authored by Sabri Saleem.

This course will examine major monuments of architecture in their urban context dating from the rise of Islam through the twentieth century. While the class will focus on historic monuments, a range of contemporary issues will be explored, including the shaping role that recent reconstruction and renovation plays in modern urban landscapes, the iconic use of monuments as political tools, the ways that current inhabitants and users transform historic monuments for contemporary purposes and the impact of tourism on traditional cities. The course will consider both public and domestic structures, as well as cities and their urban fabric, and in a few cases works of art and material culture.

ECON 311/POL 323: Political Economy of Natural Resources in the Middle East. This course will examine the political economy of oil and water in the Middle East. How important has oil been to certain states in the region? Who has benefited from its revenues and has their distribution been equal or fair? How has water become a political issue in the Middle East today? What conflicts have arisen over its scarcity or degradation? How have their impacts been felt, depending on class and gender?

ECON 321: Ideas and Practices of Middle East Business. Does Islamic belief regulate business in the region’s Muslim countries? If so, what are those beliefs and what are their effects? What about other cultural notions such as knowing a person’s social background, the importance of social networks, the belief in “right timing,” establishing and maintaining “honorable” relations, working through “intermediaries,” building “trust,” and so forth? Is there a social rhythm to the business day that is particular to the region? Do women entrepreneurs have to operate differently than their male counterparts? Besides reading and studying primary texts and analytical studies, the class will engage business leaders from the Yemeni and foreign community to discuss their experiences working in the region.

HIST 201: Modern Middle Eastern History: from late 19^th century until the present. An overview of the forces that have shaped the contemporary Middle East, including colonialism, modernization, nationalism and independence movements, the Cold War, the rise of oil economies, Islamic resurgence, and the rise of and war against terrorism.

HIST 311: Modern History of the Arabian Peninsula. An overview of Arabia since the 19^th Century, focusing on the nation states of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and the Gulf States. This course examines the impact and role of the British and Ottoman empire, the discovery of oil, nationalism, and Islamic reformism in relation to cultural, socio-economic, and administrative changes in the region.

LIT 201: Twentieth Century Arab Literature (novel, drama, and poetry). An introduction to the major Arabic writers of the twentieth century and the literary genres in which they worked. Texts will be read in English translation, though advanced students may attempt to read the originals in coordination with their Arabic language instructors.

LIT 203/ANTH 203: Comparative Arab Cultures. Survey course that will deal with Mashriq, Maghrib and Arabian literary and filmic materials in the modern period.

LIT 301: Music, Poetry, Dance, and Theater. How do individuals and societies of the region constitute their diverse cultural identities through performances of music, poetry, dance, and theater? Differences such as male/female, rural/urban, tribal/non-tribal, religious/secular, etc. will be considered. Emphasis will be placed not only on the forms of these artistic expressions but also the cultural and political work they do in their respective societies. Students are encouraged to participate in local artistic performances, under the tutelage of specific artists, in order to understand these concerns.

POL 201: Contemporary Politics of the Middle East. An overview of the different state forms currently in place in the Middle East as well as the politics and ideology of parties, elections, and parliaments. Opposition movements, including Islamic ones, will be considered.

POL 301: International Relations in the Middle East. Why are certain countries in the region considered to be the “power centers” and others at the “margins”? How correct is the conventional wisdom that marginal or peripheral states like Afghanistan or Yemen are not crucial to political events in the region? Which countries exert the most influence on the region (China, Japan, Europe, and the United States) and what form does this influence take? What should the policies of the region’s countries be towards these external powers? What should the latter’s policies be towards the region as a whole and to specific countries in it? These are some of the questions to be considered in this course.

POL 303: Middle Eastern Politics and Democratic Systems. There has been much talk on the part of the U.S. administration about implanting or advancing democratic regimes in the region. What do the administration and western political scientists mean by democracy? What do people in the region mean by it? To what extent are current Middle Eastern states democratic by either reckoning? To what extent might countries in the region be “democratic” in ways that conventional western political theory might not recognize, with its emphasis on political parties, state apparatuses, and parliamentary elections?

POL 311: Political Geography of the Middle East. How is the natural environment (for example, a wadi) utilized when it is part of wider social, economic and political systems (for example, customary irrigation laws, regional trading networks, and tribal or state systems)? This basic question informs our examination of several distinct environments in the Middle East (mountain, desert, wadi, and coast), offering a comparison of the way geography and politics are linked.

POL 313: Contemporary Political Ideas and Movements in the Middle East. This course will focus less on the study of political systems or structures (see Contemporary Politics of the Middle East) than on the political ideas that seem to resonate the most with publics in the region and the social or political movements that advocate them, whether they be Islamist, socialist, free market, etc.

POL 315: The Discourse and Practice of Rights in the Middle East. Can a “rights discourse” with its roots in Euro-American political thought and the history of Euro-American institutions be “translated” into local terms in the Middle East? Do such local terms already admit to a discourse of rights that may be different from its Euro-American variant because it is rooted in other traditions? If so, how (in)compatible are they? What challenges does a rights discourse face no matter its origins, and whether it be about women, children, or a free press, in the different countries of the region?

POL 321: Politics of Development in the Middle East. The Middle East is one of the poorest regions of the world and has been a recipient of development aid for decades, whether it is from donor countries outside the region or increasingly from the wealthier oil states within the region. This development has a history, and each period or stage seems to offer its own dynamic and dilemmas which vary from country to country. Should development aid be tied to political agendas? How have recipient countries used or misused their development aid? What are examples of successful development projects and what are the criteria by which one judges them? In addition to reading primary and secondary texts on development, students will meet and talk to development experts who have worked in Yemen and other countries in the region.

POL 323/ECON 311: Political Economy of Natural Resources in the Middle East. This course will examine the political economy of oil and water in the Middle East. How important has oil been to certain states in the region? Who has benefited from its revenues and has their distribution been equal or fair? How has water become a political issue in the Middle East today? What conflicts have arisen over its scarcity or degradation? How have their impact been felt, depending on class and gender?

POL 341: ^cUrf, Shari^cah, and Qanūn: Legal Systems in the Middle East. The Middle East was historically the “giver of laws” to the west, and today it is not so much the
”absence of the rule of law” that is the problem (as it is so often claimed) but the fact that there are different, deeply rooted systems of law. Three of the principal ones will be examined in this course, the first based in tribal customary law (^cUrf), the second in religious precept of the Qur’an and the Sunnah (Shari^cah), and the third in modern civil law (Qanūn). How are they different? Where do each apply? When do they compete or come into conflict with each other, if at all? What institutions carry out these laws, and how are they different from each other?

REL 201: Islam: History, Tenets, and Rituals. A general overview of Islam: the Qur’an, Hadith, Shari^cah, the main rituals such as prayer and pilgrimage, the different schools of law and sects, and the history of the Caliphate. This course is intended for students who have no background in Islamic theology and history.

REL 211: Introduction to Islamic Civilization: The Modern Muslim World. This course surveys the modern Muslim world, 1500 until today. How do we begin to grasp modern developments and global features of the Muslim world? This course we will use a variety of pedagogic tools. One will be summary overviews, of which both Waldman and Hodgson are indispensable for the entire semester. Another is contemporary novels, of which two, one by the Lebanese chronicler, Amin Maalouf, the other by the Algerian feminist, Assia Djebar, will be read and discussed. Still another is films, and there will be at least two videos shown either in whole or in part during different class sessions. A final device will be the analysis of the modern Muslim world by looking at the most familiar, though unjustified, trope: violence, and for that task the course will use the instructor's own monograph, Shattering the Myth: Islam Beyond Violence.

REL 301: Islam in the Middle East Today. The emphasis of this course is the way Islam is practiced in everyday life and the way it is experienced by different peoples in the Middle East. Is there a difference, for example, between an official version of Islam as taught in the madrasahs and the way people practice their religion in their ordinary lives? Do women experience religion differently than men (for example, dress codes and freedom to divorce)?

Defining religious minorities is difficult. Does it include sectarian as well as ethnic or juridical minorities? How are Muslim minorities distinguishable from other minorities, not only within but also beyond the familiar Asian-African communities labeled 'Muslim'? We address these tough category defining questions, , but also look at how they socio-political prejudgments or policies, especially in the shaping of Muslim minority issues both historically and contemporaneously.

Among readings will be excerpts from Dru C. Gladney. Muslim Chinese: Ethnic Nationalism in the People's Republic (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1991)*; A. Benningsen and S.E. Wimbush. Muslims of the Soviet Empire (sic): A Guide (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1986); Cesar Adib Majul. The Contemporary Muslim Movement in the Philippines (Berkeley: Mizan Press, 1992)*.

SOC 201: Gender and Class in the Contemporary Middle East. In the last three decades, an enormous amount of social scientific research has been done on gender relations in the Middle East. This has been updated by an examination of recent feminist movements, be they in Morocco or Yemen. While work on the poor has also been prominent, only recently have the middle classes and the elites come under scrutiny. Class and gender as well as their interconnections are examined in comparative perspective.

SOC 301: Electronic Media and Social Transformation in the Middle East: film, television, and the Internet. Electronic media have rapidly transformed the face of the world; is the Middle East any exception? Whether one is talking about Iranian blogs, Maghrabian cinema, or Egyptian television, is it only access to information and images that is at stake or also the power to circulate them to audiences around the world and thereby help shape public opinion? Through select case studies, the form that electronic media takes and its varied (and often unexpected) effects on its audiences will be the central topic of the course.

SOC 303: The Middle East as a Transnational Area: migration, global cities, refugees and diasporas. Neither the Middle East nor any other world region (Africa, Latin America, the Far East, etc.) is clearly bounded and self-contained in an era of migration and population displacement, accelerated communications, and economic globalization. How does the study of the region change when New York, for example, has more people of Middle Eastern descent than Damascus or Casablanca? How is Dubai not only a Gulf city but a global one like London or Singapore? What influence do diasporas have on the economics and politics of their home countries? What has the lot of refugees been in the Middle Eastern countries in which they have been relocated (for example, Palestinians in Lebanon, Afghanis in Pakistan, Somalis in Yemen)?