PCMES Winter 2012 Courses

Anthropology of Yemen (50 contact hours),Dr. Thomas Stevenson, Anthropology, Ohio University

Among the key questions to be addressed are what is Yemen and what makes someone Yemeni?  How do these ideas differ throughout the country?  What is a tribe?  Why is tribal identity important?  What are other forms of identification? How is gender conceived in Islam, within the tribe, and within different regions? How is gender performed?  Are notions of identity and gender the same in rural and urban centers?

The expectation is that students will take Arabic language courses from the PAL alongside their PCMES studies, as we believe that Arabic language is a vital aspect of understanding the region’s culture.

Classes are conducted in English and mostly in seminar format. However, lectures and cultural performances are periodically presented to the whole student body. While the course work of most classes is equivalent to the average U.S. undergraduate work load (averaging four books, or the equivalent thereof in articles, per semester), it may contain a separate graduate component with a greater number of required readings or simply more challenging and specialized assignments. Depending on the nature of the course, the class might include field trips to various places in Yemen.

Course Description:
Like any society, Yemeni culture is too complex to be analyzed in a short course.  To get as wide an understanding as possible, this course has two main foci, examination of some central components of social organization in contemporary Yemen and the intersection of cultural ideas with development programs.  Among the key questions to be addressed are what is Yemen and what makes someone Yemeni?  How do these ideas differ throughout the country?  What is a tribe?  Why is tribal identity important?  What are other forms of identification? How is gender conceived in Islam, within the tribe, and within different regions? How is gender performed?  Are notions of identity and gender the same in rural and urban centers?  What are the aims of development projects?  How do these goals intersect with local cultures and aspirations?

These topics will be addressed from an anthropological perspective, but the course does not require prior knowledge of anthropology.  Through class-room presentation and discussion, students will acquire the requisite background.  The advantage of having a course on Yemen in Yemen is the ability for students to develop participant observation skills.   Beyond the class-room, students will make on-site visits to a number of locations within Sana’a and outside.   Beyond the specifics of each site, students will develop an understanding of Yemen’s cultural diversity.

The three assigned texts provide the basis for the central topics.  One focuses on the socio-political history of north and south Yemen and their merger.  The next addresses the concept of tribe and tribalism.  The last examines a case of development.   A selection of readings supplements these topics to expand understanding of Yemen.   Comparison to other countries in the region will be presented in class.

Course Requirements: 
You are required to come to class prepared to discuss the readings.  You are required to keep a journal of your experiences in Sana’a, including some required from the attached list (to be developed) and your site visits.   In lieu of an examination, each student will make a presentation on a topic developed from the readings to the college. Class discussion represents 40% of the final grade, diary-writing 30% of the final grade, and the final lecture 30% of the final grade.

Texts:
Shelagh Weir.  2007. A Tribal Order: Politics and Law in the Mountains of Yemen
Paul Dresch. 2001. A History of Modern Yemen
Marina de Regt 2007.  Pioneers or Pawns?: Women Health Workers and the Politics of Development in Yemen

The following outlines of two PCMES field trips from spring 2011 should give students a feel for what to expect from the Winter 2012 course.

Trip to Ibb and Taiz
In early February 2011, the PCMES group was accompanied by their professor, Tom Stevenson and Mohammad Anud, a professor of archeology from Sana’a University on a three day study trip. Students were able to see the vast contrasts in landscape, culture and history in Yemen and benefited from insightful observations and from two professors who know the country so well. In three busy days, we covered a circular loop across Yemen, visiting Ibb, Jibla, Taiz, al-Mokha, Zabid and returning to Sana’a via Menakha. Highlights included an encounter with the governor of Ibb and his bodyguards from Mareb, Jabal Saber and Souq al-Sabt, a market in the Tahama, which we stumbled upon. In addition to learning about the regional history of Yemen, the trip provided an opportunity to put much of the reading and seminars into context.

Trip to Wadi Dhahr
In the last week of the Spring PCMES course, the students had the opportunity to watch tribal dancing at Wadi Dhahr. Unlike trips usually take to dar al-hajar, the former palace of the Imam which is around twenty minutes drive from the college, students took the time to stand and watch tribal dancing, rather than admiring the spectacular views. As a significant element of the PCMES course addressed tribes in Yemen, this brief visit served as a vivid illustration of previous class discussions.