Near and Middle Eastern Studies

MLU22001 Historical and Contemporary Perspective: The Middle East and Europe

Continual assessment

Reading exercises

Description

This module introduces the language of the Hebrew Bible. It introduces the student to the basic structures of Hebrew grammar and simple biblical texts.

MLU22002 Historical and Contemporary Perspectives: The Middle East and Europe

Continual assessment

Reading exercises

Description

This module introduces the language of the Hebrew Bible. It introduces the student to the basic structures of Hebrew grammar and simple biblical texts.

NMU11001 Introduction to the History of the Modern Middle East

Description

This module provides an introductory understanding of the processes that shaped the modern Middle East from the 20th century to today. It seeks to engage with the history of the region from within as it examines themes like colonialism, nationalism, international relations, social and political movements and intellectual trends. This module will provide a foundation for more advanced discussions of politics and society in the region.

NMU11042 Introduction to Jewish History and Culture

Description

The module is designed to facilitate the study of Jewish life, thought and culture from antiquity to the present looking at key centres of Jewish life across the world. In weekly seminars, we trace how historical changes and contexts reshape Jewish life and thought through our engagement with a wide range of sources, including ancient documents, rabbinic texts, philosophical and political writings, fiction, film, and journalistic writings

NMU11071 History and Culture of Ancient Egypt: The World of the Pharaohs

Description

Visually stunning and abundantly documented, Ancient Egypt is perennially fascinating. But as well as being a land of spells, hieroglyphs and buried gold, it is also one of the world’s earliest states – one which exercised a high degree of control over its citizens, and which politicised literacy.

Attempting to do justice to both the dream-like and the practical facets, this one-term course will give you an all-round introduction to Egyptian culture and history, embracing multiple themes (such as art, society, and religion) and tracing them through time, with attention to how things changed.

Much emphasis will be placed on the close interpretations of primary sources (in translation), training you for work in future years. Along the way, you will meet a good number of things you might have expected, such as gods, pharaohs and pyramids, but also some you might not – such as Nile flood levels, Palestinian donkey burials, and garbage in 1970s Arizona.

NMU11051 Introduction to the History of the Ancient Near East

Description

NMU11012 Introduction to Islamic Civilisation

Description

NMU11082 Literary Cultures of the Middle East

Description

NMU22002 Introduction to Hebrew

Description

NMU22121 The Modern Middle East – Regional Perspectives

Description

The aim of this module is to introduce students to intellectual, political, social and cultural trends in the Middle East (nineteenth to twenty-first centuries). Important political, social and cultural developments in the region are studied. In this case, Lebanon will serve as a case study for various trends that influenced the Middle East during the period in question.

NMU23021 Introduction to Turkish Language

Description

This module introduces students to the basics of the Turkish language

NMU22001 Introduction to Hebrew

Description

NMU22011 Modern Standard Arabic Level 1

Zuleika Rodgers

Description

This modules provides an introduction to the basics of Modern Standard Arabic. Students learn to how to read, write and speak the language.

NMU22031 Islam in Europe

Description

This course will begin with a brief history of Islam in Ireland. It will subsequently examine the Islamic “other,” and Muslim identities in Europe from historical and modern perspectives. The focus of the course will then shift to the modern era and to debates concerning Muslims living in Europe, including discussions around secularism, human rights and religious freedoms.

NMU23022 Introduction to Turkish Language

Description

This module introduces students to the basics of the Turkish language.

NMU22172 Comparative Politics of the Middle East

Assessment by submission of work in class

Short Presentation (20%)

Mid-term essay (30%)

End of term essay (50%)

Zuleika Rodgers

Description

The course focuses on the domestic politics of the states of the modern Middle East. It applies the major concepts of political science and adopts a thematic approach to offer a large survey of the region, from North Africa to the Persian Gulf, from World War One to the present day.

Topics that will be covered: Colonialism Identity politics, political economy, state institutions, political ideology, democratization and civil society, gender and youth, leadership and regime change.

NMU22141 Introduction to Modern Hebrew

Description

The module aims to introduce students to Modern Hebrew and provide a foundation for further learning.

NMU22142 Introduction to Modern Hebrew

Zuleika Rodgers

Description

The module aims to introduce students to Modern Hebrew and provide a foundation for further learning.

NMU22012 Modern Standard Arabic Level 2

Zuleika Rodgers

Description

This modules provides an introduction to the basics of Modern Standard Arabic. Students learn to how to read, write and speak the language.

NMU22112 History of the Ottoman Empire

Zuleika Rodgers

Description

The Ottomans created one of the most extensive and long-lasting empires in the history of the world. They became a model for European thinkers such as Machiavelli and Bodin for their military and administrative vigour. Their music inspired Haydn, Mozart and Wagner. Perhaps more importantly, however, they left a very complicated political legacy.The large lands that they once ruled are still replete with economic and social problems. From Serbia to Greece, and from Syria to Albania, people are looking to their ‘Ottoman’ history to understand the problems plaguing their societies. Ottoman history is perhaps more relevant to the world today than at any time since the Empire collapsed at the end of the World War I. In this course, we will try to understand the rise of the Ottoman state from a relatively weak nomadic tribe to a world Empire. The first half of the course focuses on political history and charts the political and military progress of the Ottoman state while the second half concentrates on various political and military institutions.

NMU22211 Early Jewish History and Literature

Description

This module aims to provide students with the key skills and methodological strategies for examining early Jewish history and literature. Commencing with the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and concluding with the late Hellenistic period, it explores the relationship between historical events and the literature produced by Judean scribes. We will examine the ways in which Judean scribes were influenced by Babylonian, Persian, and later, Greek genres of history writing and narrative tales. The social function and background of apocalyptic and wisdom literature is also explored with particular attention paid to Daniel, Enoch, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiasticus and Ecclesiastes. The evolution of Jewish literature from narrative history as a key form of self-definition to apocalyptic or end of the world speculation will be examined against the historical background of the dramatic conditions that arose with Alexander the Great’s conquests of the East.

NMU22222 Jews and European Society

Zuleika Rodgers

Description

Today we see much media coverage and political debate addressing issues of cultural diversity, racism and xenophobia, radical political activism, migrants and refugees and the relationship between the secular and the religious. In examining the story of Jewish history in Europe, we are also challenged to reflect critically on these issues in a variety of historical contexts.

To study Jewish life in modern Europe is an opportunity to trace the history of how this minority experienced and negotiated the constraints and opportunities of a wide range of European societies. With modernity came the possibility for Jews to engage meaningfully as citizens and contribute to the development of the cultures and societies of emerging European nation states. That interplay between larger societies and their Jewish communities and individuals led to the emergence of new Jewish cultural, national and social identities across Europe.

In this module, we examine from a number of perspectives and sources, the development of Jewish life across Europe. Topics include emancipation and integration; Jewish life in the Russian empire and in Eastern Europe; the emergence of different forms of Judaism; antisemitism; mass migration; radical politics, gender issues, and varieties of Jewish national politics.

NMU34171 Human Rights in the Middle East

Description

This module seeks to provide students with an in depth understanding of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa from theoretical and practical perspectives. The module gives an overview of the state of international human rights discourse and looks at the implementation of human rights law in the regions of the Middle East and North Africa. The theoretical perspective will both engage the international human rights system and also consider debates around the universality of rights and the relationship between Islam and human rights.

NMU34101 Media and Politics of the Middle East: Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt

Description

This course explores the region’s cultures, their modes of communication and their impact on society and politics. Media cultures has been the theatre of state control and multiples forms of resistance and cultural expression. This course will be organized around sources and concrete case studies to give students direct interaction with the media and political forms of the region. It adopts a broad scope spanning from the spread of literary culture, the spread and democratization of classical media (radio, television, cinema), and the emergence of new media (satellite television, internet, social media).

NMU33011 Modern Standard Arabic Language Level 2

Description

Students build on their introductory level and develop their skills in reading, writing, comprehension and conversation.

NMU33041 Managing the Gods in Sumer, Assyria and Babylon

Assessment by submission of work in class

Two pieces of written work

Description

A central concern of intellectual and cultural life in Ancient Mesopotamia was ‘managing the gods’ through activities which today we subsume under the labels Magic and Religion. This module, which is taught in translation and presumes no previous knowledge, will introduce you to the study of these topics and to the people behind them. There will be broad thematic overviews but also specific case-studies (such as the ‘Exorcists’ House’ at Assur and the magical ceremony Maqlû). Close attention to primary sources will be paid throughout.

NMU33051 Into/Out of Egypt: Biblical Narratives and Popular Culture

Description

This module considers the continuing use and re-use of Biblical narrative in Western cinema and popular novels, examining how the presentation of the Biblical material differs in each case and how that presentation reflects the time-period, and the religious and political views of the films and novels' directors and authors. It focuses on the representation of the narrative material on Israel in Egypt and the Exodus, examining, among others.

NMU33072 The Ottoman Empire and International Relation in the Early Modern Period

Description

The Ottoman Empire was one of the most important actors of the early modern world. During these centuries, as the Empire entered a period of gradual stagnation, while diplomacy began to gain greater importance with the cessation of military victories. This period is one of complex continuities and breaks; hence, rather than ascribing a teleological continuity to it.

NMU33081 Intermediate Turkish

Description

Intermediate-level Turkish builds on the basics to bring students up to level 2.

NMU33082 Intermediate Turkish

Description

Intermediate-level Turkish builds on the basics to bring students up to level 2.

NMU33101 Intellectual Trends in Early Judaism

Description

This module explores the development of intellectual trends in early Judean and Jewish literature in the Persian and the Hellenistic periods. Throughout it focuses on the encounter between ancient Jewish literature and Greek literature and philosophy. The social function and background of apocalyptic and wisdom literature is also explored with particular attention paid to Daniel, Enoch, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiasticus and Ecclesiastes.

NMU34092 Empire, Colonialism and Globalisation in the Middle East

Description

The aim of this course to introduce the students to a more sophisticated and complex picture of the Empire, together with new ways of looking at various important issues. During our journey, we will discuss the relationship between empire and religion, the dynamics of multi-ethnic and multi-religious empire; the role of cities in fostering global political and economic connections; the creative uses of urban spaces; and the urban transformations brought by modernity and capitalism. While discovering these topics, we will often glimpse into the everyday lives of the city’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious population at different times throughout history.

NMU34162 Jerusalem: The making of a contested city (through time and space)

Description

Jerusalem has captured the imagination of travellers, pilgrims, refugees and conquerors across history, from antiquity to the modern and contemporary periods. This team-taught module examines the history and the representations of this city as it has re-invented itself throughout time and space. At its heart, this course reflects on the act of appropriation and remembrance. What does it mean to belong in a space with such a long history? How has Jerusalem been shaped by successive civilizations and faiths? What are the traces and artefacts that allow us to write its many and plural histories, and how are they themselves the topic of polemics today? Is Jerusalem a cosmopolitan space or a city of exclusions? This module examines Jerusalem as a cultural and a historical artefact, an urban space with a strong symbolic character, and a dynamic and evolving organism.

NMU33012 Modern Standard Arabic Level 2

Description

Students build on their introductory level and develop their skills in reading, writing, comprehension and conversation.

NMU33122 Modern Arab Intellectual History

Essay 1 (30%): Mid-term

Essay 2 (50%): End of term

Presentation (20%): Variable

Description

Week 1: Islamic Reformism (al-Afghani and Abduh)

Week 2: The Arab Renaissance (Tahtawi, Amin)

Week 3: Nationalism (al-Husri, Arslan)

Week 4: National Culture (Hussein and Mahfouz)

Week 5: Pan-Arabism (Aflaq, Nasser)

Week 6: Communism and Leftism

Week 7: Palestine Question (Zurayq, Kanafani)

Week 8: 1967 Critique (al-Azm, Laroui, Mernissi)

Week 9: Islamic Revival

Week 10: Political Islam

Week 11: Arab Liberalism (Jabri, Ibrahim, Saadawi)

NMU33132 Genesis through the Ages

Description

Part 1: Text and Origins

Part 2: Interpretation and Representation

Part 3: Contemporary Debates

NMU33152 Introductory Sumerian

Description

This module will give students a grounding in Sumerian grammar of the late Third and early Second Millennia BC, and a basic knowledge of the Cuneiform script. Sessions will include presentation of the grammar and class reading of set texts. These will initially be drawn from brick inscriptions, progressing to extracts from literary works of the Old Babylonian period.

NMU34052 Sick Man of Europe? State and Society in the Late Ottoman Empire

Description

The aim of this course is to look at the history of the late Ottoman Empire and the early Turkish republic together and revisit some major issues. This course will first give particular consideration to the problems already pressing the Ottoman Empire during the late eighteenth century. The ways in which these pressures disseminated the seeds for later developments during Mahmud’s reign will be examined in great details. In the process, we shall also discuss the Empire’s reform efforts during the Tanzimat and Hamidian Eras. Although primarily concerned with political history, the development of Ottoman citizenship, the impact of cultural Westernization, the effects of economic modernization will also be reviewed.

NMU34022 History of Disease and Disaster in the Middle East

Description

NMU33142 Dumuzi’s Dream: Making a film in Ancient Sumerian

Description

NMU34011 Jews of Egypt

Description

NMU34082 Islam and Gender

Description

NMU44011 Modern Standard Arabic: Level 3

Description

NMU44151 The Postcolonial Mediterranean

Description