Modern Middle East Studies
Modern Middle East Studies courses
Council on Middle East Studies Web site
Directors of undergraduate studies: Ellen Lust, Rm. 105, 8 Prospect Pl., 432-3648, ellen.lust-okar@yale.edu; Beatrice Gruendler, 317 HGS, 432-7522, beatrice.gruendler@yale.edu
FACULTY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM OF MODERN MIDDLE EAST STUDIES
Professors
Abbas Amanat (History), Gerhard Böwering (Religious Studies), Mine Eder (Visiting), Benjamin Foster (Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations), Steven Fraade (Religious Studies), Frank Griffel (Religious Studies), Beatrice Gruendler (Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations), Dimitri Gutas (Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations), Marcia Inhorn (Anthropology), Lilia Labidi (Visiting), Ivan Marcus (History), Asghar Rastegar (School of Medicine), W. Michael Reisman (Law School), Sallama Shaker (Visiting)
Associate Professors
Ala Alryyes (Comparative Literature), Ellen Lust (Political Science)
Assistant Professors
Narges Erami (Anthropology), Kaveh Khoshnood (Public Health), Adria Lawrence (Political Science), Colleen Manassa (Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations), Andrew March (Political Science), Hala Khamis Nassar (Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations), Kishwar Rizvi (History of Art), Youval Rotman (History)
Lecturers
Adel Allouche (History, Religious Studies), Tolga Koker (Economics), Nadia Marzouki (Visiting)
Senior Lector II
Ayala Dvoretzky
Senior Lectors
Fereshteh Amanat-Kowssar, Shiri Goren, Fatma-Nihan Ketrez
Lectors
Muhammad Aziz, Ghassan Husseinali, Shady Nasser
The Modern Middle East Studies major focuses on the culture, history, religion, politics, and society of the modern Middle East in its full geographical breadth, using any of its four major languages, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish. Courses are selected from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and from other departments in the humanities and social sciences, including Anthropology, History, History of Art, Judaic Studies, Political Science, and Religious Studies. The Modern Middle East Studies major gives students the language skills necessary to understand complex issues of the Middle East, and serves as excellent preparation for graduate study or for business and professional careers in which an understanding of that region is essential.
Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites in Modern Middle East Studies, but prospective majors should keep the language requirement in mind while planning their course schedules (see below).
Language requirement. All students are required to complete a year of language training at the third- or fourth-year level, depending on their level of competence. Students may apply two course credits at the third- or fourth-year level of language study toward the twelve-course major requirement. Courses that may be applied toward the major include ARBC 150a, 151b, and PERS 150b.
Requirements of the major. Twelve term courses are required for the major, including three foundational courses in modern thought, classical thought, and the modern Middle East. Six elective courses on the modern Middle East examine culture and thought, history, religion, politics, and society. Elective courses are to be spread geographically and substantively, and must focus on at least two different sub-regions and originate in at least two different departments. The proposed course of study must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies.
Senior requirement. Students in the major undertake a one- or two-term senior essay that involves use of materials in one or more modern Middle Eastern languages. The student selects an adviser from among the faculty with competence in an appropriate language. A prospectus and outline, signed by the adviser, must be submitted to the director of undergraduate studies by the end of the fourth week of classes in either term of the senior year. Senior essays are graded by the adviser and a second reader. See the course description of the senior essay course (MMES 498a, 499b) for additional information. Alternatively, majors take an additional seminar and write an essay in that course.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisites: None
Number of courses: 12 term courses
Distribution of courses: Foundational courses in modern thought, classical thought, and the modern Middle East; 6 electives spread geographically and substantively, focusing on at least 2 sub-regions and from at least 2 depts
Language requirement: One year of third- or fourth-year study in Middle Eastern lang
Senior requirement: Senior essay (MMES 498a, 499b) or addtl sem
