Near East Studies

This course is the first semester of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, one of the oldest languages in the world. This class focuses on Middle Kingdom hieroglyphs (2055-1650 BC), when many scribes were trained and the writing was notably clear and grammatical. Students begin by learning the ancient Egyptian alphabet and how to write the letters, and go on to learning vocabulary, writing and translation. By the end of this class, students are able to understand, read, and write basic ancient Egyptian sentences; understand basic ancient Egyptian grammar; and read ancient Egyptian historical and biographical texts.

This course is an anthropological account of the culture and social organization of the people of the Middle East, with a special focus on the Arab world. Drawing on ethnographic accounts, visual representations and fieldtrips, it looks into how anthropologists have analyzed the transformation of the various structures – economic, political, social, and cultural – that are taking place in the contemporary period. The course analyzes of contemporary debates in anthropological engagements with and in the Middle East and North Africa. It explores the histories of ethnographic research in the Middle East and North Africa, colonialism and post-independence experiences, power and representation, performance and the arts, religious sensibilities, gender and kinship networks.

This course consists of further reading of Egyptian texts with an introduction to the new Egyptian language of the later periods of Pharaonic history. In order to introduce students to epigraphy, they are required to copy and study texts from the Cairo Museum. This is the fourth installment of the two-year sequence spent learning the signs, vocabulary, and grammar of Ancient Egyptian. Regular class attendance, active participation, and weekly assignments are crucial for grasping the material. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the material before coming to class.

The course offers an interdisciplinary overview of politics and security in contemporary Iran. It examines Iran’s geopolitical, geostrategic, and geographical significance in the region and analyzes key domestic security challenges facing the state. Adopting a knowledge-based and experiential approach, the course explores six interconnected divisions shaping Iran and its regional context: social (class divisions), societal (identity-based divisions), national (people–state relations), political (internal divisions within the political system), regional (regional rivalries), and international (great power politics). The course provides an intellectual and analytical framework for understanding the complex issues facing Iran and its ties to regional and global dynamics.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of Jordan’s culinary traditions and their connections to culture, history, and identity. The course combines a historical/anthropological approach with an overview of contemporary practices around food in Jordan to understand evolving notions of cuisine within its national culture (lifestyles, techniques, media, and representations). While Jordan’s cuisine once aggregated local and imported traditions as national in nature, it has seemingly undergone a reverse process since the start of the twenty-first century, diversifying into multiple contexts (and recipes) under the pressure of factors such as affordability, politics, and social media. This course fosters a comparative approach around the preparation of food and related rituals, offering direct experiences of Jordan cuisine as it is thought about, prepared, served, and received.

This course explores the dynamic interplay between gender, space, and state policies in Iran, focusing on how women navigate and resist the gendered narratives imposed by the state. By examining both historical and contemporary contexts, the course delves into the ways Iranian women, from various backgrounds and walks of life, have engaged with modernity, anti-modernity, and state-driven agendas. Through a mix of theoretical frameworks and case studies, students gain insights into the strategies used by women to resist and negotiate oppressive structures, with an emphasis on the spatial aspects of their resistance.