Reel Arabs: Film and Fiction in the Middle East

4 credits · Undergraduate

This course introduces students to the main themes and tropes in contemporary Arab cultural production. Within an analytical framework, the course surveys a variety of examples from the written and cinematic culture. These include films, fiction, autobiographies, documentaries, music as well as critical articles and essays. The texts engage a wide range of topics including desire, gender, Islam, colonialism, revolution, nationalism, borders, and refugees in the modern Arabic-speaking world. Ultimately, the course seeks to provide a critical method that will enable students to study and appreciate contemporary Arab culture. Knowledge of Arabic is not required.