Approaches to the Middle East

When and why did the Middle East emerge as a field of study? What are the different approaches that frame our understanding of this pivotal region, and how did they change over time? This upper-level seminar explores these questions within the larger context of colonial and national and encounters that have shaped modern regimes of knowledge production. The class features visits by leading scholars from different disciplines who reflect on the questions they ask and how they go about answering them. Readings range from canonical works to innovative new scholarship. No pre-requisites but previous coursework on this region recommended.