Alchemy of Emotions: Middle Eastern Stages, Screens, & Pages

How is the emotional, bodily experience of watching a film, a stage production, a performance, or reading a text alone different from experiencing it with friends in a dimly lit space? Do vibes, feelings, and tones sparked by art forms differ across bodies, regions, cultures, and media? Do emotions such as melancholia, euphoria, and sadness feel the same in every city? Or are they historically, artistically, cross-culturally conjured into specific forms? Do emotions evaporate? Or are they contagious, bouncing across bodies and geographies, re-membered from our past, shaping our future? This seminar looks at a wide range of art forms within broader social, aesthetic, and historical contexts. Students will gain critical tools for analyzing emotions, tones, and atmospheres across text, screen, and stage. We’ll ask not only what art means, but what it stirs—and what lingers.