Id Globlztn: Contmp Arab Wr

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course has 4 goals: 1.Borrowing from the West. The first one is to unveil a Western influence in the contemporary literary Arab texts. A large part of this literary production carries a thoroughly Western presence, and shows a tremendous knowledge of Western writers from different Western countries. Many Arab authors who belong to the elite class of the Arab world studied in the Western world. Their education is reflected in a way or another in their writings. 2.The question of Arab identity. Our second goal is to decipher another important body of Arab writing that expresses its reaction to the Western influence. These writings consider Western predominance noxious to Arab society and detrimental to Arab identity. As a matter of fact the importation of Western goods, technologies, and fashions, as well as the translation and imitation of Western arts and cultures has dramatically increased during the last years in the Arab world. In front of this ‘invasion’ of the Arab market and mind, many Arab writers today are calling to protecting their identity. They are revisiting issues such as heritage, modernity, culture, and post-modernity. 3.The third goal is to contrast both writings in order to better understand the dilemma that faces today Arab culture as a whole. The most seminal question that will be raised in this course pertains to the solutions that Arabs need today to find in order to bring harmony in their lives. While some authors express their quest to speed up the progress of their societies, others worry about sacrificing their own authenticity and heritage. 4.Finally, the class will read texts that discuss globalization in its relation to identity from both Western and Arab sources. We will endeavor to use them as tools to illuminate the assigned creative works.