America in Modern Arab Lit

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

The relationship between the Arab world and the US is a complex one often fraught with misunderstandings, stereotypes, and ignorance from both sides. This course will shed light on the intricacies of this link through novels and poems from different parts of the Arab world that deal with the representation of America. The course follows chronologically this interaction from the beginning of last century until today. This approach would help us answer the following question: has the portrayal of America changed with time or is it still the same? What are the elements that make this representation favorable or dismissive? Most importantly, the course delves into the question of modernity. It explores how this major and innovative literature introduced new paradigms in Arabic literature that transformed Arabic writing forever.