Course Descriptions
Please check the Caesar for the most updated information about course offerings. For more information on Language Learning, please review our Proficiency Goals specific to each language.
Arabic Language Courses
ARABIC 111-1, 2, 3: First-Year Arabic (Fall, Winter, Spring)
First-Year Arabic is a three-quarter sequence providing a thorough grounding for listening, speaking, reading, and writing Arabic. The course follows the integrated approach which blends the standard Arabic, Fuṣḥā, and the dialect or colloquial language, āmmiyya, in a way that reflects the authentic practice of native Arabic speakers. To develop reading and writing skills, we will be using Modern Standard Written Arabic called Fuṣḥā. To develop speaking and listening skills, we will be using an educated spoken version of the āmmiyya of the Levantine dialect. The integrated approach is an effective, logical, and economical method of instruction that successfully teaches the complexities of the Arabic sociolinguistic and diglossic situation and prepares students fully for the realities of the Arabic world.
Course Prerequisite: None. Students with prior knowledge of Arabic (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Arabic placement exam before being allowed to register.
ARABIC 121-1, 2, 3: Second-Year Arabic (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Second-Year Arabic is a three-quarter sequence which builds on skills acquired in first-year Arabic. The course follows the integrated approach which blends the standard Arabic, Fuṣḥā, and the dialect or colloquial language, āmmiyya, in a way that reflects the authentic practice of native Arabic speakers. To develop reading and writing skills, we will be using Modern Standard Written Arabic called Fuṣḥā. To develop speaking and listening skills, we will be using an educated spoken version of the āmmiyya of the Levantine dialect. The integrated approach is an effective, logical, and economical method of instruction that successfully teaches the complexities of the Arabic sociolinguistic and diglossic situation and prepares students fully for the realities of the Arabic world.
Course Prerequisite: Arabic 111-3 with a C- or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
ARABIC 211-1, 2,3: Third-Year Arabic (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Third-Year Arabic is an intermediate level two-quarter course in which students will continue to advance their proficiency in Arabic language and learn more about the culture and the people of the Middle East. The course follows the integrated approach which blends the standard Arabic, Fuṣḥā, and the dialect or colloquial language, āmmiyya, in a way that reflects the authentic practice of native Arabic speakers. The integrated approach is an effective, logical, and economical method of instruction that successfully teaches the complexities of the Arabic sociolinguistic and diglossic situation and prepares students fully for the realities of the Arabic world. The course will enhance learners’ ability to read, write, understand and discuss challenging authentic Arabic text from different sources. This will include a variety of textual resources from newspapers, magazines, journal articles, audio and video clips, short stories and other relevant material.
Course Prerequisite: Arabic 121-3 with a C- or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
ARABIC 316-2: Reading Classical Arabic Texts: Manuscripts (Fall)
This course is an Introduction to Arabic Islamic Manuscripts (Codecology) with Applied Exercises. The course is dedicated to the study of the manuscript literature of the Arab Islamic civilization and heritage. It uses seven different Arabic scripts to provide the students interested in Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, with a professional and functional linguistic skills that enable them in the future to do research in the field of Arabic Islamic studies. While decoding the text, we will also delve into a literary analysis of the text and learn about style, new vocab, calligraphy, and advanced grammar concepts. Students will continue their learning of Arabic while reading an ancient Quranic sura/manuscript.
Course Prerequisite: Arabic 211-3 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area.
ARABIC 316-3: Reading Modern Arabic Prose: I am an Arab (Winter)
This course is for undergraduate and graduate students as well as post doc researchers who are interested in exploring contemporary writings and how they have become a tool for forming national identities. Under the theme of "I am an Arab", the course offers an invaluable opportunity to engage with literary works of the Modern Middle East (roughly spanning the period from 1910-1980) cohesively examining the power of the written word within the historical, political, and cultural breadth of the region. The readings represent the region's best writers: authors are bound together not by the borders and nationalities that separate them, but by a common experience of colonial domination and Western imperialism. Student engaged in this course will learn foundational analytic skills such as the study of elements and imagery, sounds, forms, and writing styles, characteristics and development over time, which form the bases for analyzing a poem in its historical and political framework. Student will also refine their linguistic abilities in Arabic: in-depth analysis of each reading will improve the understanding of syntax and style; in-class discussions, reflections and oral presentations will enhance the acquisition of vocabulary and idioms; and short and longer guided writing assignments will help students assimilate in an informed way how meaning emerges through rhythm, word choice, style, and context.
Course Prerequisite: Arabic 211-3 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area.
Hebrew language courses
HEBREW 111-1, 2, 3: First-Year Hebrew (Fall, Winter, Spring)
First-Year Hebrew is a three-quarter course designed to develop all four language skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) as well as provide a cultural foundation. The course is based on Hebrew from Scratch, a comprehensive textbook with grammar and interactive exercise for the beginning adult learner. The instructions for the exercises as well as the translations of the vocabulary lists are in English. Otherwise, the course is all in Hebrew, creating an important immersive environment for the students throughout the year.
Course Prerequisite: None. Students with prior knowledge of Hebrew (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Hebrew placement exam to be placed in the correct class.
HEBREW 121-1, 2, 3: Second-Year Hebrew (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Second-Year Hebrew is a three-quarter sequence which will cover comprehensive grammar explanations and examples as well as cultural themes. The purpose of the course is to enlarge the student’s vocabulary, reinforce and expand their knowledge of Hebrew grammar, and deepen their knowledge of Israeli culture. Class will consist of interactive exercises for the intermediate learner, readings in a level-appropriate difficulty with more information on Israeli daily life and reality, and listening in the form of songs and clips in Hebrew.
Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 111-3 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Students with prior knowledge of Hebrew (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Hebrew placement exam to be placed in the correct class.
HEBREW 211-1: Third-Year Hebrew (Fall)
TIn this course you will learn essential grammatical concepts and structures in Hebrew not introduced in the first two years of Hebrew instruction such as future tense, the conditional, the imperative, and several other important grammatical constructions that are used in newspaper articles and literary texts, as well as in spoken Hebrew. The purpose of this class is to equip you with some useful Hebrew knowledge and skills that will both strengthen your foundation of Hebrew and will also prepare you to other Hebrew third year class, such as Hebrew 216 (focusing on literary texts and cinematic works with a theme that changes from course to course), and Hebrew 245 (Hebrew class about Israeli media). The structure of this class will be similar to other third year Hebrew classes in its thematic anchor around which the linguistic topics will be learned. This class’s theme is Leisure, Hobbies and Volunteering and the new grammatical concepts will be introduced via units that lend themselves to these new grammar structures. Like other third year Hebrew classes, the course materials will be in varied genres and media such as newspaper articles, blogs, short stories, poems, clips and TV shows, songs, and meetings with speakers on zoom.
Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 121-3 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
HEBREW 216-2: Topics in Hebrew Literature: Between Two Writers - Sayed Kashua and Etgar Keret (Winter)
"I'm still writing to you, maybe because I want you to give me a little hope", wrote Sayed Kashua to Etgar Keret in an exchange of letters between the two, after Kashua left Israel in 2014. Sayed Kashua is an "Israeli Arab", a Palestinian who was born and raised in Israel and studied in the Israeli education system. Kashua writes in Hebrew about his complex identity, and in addition to his novels and columns he has also written scripts for TV shows and movies. Etgar Keret is an Israeli Jewish writer, a son of Holocaust survivors, who wrote several short story collections and children books, as well as scrips for movies and TV series. Students in this class will read texts of Kashua and Keret and will also watch films written by the two. Students will be introduced to the stylistics of each of these writers, the unique fingerprints of each one of them, along with the traits they share as writers. A special emphasis will be on the language of each writer, the registers of Hebrew he uses, as well as the grammar structures and vocabulary, including slang and expressions unique to Hebrew. This class is intended for students who completed 2 years of Hebrew learning in NU or the equivalent and for students who passed the placement exams in Hebrew. Class requirements are weekly homework assignments, presentations, and short essay writing. A final project will be given in lieu of an exam.
Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 121-3, or permission of the instructor.
Language & Fine Arts Distro Area
HEBREW 216-3: Topics in Hebrew Literature: The Four-Dimensional Jerusalem (Spring)
In this course, students will gain a deeper understanding of some of the complexities of Israeli culture through the specific example of Jerusalem. In this class we will learn about the dramatic history of Jerusalem - one of the most ancient cities in the world - and how this history affects the current intricacies of this unique city. We will read and watch a poetry slam performance about Jerusalem, a short story that takes place in the Machane Yehuda Market, and we will also dive into a unique art project that took place in Jerusalem and we will converse (in Hebrew!) with the Jerusalemite artist that created this project. Another topic we will explore is the relationship between Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem. The thread running through all the people, projects and places we will encounter in this class is the diverse community of people in this city and the fragile and complex circumstances in which they coexist.
Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 121-3, or permission of the instructor.
Language and Fine Arts Distro Area.
HEBREW 316-1: Advanced Topics in Hebrew Literature: Biblical Stories and Modern Poems in Hebrew (Fall)
In this class we will read a selection of biblical stories in their original language, biblical Hebrew, a reading which will enable us to see the immense influence of biblical Hebrew on modern Hebrew language. We will then read modern Hebrew poems that are based on the stories we have read. We will analyze both the biblical stories, the Hebrew poems, and the connections between them. All course materials will be in Hebrew, as well as class discussions. This class is intended for students who are either heritage speakers of Hebrew or are in a very advanced level of Hebrew.
Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 216-3, or permission of the instructor.
Language and Fine Arts Distro Area.
Jewish Studies 280-6-1: Otherness and Othering in Israeli Film (Winter)
In this course you will learn essential grammatical concepts and structures in Hebrew not introduced in the first two years of Hebrew instruction such as future tense, the conditional, the imperative, and several other important grammatical constructions that are used in newspaper articles and literary texts, as well as in spoken Hebrew. The purpose of this class is to equip you with some useful Hebrew knowledge and skills that will both strengthen your foundation of Hebrew and will also prepare you to other Hebrew third year class, such as Hebrew 216 (focusing on literary texts and cinematic works with a theme that changes from course to course), and Hebrew 245 (Hebrew class about Israeli media). The structure of this class will be similar to other third year Hebrew classes in its thematic anchor around which the linguistic topics will be learned. This class’s theme is Leisure, Hobbies and Volunteering and the new grammatical concepts will be introduced via units that lend themselves to these new grammar structures. Like other third year Hebrew classes, the course materials will be in varied genres and media such as newspaper articles, blogs, short stories, poems, clips and TV shows, songs, and meetings with speakers on zoom.
Jewish Studies 279-0-1: Yiddish, Our Setting Sun: Yiddish Literature and Culture in the 20th Century (Spring)
Yiddish, which was developed in the Middle Ages as a Judeo-German language, became the language which most Jews had spoken in Eastern and Western Europe until the Second World War. We will begin the class with learning about the origins of Yiddish and its development into becoming the most widespread Jewish language in Europe. We will then fast forward to the 18th and 19th centuries and the era of secularization among Jewish communities, where Western European Jews saw Yiddish as a degraded language while among Eastern European Jews Yiddish became a language of bursting literary expression and flourishing literature. Persecution, poverty, the dissolution of becoming part of intellectual Europe, and Zionist ideology were all reasons for many young Jewish people to immigrate to the US and Palestine in the first decades of 20th century. While Jewish immigrants in the United States sought connections to Yiddish and clinged to it as a remnant of their old world, Yiddish was rejected in Palestine (and later in Israel) as representing the "old and weak Jew" and threatening the status of Hebrew. We will examine the texts of major Yiddish writers from the beginning of the 20th century in the literary centers of Yiddish at the time; Eastern Europe, United States, and Palestine. An important part in our class will be the geographical move of Yiddish from its "natural" habitat of Eastern Europe to the US and Palestine, and the element of loss and grief which was strongly present in the writing of Yiddish poets and authors, during the upheavals in Europe in the two World Wars, and especially after the Holocaust. Class materials will be comprised of articles and book chapters to provide the historical, cultural, and political context of the eras we will discuss, and of essays, short stories, and poems translated from Yiddish to English. No previous knowledge of Yiddish or of Yiddish culture or history is required. All course materials will be in English, as well as the lectures and class discussions.'
Course Prerequisite: None. Taught in English
Language and Fine Arts Distro Area.
Persian language courses
Persian will not be offered in 2023-2024. Please contact the the MENA Languages Program Director for further information about when Persion will be offered.
Turkish language courses
TURKISH 111-1, 2, 3: First-Year Turkish (Winter, Spring, Fall 24)
First-year Turkish is a three-quarter introductory course in modern Turkish. This course aims to introduce students to the essential points of modern Turkish grammar and vocabulary to develop basic reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. The course also provides insights into modern Turkish culture through the language. With this in mind, the textbook is supplemented by additional printed and audio-visual materials provided by the instructor.
Course Prerequisite: None. Students with prior knowledge of Turkish (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Turkish placement exam before being allowed to register.
MENA 290-6: Foodways of Turkey: A Multi-Ethnic Look at Food, Culture and Identity (Winter)
This course is taught in English. In this course we will explore the complex relationships between food, culture and society through the lens of Turkish food from the Middle Ages to the present. Using an array of primary and secondary sources from history, anthropology, literature, film and media, we will situate culinary practices and their use in constructing and expressing cultural, regional and national identities within the social, historical and political context of Turkey and the wider Middle East. We will study the consumption of and attitudes toward specific foodstuffs, gauging the relevance of items like coffee in the pre-modern world and baklava in modern politics. We will investigate the role of minorities and immigrants in shaping culinary practices in and outside of Turkey; the effects of climate change on food production and scarcity; the role of globalization on national cuisine; and representations of Turkish food culture in world literature and film.
Course Prerequisite: None. Taught in English
Language and Fine Arts Distro Area?Foundations
MENA 290-6: Women in Turkish Popular Culture (Spring)
When we think of popular culture, we think of film, music, television, sports and fashion, among other things. But popular culture is never solely an amusement or diversion. Although entertainment is ostensibly the main purpose of popular culture, through the consumption of this ‘entertainment,' popular culture also shapes individual and societal values and beliefs. In this course, we will examine representations of women in Turkish popular culture and how popular culture generates and articulates understandings of gender and sexuality in contemporary Turkey and beyond. We will also focus on how these representations affect gender roles and expectations. We will consider how differences in identity, class, race, and sexuality may shift the way women are represented and even valued within popular culture. Through critical readings and discussions, we will also explore how women interact with these representations and create their own representations and counter narratives in response. We will study a variety of media, including film, television, music, sports, and social media from the last two decades of Turkish history, to examine popular portrayals of women and what they tell us about women's roles and related tensions and anxieties played out in popular culture. In addition to case materials, we will also read general theoretical works on women, gender, and popular culture from anthropology, gender studies, and media and cultural studies.
Course Prerequisite: None. Taught in English
Language and Fine Arts Distro Area/Foundations