Professor Hsain Ilahiane, 322B Curtiss Hall, 294-6145, hsain@iastate.edu

Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 2-4, or by appointment.

Class Hours:  MWF 11- 11 :50 , Carver 196.

Notes: 

1.  If you would like a hard copy of the syllabus, I will be more than delighted to provide you with a copy.

2.  Iowa State University complies with the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Any student who may require an accommodation under such provisions should contact me as soon as possible and no later than the end of the first week of class or as soon as you become aware. No retroactive accommodations will be provided in this class.

Course Content and Objectives:

This course is an introduction to and critical examination of the anthropological literature on the peoples and cultures of the Middle East , North Africa and Central Asia .  It focuses on social organization, cultural meanings, and political economy and ecology.  The course is designed to give students anthropological insights into the cultures of the Middle East , North Africa and Central Asia through analysis and discussion of ethnography and other genres, including religious commentaries, biography, and academic articles.  Although a variety of sources will be used and suggested, nearly all the reading will be based on ethnography. This course should be of interest to students who are familiar with the region, but also to those who are just curious to learn about contemporary issues shaping the Middle East , North Africa and Central Asia .  Previous knowledge of the Middle East , North Africa and Central Asia is not required.

The course will begin with discussions of colonialism and orientalism, trends in ethnographic writing, and how anthropology has historically approached its study of the Middle East , North Africa and Central Asia .  Using these topics as a foundation for the rest of the course, the course will then delve into various topics such as interpretations of Islam and Judaism, agriculture, development, gender politics, nomadism, social change, and urbanization.       

The reading load of this course is demanding, and you are responsible for the required readings.  As a survey of ethnography, the course focuses explicitly on different styles of representations and the various ways anthropologists and other social scientists frame their discussion about the region. As an anthropology course, different theoretical and practical approaches to the interpretation of social and cultural phenomenon are discussed.  As an international perspectives requirement, coverage of cultural, economic, and political issues is aimed at increasing understanding of the region in general.