Turkish
The courses below are offered through the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies.
For questions about specific courses, contact the department.
Language Placement
African Languages: Mariame Sy, 310 Knox
212-851-2439
sms2168 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/african/
Arabic: Taoufik Ben-Amor, 308 Knox
212-854-2895
tb46 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/arabic/
Hebrew: Rina Kreitman, 413 Knox
212-854-6519
rk2617 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/hebrew/
Hindi-Urdu: Rakesh Ranjan, 411 Knox
212-851-4107
rr2574 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/hindiurdu/
Persian: Ghazzal Dabiri, 313 Knox
212-854-6664
gd2287 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/persian/
Sanskrit: Guy Leavitt, 311 Knox
212-854-1304
gl2392 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu">gl2392 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/sanskrit/
Tamil: Sam Sudanandha, 309 Knox
212-854-4702
dss2121 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/tamil/
Turkish: Zuleyha Colak, 313 Knox
212-854-0473
zc2208 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu
Web: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mesaas/languages/turkishottoman/
Placement Test
Enrollment in language courses is, in some cases, determined by placement examinations. Contact the department or visit the department's website for additional information. Please note: language courses may not be taken Pass/Fail nor may they be audited.
For questions about specific courses, contact the department.
Courses
Readings in translation and discussion of texts of Middle Eastern and Indian origin. Readings may include the Quran, Islamic philosophy, Sufi poetry, the Upanishads, Buddhist sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Indian epics and drama, and Gandhis Autobiography.
Course Number
AHUM1399V002Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
002/13236Enrollment
13 of 20Instructor
Sarah bin TyeerReadings in translation and discussion of texts of Middle Eastern and Indian origin. Readings may include the Quran, Islamic philosophy, Sufi poetry, the Upanishads, Buddhist sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Indian epics and drama, and Gandhis Autobiography.
Course Number
AHUM1399V003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
003/16570Enrollment
20 of 20Instructor
Elaine van DalenCourse Number
AHUM1399W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/00676Enrollment
14 of 18Instructor
Matthew KeeganCourse Number
AHUM1399W004Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
004/00810Enrollment
18 of 20Instructor
Nathanael ShelleyThis course explores the core classical literature in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Humanities. The main objective of the course is to discover the meanings that these literature offer, not just for the original audience or for the respective cultures, but for us. As such, it is not a survey or a lecture-based course. Rather than being taught what meanings are to be derived from the texts, we explore meanings together, informed by in-depth reading and thorough ongoing discussion.
Course Number
AHUM1400V001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/12486Enrollment
19 of 20Instructor
Seong-Uk KimThis course explores the core classical literature in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Humanities. The main objective of the course is to discover the meanings that these literature offer, not just for the original audience or for the respective cultures, but for us. As such, it is not a survey or a lecture-based course. Rather than being taught what meanings are to be derived from the texts, we explore meanings together, informed by in-depth reading and thorough ongoing discussion.
Course Number
AHUM1400V003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
003/12488Enrollment
22 of 20Instructor
Zachary Berge-BeckerThis course explores the core classical literature in Chinese, Japanese and Korean Humanities. The main objective of the course is to discover the meanings that these literature offer, not just for the original audience or for the respective cultures, but for us. As such, it is not a survey or a lecture-based course. Rather than being taught what meanings are to be derived from the texts, we explore meanings together, informed by in-depth reading and thorough ongoing discussion.
Course Number
AHUM1400V004Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
004/12803Enrollment
21 of 20Instructor
John PhanIntroduces distinctive aesthetic traditions of China, Japan, and Korea--their similarities and differences--through an examination of the visual significance of selected works of painting, sculpture, architecture, and other arts in relation to the history, culture, and religions of East Asia.
Course Number
AHUM2604V001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 13:10-14:25Th 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
001/13863Enrollment
22 of 22Instructor
Cathy ZhuThis course explores the Crusades from the perspective of those who were invaded. We will place most emphasis on the period from 1095 to 1291, from the First Crusade to the moment when the Mamluks expelled the Latin Crusaders from the Middle East. Through both secondary sources and primary sources, we will aim to understand how Muslims, Jews, and Eastern Christians responded to the presence of invaders from Latin Europe.
Course Number
ASCM2000X001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 13:10-14:25Th 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
001/00747Enrollment
2 of 25Instructor
Matthew KeeganCourse Number
ASCM2003V001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
001/10437Enrollment
49 of 60Instructor
Alison VaccaCourse Number
ASCM2113V001Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
001/13684Enrollment
14 of 15Instructor
Erik Aldritch Blackthorne-O'BarrCourse Number
ASCM2113V002Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 19:10-20:00Section/Call Number
002/13685Enrollment
13 of 15Instructor
Erik Aldritch Blackthorne-O'BarrCourse Number
ASCM2113V003Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 14:10-15:00Section/Call Number
003/13686Enrollment
8 of 15Instructor
Yosra HusseinCourse Number
ASCM2113V004Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 15:10-16:00Section/Call Number
004/13688Enrollment
10 of 15Instructor
Yosra HusseinIntroduction to Indian civilization with attention to both its unity and its diversity across the Indian subcontinent. Consideration of its origins, formative development, fundamental social institutions, religious thought and practice (Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh), literary and artistic achievements, and modern challenges.
Course Number
ASCM2357V001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
001/00674Enrollment
83 of 95Instructor
Rachel McDermottThis seminar focuses on Arabic literature in the world, as World Literature. The focus will be on pre-modern and modern Arabic literary works that traveled and circulated and were adapted to and acquired individual meanings in different cultures. We will look at literary works that achieved ‘worldliness’ through either writing back to the center or through
international literary prizes. We will consider how literary works travel and circulate through their fusion with regional concepts, or even take on new meanings at different times and places. Admittedly, also, we will look into the strengths, weaknesses, and criticism surrounding World Literature.
Course Number
CLME3221W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10663Enrollment
9 of 20Instructor
Sarah bin TyeerCourse Number
CLME3928W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/10660Enrollment
24 of 25Instructor
Muhsin Al-MusawiThis course covers the epistemologies and main theological and philosophical standpoints of a wide range of Islamic intellectual traditions. It will explore how different groups of scholars accumulated knowledge of God and the universe in the Classical Islamic world, a period which in many ways can be considered formative for contemporary Islam. We focus on various bodies of knowledge as these were developed from the 7th-c. 13th centuries AD. Each week covers a separate theological, philosophical, or scientific tradition, after which the class will explore the tensions and syntheses between various competing worldviews.
Course Number
CLME4210W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/20666Enrollment
3 of 20Instructor
Elaine van DalenCourse Number
CLME4226G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/10661Enrollment
24 of 25Instructor
Muhsin Al-MusawiCourse Number
CLME6020G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 18:10-20:00Section/Call Number
001/10662Enrollment
8 of 12Instructor
Timothy MitchellCourse Number
HSME2915W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
001/10664Enrollment
15 of 30Instructor
Mamadou DioufThis undergraduate course offered in the context of the Global Core component of the Core Curriculum is an examination of the globally popular HBO series “Game of Thrones” as a prototype for a comparative understanding of the larger question of epics and empires. In this course we expand the domains of our interests and inquiries far wider and divide our syllabus into four parts: (1) Westeros: The Mythic Empire; (2) Persia: The First Empire, (3) America: The Last Empire; and (4) On Epics and Empires. Our objective will be to examine the main themes and overall arch of “Game of Thrones” into wider mythic, heroic, and transhistorical dimensions of our contemporary history.
Course Number
MDES1030W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 10:10-11:25Tu 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
001/10438Enrollment
212 of 210Instructor
Hamid DabashiDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C001Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
001/13317Enrollment
25 of 23Instructor
Prateek PaulDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C002Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 19:10-20:00Section/Call Number
002/13318Enrollment
21 of 22Instructor
Prateek PaulDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C003Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 17:10-18:00Section/Call Number
003/13319Enrollment
24 of 23Instructor
Aude TournayeDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C004Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
004/13320Enrollment
24 of 22Instructor
Aude TournayeDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C005Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 17:10-18:00Section/Call Number
005/13321Enrollment
18 of 15Instructor
Ruwa AlhayekDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C006Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
006/13322Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Ruwa AlhayekDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C007Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 09:10-10:00Section/Call Number
007/14177Enrollment
21 of 22Instructor
Hazem FahmyDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C008Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 09:10-10:00Section/Call Number
008/14263Enrollment
23 of 23Instructor
Hazem FahmyDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C009Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
009/18828Enrollment
24 of 23Instructor
Lama SuleimanDiscussion section to accompany the course, "Game of Thrones": On Epics and Empires.
Course Number
MDES1031C010Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 19:10-20:00Section/Call Number
010/18829Enrollment
12 of 22Instructor
Lama SuleimanAn introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1210W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:45Tu 11:40-12:45We 11:40-12:45Th 11:40-12:45Section/Call Number
001/13071Enrollment
11 of 12Instructor
Reem FarajAn introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1210W002Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:15Tu 10:10-11:15We 10:10-11:15Th 10:10-11:15Section/Call Number
002/13072Enrollment
7 of 12Instructor
Rym BettaiebAn introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1210W003Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 13:10-14:15Tu 13:10-14:15We 13:10-14:15Th 13:10-14:15Section/Call Number
003/13074Enrollment
10 of 12Instructor
May AhmarAn introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1210W004Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 08:50-09:55Tu 08:50-09:55We 08:50-09:55Th 08:50-09:55Section/Call Number
004/13075Enrollment
11 of 12Instructor
Nasr AbdoPrerequisites: First Year Arabic I or instructor permission. An introduction to the language of classical and modern Arabic literature. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1211W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:15Tu 10:10-11:15We 10:10-11:15Th 10:10-11:15Section/Call Number
001/13076Enrollment
10 of 12Instructor
Ouijdane AbsiIn Elementary Armenian I, students learn the Armenian script and the basic grammar that will enable them to communicate about topics relating to themselves and their immediate surroundings: family, school, daily occupations, describing people, expressing likes and dislikes, requesting and giving information about themselves and others, proper forms of greetings, etc. They also begin to read signs, advertisements, and develop the skills to read texts like short stories and Armenian fables. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1301W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 13:10-15:00Th 13:10-15:00Section/Call Number
001/13678Enrollment
6 of 10Instructor
Charry KaramanoukianCourse Number
MDES1401W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 09:10-10:00Tu 09:10-10:00We 09:10-10:00Th 09:10-10:00Section/Call Number
001/12416Enrollment
20 of 21Instructor
Jay RameshThis is an introductory course for which no prior knowledge is required. Equal emphasis is given to listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, or paragraph writing. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1501W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:15Tu 10:10-11:15We 10:10-11:15Th 10:10-11:15Section/Call Number
001/10942Enrollment
6 of 12Instructor
Illan GonenThis is an introductory course for which no prior knowledge is required. Equal emphasis is given to listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar. Daily homework includes grammar exercises, short answers, reading, or paragraph writing. Frequent vocabulary and grammar quizzes. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1501W002Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:45Tu 11:40-12:45We 11:40-12:45Th 11:40-12:45Section/Call Number
002/10943Enrollment
8 of 12Instructor
Illan GonenCourse Number
MDES1601W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:15Tu 16:10-17:15We 16:10-17:15Th 16:10-17:15Section/Call Number
001/10286Enrollment
20 of 19Instructor
Aftab AhmadCourse Number
MDES1608W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:45Tu 14:40-15:45We 14:40-15:45Th 14:40-15:45Section/Call Number
001/10287Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Rakesh RanjanPrerequisites: a knowledge of basic vocabulary and limited speaking and listening skills in Urdu. This is an accelerated course for students of South Asian origin who already possess a knowledge of basic vocabulary and limited speaking and listening skills in Urdu. They are not expected to know how to read and write in Urdu but are able to converse on familiar topics such as self, family, likes, dislikes and immediate surroundings. This course will focus on developing knowledge of the basic grammar of Urdu and vocabulary enrichment by exposing students to a variety of cultural and social topics related to aspects of daily life; and formal and informal registers. Students will be able to read and discuss simple Urdu texts and write about a variety of everyday topics by the end of the semester. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES1614W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:45Tu 14:40-15:45We 14:40-15:45Th 14:40-15:45Section/Call Number
001/10288Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Aftab AhmadCourse Number
MDES1701W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 15:10-16:00Tu 15:10-16:00We 15:10-16:00Th 15:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/12856Enrollment
6 of 15Instructor
Saeed HonarmandCourse Number
MDES1901W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 14:10-16:00We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/10922Enrollment
5 of 15Instructor
Zuleyha ColakIn this course we will study the late colonial and early post-colonial periods of South Asian history together. Some of the events we will cover include: the climax of anti-colonial movements in South Asia, WWII as it developed in South and Southeast Asia, the partition of British India, the two Indo-Pakistan wars, and the 1971 Bangladesh War. While we will read selected secondary literature, we will focus on a range of primary sources, including original radio broadcasts and oral history interviews. We will also study artistic interpretations of historical developments, including short stories and films. In this course, we will strive to remain attentive to the important changes engendered by colonialism, while simultaneously recognizing the agency of South Asians in formulating their own modernities during this critical period. We will also seek to develop a narrative of modern South Asian history, which is attentive to parallel and/or connected events in other regions.
Course Number
MDES2042W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 10:10-11:25Tu 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
001/10724Enrollment
21 of 29Instructor
Isabel Huacuja AlonsoCourse Number
MDES2101W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 13:10-14:00Tu 13:10-14:00We 13:10-14:00Th 13:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/12415Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Jay RameshPrerequisites: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES2201W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:45Tu 11:40-12:45We 11:40-12:45Th 11:40-12:45Section/Call Number
001/13077Enrollment
11 of 12Instructor
Rym BettaiebPrerequisites: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES2201W002Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:15Tu 10:10-11:15We 10:10-11:15Th 10:10-11:15Section/Call Number
002/13080Enrollment
5 of 12Instructor
Nasr AbdoPrerequisites: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES2201W003Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:15Tu 16:10-17:15We 16:10-17:15Th 16:10-17:15Section/Call Number
003/13079Enrollment
8 of 12Instructor
May AhmarPrerequisites: MDES W1210-W1211 or the equivalent. A continuation of the study of the language of contemporary writing. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES2202W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 08:50-09:55Tu 08:50-09:55We 08:50-09:55Th 08:50-09:55Section/Call Number
001/13081Enrollment
7 of 12Instructor
Ouijdane AbsiCourse Number
MDES2208W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:15Tu 10:10-11:15We 10:10-11:15Th 10:10-11:15Section/Call Number
001/13082Enrollment
12 of 15Instructor
Youssef NouhiCourse Number
MDES2301W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 15:50-17:30We 15:50-17:30Section/Call Number
001/13679Enrollment
1 of 10Instructor
Charry KaramanoukianThis colloquium is a course on many influential texts of literature from Ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Sumerian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Hittite, Canaanite, and others. The emphasis is on investigating the literary traditions of each culture – the subject matter, form, methods, and symbolism– that distinguish them from one another and from later traditions of the Middle East. The course is not
a “civilization” course, nor is it a history class, although elements of culture and history will be mentioned as necessary. The course is intended to provide a facility with, and an awareness of, the content and context of ancient works of literature in translation from the Ancient Middle East.
Students in this course will gain a familiarity with the major cultures of the Ancient Middle East, the best known and most remarked upon stories, and the legacy of those works on some later traditions. The course is organized thematically in order to facilitate comparison to the materials in similar courses at Barnard and Columbia. The approach will be immediately familiar to students who have previously taken Asian Humanities (AMEC) or Literature-Humanities (Core), but the course does not require any previous experience with literature or the Ancient Near East and is open to everyone.
All assigned readings for the course will be in English. The course meets once a week and sessions are two hours long.
Course Number
MDES2399W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/00811Enrollment
4 of 20Instructor
Nathanael ShelleyCourse Number
MDES2401W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 10:10-12:00Tu 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/12683Enrollment
6 of 12Instructor
Jay RameshCourse Number
MDES2501W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:45Tu 11:40-12:45We 11:40-12:45Th 11:40-12:45Section/Call Number
001/10944Enrollment
14 of 14Instructor
Danielle Katz-ShenharThis course focuses on Modern Hebrew grammar, and verb conjugation in particular. It is designed for students with substantial knowledge of Modern Hebrew. Over the semester, students will systematically review the grammatical patterns of regular verbs (shlemim), and learn the grammatical patterns of the irregular verbs (gzarot), as well as several other grammatical topics. After successful completion of this course, the foreign language requirement will be fulfilled (for students of Columbia College and other academic units that require a 4th-semester proficiency). Successful completion of this course also allows students to register in third-year Modern Hebrew.
Course Number
MDES2516W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 13:10-14:25We 13:10-14:25Th 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
001/11666Enrollment
4 of 12Instructor
Illan GonenCourse Number
MDES2517W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
001/10945Enrollment
6 of 12Instructor
Danielle Katz-ShenharCourse Number
MDES2601W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 13:10-14:15Tu 13:10-14:15We 13:10-14:15Th 13:10-14:15Section/Call Number
001/10289Enrollment
4 of 15Instructor
Timsal MasudPrerequisites: Elementary Persian II or the equivalent. This course involves reading, writing, translating, conversation and grammatical foundations for Persian Language (PL). The materials are selected from two books: Āmuzesh-e Fārsi: Intermediate Level (required) and English-Persian Dictionary, plus verb system and charts (recommended). These books are assigned and have to be available to every student. There are also handouts, which will be provided throughout the course. This course serves as intermediate and makes students able to read and compose proper Persian language as well as the colloquial one. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES2701W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-12:00We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/12857Enrollment
6 of 15Instructor
Saeed HonarmandCourse Number
MDES2901W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 12:10-14:00We 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/10923Enrollment
7 of 15Instructor
Zuleyha ColakRequired of all majors. Introduces theories of culture particularly related to the Middle East, South Asia. and Africa. Theoretical debates on the nature and function of culture as a symbolic reading of human collectivities. Examines critical cultural studies of the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Enables students to articulate their emerging knowledge of Middle East, South Asian, and African cultures in a theoretically informed language.
Course Number
MDES3000W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
001/10666Enrollment
78 of 90Instructor
Debashree MukherjeeCourse Number
MDES3001W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Section/Call Number
001/20993Enrollment
2 of 5Instructor
Jay RameshCourse Number
MDES3001W002Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Section/Call Number
002/21138Enrollment
1 of 5Instructor
Saeed HonarmandCourse Number
MDES3005W001Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 17:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/13689Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Nadeem MansourCourse Number
MDES3005W002Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
002/13690Enrollment
14 of 15Instructor
Nadeem MansourCourse Number
MDES3005W003Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 17:10-18:00Section/Call Number
003/13691Enrollment
16 of 15Instructor
Furkan SenturkCourse Number
MDES3005W004Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
004/13692Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Furkan SenturkCourse Number
MDES3005W005Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 17:10-18:00Section/Call Number
005/13693Enrollment
18 of 15Instructor
Elias TaweelCourse Number
MDES3005W006Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 18:10-19:00Section/Call Number
006/13694Enrollment
2 of 15Instructor
Elias TaweelHistorians frequently situate Armenia between two powers: between Rome and Persia, then Byzantium and Islam. This class will shake up the usual “between-two-worlds” paradigm, which places Armenia and Armenians in the crosshairs of world powers. Instead, we will study Armenians as active participants in world dramas, at the center of global developments. Our main goal will be to draw upon a variety of sources to tell the story of Armenia and Armenians: histories, poems, art, coins, buildings, etc.
Goals
- Critically assess what it means to study history. [Why are we learning this?]
- Analyze primary sources, whether written or material. [How can we study this?]
- Engage with modern scholarship on Armenian experiences. [How have other people studied this?]
Course Number
MDES3335W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/13154Enrollment
8 of 25Instructor
Alison VaccaHow does anticolonialism shape the political present and future(s) of South Asia? This syllabus explores this question by reflecting on how political and social concepts formulated by anticolonial thought have impacted public life in South Asia in the last century. In particular, it explores how anticolonial concepts gain thicker meanings and implications through the experiences and challenges of constitutionalism and democracy in postcolonial societies.
This course explores themes such as Anticolonial Worldmaking, Anti-Caste Assertion, Founding Moments for Post-Colonial Democracies, Representation and Citizenship in Uneasily Secular Societies, the Everyday Life of the Law, Religious Nationalism, and recent debates on Environmental Rights and Data Privacy and Security. Each of these themes are designed to understand how anticolonialism, constitutionalism and democracy address the dilemmas of deep diversity in South Asia.
Course Number
MDES3622W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/18154Enrollment
5 of 25Instructor
Shaunna RodriguesThis class offers a survey of major works of twentieth-century South Asian literature. We will read
Raja Rao, Rokeya Hossain, Ismat Chughtai, Viswanadha Satyanarayana, Amrita Pritam, and
Romesh Gunesekera. Emphasis will be placed on studying the thematic, formal, and stylistic
elements of works and developing critical skills necessary for literary analysis. Works will engage
with questions of nation & nationalism, gender & sexuality, caste, environment, and literary history.
Course Number
MDES3632W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/13234Enrollment
14 of 15Instructor
Sourav ChatterjeeThis seminar, designed for seniors, aims to acquaint students with the notion and theoretical understanding of culture and to introduce them to a critical method by which they can study and appreciate contemporary culture in the Arab World. The seminar will survey examples of written and cinematic culture (fiction and autobiography), as well as music, dance, and literary criticism in the contemporary Arab world. Students will be reading novels, autobioghraphies and literary criticism, as well as watch films and listen to music as part of the syllabus. All material will be in translation. Films will be subtitled. Songs will be in Arabic.
Course Number
MDES3920W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10668Enrollment
7 of 24Instructor
Joseph MassadCourse Number
MDES3923W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10670Enrollment
15 of 25Instructor
Wael HallaqPrerequisites: minimum GPA of 3.5 in MESAAS courses. The MESAAS honors seminar offers students the opportunity to undertake a sustained research project under close faculty supervision. The DUS advises on general issues of project design, format, approach, general research methodologies, and timetable. In addition, students work with an individual advisor who has expertise in the area of the thesis and can advise on the specifics of method and content. The thesis will be jointly evaluated by the adviser, the DUS, and the honors thesis TA. The DUS will lead students through a variety of exercises that are directly geared to facilitating the thesis. Students build their research, interpretive, and writing skills; discuss methodological approaches; write an annotated bibliography; learn to give constructive feedback to peers and respond to feedback effectively. The final product is a polished research paper in the range of 40-60 pages. Please note: This is a one-year course that begins in the fall semester (1 point) and continues through the spring semester (3 points). Only students who have completed both semesters will receive the full 4 points of credit.
Course Number
MDES3960W001Format
In-PersonPoints
1 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 17:10-19:00Section/Call Number
001/10672Enrollment
4 of 25Instructor
Alison VaccaThe aims of this seminar are 1) to introduce students to the broad parameters of urban South African history 2) to familiarize students with the immense creativity and resilience of African peoples, even in the most difficult colonial contexts 3) to illustrate how race, class and gender were socially, historically and politically constructed in South Africa 4) to guide students in the completion of an original research paper on some aspect of black South African urban life 5) to enhance student appreciation for the ways in which a researcher's perspective and interests influences their interpretation of sources 6) to make visible the ways in which research outcomes are shaped by a researcher's choice of source material 7) to develop student research and writing skills.
This course provides only a bare introduction to the history of South Africa. The chief aim is to provide students with a hands-on opportunity to conduct original research and to help students develop skills in documenting African agency and resilience in the face of colonial oppression, often by ‘reading between the lines’ of state-produced documents.
Course Number
MDES4142W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/16558Enrollment
2 of 10Instructor
Laura FairCourse Number
MDES4160W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/15312Enrollment
7 of 15Instructor
Mahmood MamdaniCourse Number
MDES4210W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 08:50-09:55Tu 08:50-09:55We 08:50-09:55Th 08:50-09:55Section/Call Number
001/13083Enrollment
8 of 12Instructor
Youssef NouhiCourse Number
MDES4212W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-12:00We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/13084Enrollment
3 of 10Instructor
Taoufik Ben-AmorCourse Number
MDES4218W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 14:10-16:00Th 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/13157Enrollment
8 of 15Instructor
Reem FarajAdvanced instruction in the Armenian dialect. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES4310W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Fr 11:00-13:00Section/Call Number
001/13680Enrollment
0 of 5Instructor
Charry KaramanoukianThis 4000-level course examines how societies grapple with the legacy of mass violence, through an exploration of historical texts, memoirs, textbooks, litigation, and media reports and debates on confronting the past. Focusing on case studies of the Herero Genocide, the Armenian genocide during WWI, and the Holocaust and the Comfort Women during WWII, students investigate the crime and its sequelae, looking at how societies deal with skeletons in their closets ( engaging in silence, trivialization, rationalization, and denial to acknowledgment, apology, and repair); surveying responses of survivors and their descendants (with particular attention to intergeneration transmission of trauma, forgiveness, resentment, and the pursuit of redress); and dissecting public debates on modern day issues that harken back to past atrocities.
Course Number
MDES4357W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10903Enrollment
29 of 30Instructor
Khatchig MouradianCourse Number
MDES4501W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 12:10-14:00We 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/10959Enrollment
5 of 12Instructor
Naama HarelCourse Number
MDES4510W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-12:00We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/10960Enrollment
8 of 12Instructor
Naama HarelSince the ascent of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India in 2014, Hindu nationalism has dominated headlines concerning India across the globe. However, the influence that Hindu nationalism has had in shaping beliefs about citizenship, belonging, religion, and the nation has a history that predates the Modi regime by around a hundred and fifty years. This class will examine the history of Hindu nationalism from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century by examining primary texts and academic analysis. This class will not only read the writings of key Hindu nationalist thinkers but will also examine how different media and technologies have affected how Hindu nationalists communicate with different publics. In particular, this class will examine topics such as space/ geography, caste and community, gender, technology and media, and diasporic Hindutva.
Course Number
MDES4606W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/15258Enrollment
11 of 20Instructor
Christine Marrewa KarwoskiCourse Number
MDES4624W001Format
In-PersonPoints
5 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 10:10-12:00Tu 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/10299Enrollment
10 of 15Instructor
Rakesh RanjanThis course is a broad cultural history of gender, sex, religion, and power in South Asia over the longue durée. Readings will examine these topics in early modern and modern Indian cultures and have been chosen not so much with a view toward comprehensiveness but for variety–– allowing us to explore gender and sexuality in diverse topics such as religion, literature, politics, visual culture, and historiography.
Course Number
MDES4626W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/20734Enrollment
9 of 20Instructor
Christine Marrewa KarwoskiCourse Number
MDES4640W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 18:10-20:00Th 18:10-20:00Section/Call Number
001/10300Enrollment
8 of 15Instructor
Aftab AhmadWhile helping students advance their levels of oral and written expression, this course focuses on literature of the modern and medieval periods, with particular emphasis on the development of the modern novella and traditional and new forms of poetry. In addition to literature, students are introduced to a wide variety of genres from political and cultural essays and blogs to newspaper translations of the early 20th century. They will be further exposed to ta´rof in reference to a wide variety of socio-cultural contexts and be expected to use ta´rof in class conversations. Students will be exposed to popular artists and their works and satirical websites for insight into contemporary Iranian culture and politics. No P/D/F or R credit is allowed for this class.
Course Number
MDES4710W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Mo 12:10-14:00We 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/12858Enrollment
4 of 15Instructor
Saeed HonarmandCourse Number
MDES4910W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/10924Enrollment
4 of 15Instructor
Zuleyha ColakCourse Number
MDES4926W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/10925Enrollment
5 of 15Instructor
Dilek OztoprakCourse Number
MDES5000G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/11046Enrollment
7 of 25Instructor
Timothy MitchellCourse Number
MDES6008G001Format
In-PersonPoints
2 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10673Enrollment
10 of 25Instructor
Mana KiaCourse Number
MDES6144G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10665Enrollment
10 of 10Instructor
Mamadou DioufThis seminar is based entirely on the primary sources of Ṣūfism, including the writings of Qushayrī, Nūrī, Muḥāsibī, Sarrāj, Ghazālī, Hujwīrī, Ibn ʿArabī, Suhrawardī, Shaʿrānī, and al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī. We will explore how the leading Ṣūfīs saw themselves and the ways in which they articulated their identity. This is also articulated in the ways they organized their works and constructed the biographies of their ethical exemplars. We will study their major concepts and descriptions of their own experiences, and then theorize their subjective formations as “hermeneutics of the subject.” Inasmuch as this seminar is about how we study and view Ṣūfism, it is also as much about the various ways this conception of the world can inform a basis of a set of critiques of modernity and its epistemologies and practices.
Course Number
MDES6236G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
We 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/10671Enrollment
6 of 10Instructor
Wael HallaqCOURSE DESCRIPTION
This graduate seminar situates the history of photography within the history of colonial productions of tropicality, and the concomitant occupation of tropical places. Specific regimes of vision accompanied the European conquest of peoples and lands, undergirded the racialization of bodies, and colluded in epistemic binaries of centers and peripheries. At the same time, modern visual media did not possess an intrinsically “colonial gaze.” Rather, many of the same apparatuses of seeing and representation proved to be powerful tools in the assertion of minoritized selves, be it in fugitive , playful, or explicitly confrontational forms. Our focus will be on 19th -20th century lens-based image production, particularly photography. Each week we will acquaint ourselves with concepts and methods that will help us read images, situate current decolonial debates in visual studies within older foundational debates on vision and visuality, and read key texts in historiography. Weekly readings are curated as per a spatial logic, retracing the itineraries of colonial adventurism and control: from the ship to the island, the plantation, the prison, and the laboratory. This seminar is designed mainly for doctoral students; Masters students can join with instructor permission.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Familiarity with foundational debates in photography studies.
• Ability to articulate the relationship between a history of vision, the production of space, and the epistemic techniques of colonialism.
• A comparative history of colonized islands and archipelagoes construed as “tropical.”
• Methods in postcolonial, anti-colonial, and decolonial reading of texts and images.
Course Number
MDES6625G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/10667Enrollment
12 of 20Instructor
Debashree MukherjeeCourse Number
MDES8000G001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Section/Call Number
001/20990Enrollment
3 of 5Instructor
Wael HallaqCourse Number
MDES8000G002Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Section/Call Number
002/21009Enrollment
1 of 5Instructor
Gil AnidjarCourse Number
MDES8000G003Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Section/Call Number
003/21137Enrollment
1 of 5Instructor
Saeed HonarmandCourse Number
MDES8000G004Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2023
Section/Call Number
004/21165Enrollment
1 of 5Instructor
Muhsin Al-MusawiCourse Number
MDES8008G001Format
In-PersonPoints
0 ptsFall 2023
Times/Location
Th 15:10-17:00Section/Call Number
001/18153Enrollment
10 of 20Instructor
Gil HochbergThis course is designed to introduce graduate students to some of the key issues and terrains of scholarship in Swahili Coastal historiographies. Students will become familiar with some of the central intellectual debates and cornerstone texts, although the reading list is far from exhaustive. We will examine how some of the key issues and locations of research have shifted over time and discuss how and why national politics have shaped regional historiographies in the ways that they have. Of equal, or likely greater, importance is attention to how changes in intellectual theory and methods have impacted the form that scholarship has taken.