ARAB 412
Advanced Readings in Contemporary Arabic Literature
Last Offered n/a
Division I
This course is not offered in the current catalog

This course, taught in Arabic, aims at providing students with a deeper understanding of contemporary Arab literature. By navigating different literary moments, foci and genres, the course will offer a panoramic view of the contemporary literary map of the region. While the course will focus on some mainstream writers such as the Egyptian Naguib Mahfouz and the Sudanese Tayyib Salih, it will also feature stateless and non-canonical writers such as Alaa Al-Sarky and young poets using ‘amiyya’ or colloquial Arabic as their main tool of expression. We will read short stories, excerpts from novels, literary critiques, interviews with authors, examples of classical and lyrical poetry, as well as watch a number of movies based on literary adaptations. Through examining representative literary texts from various parts of the Arab region, students will not only broaden their awareness of the socio-political and cultural dynamics emanating from these works, but will also improve their linguistic and stylistic knowledge of Arabic at more sophisticated levels.