HIST 411
Happy Holidays! A Comparative History of Commemorations and Festivals
Last Offered Fall 2017
Division II Writing Skills Exploring Diversity Initiative
Cross-listed REL 321 / ARAB 411
This course is not offered in the current catalog

What do our holidays tell us about ourselves and our societies? This seminar in religious, political and cultural history is in two parts. In the first half, we will explore the major holidays and festivals that emerged in the Middle East among the three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). It will examine how certain events became ritualized and then spread to different parts of the globe and were adapted to specific cultural situations. We will consider the role of myth and commemoration and how various religious holidays are celebrated in different ways around the world. The second part of the seminar focuses on secular holidays with particular attention to the Modern Middle East. Which events are commemorated and how and what are the political implications of these celebrations?