SIS 2215 - The Arab World

Since 9/11 many people have lamented the lack of knowledge students and other people have about the outside world, especially the Middle East, the Arab and Muslim cultures. In ancient times, the present Middle East was the “cradle of civilization” and the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. What is the Arab World today? It is an unknown and misunderstood world in turmoil.

This course will offer an introduction to and an overview of the history, culture, politics and current events of the Arab world in the Middle East and Africa. The students will also be introduced to Islam, the dominant religion of the region, the various contributions of Arabs and Muslims to world civilization in various areas and disciplines, i.e. art and music, physics and astronomy, medicine and mathematics, literature and philosophy, the Islamic legacy of Spain, the Arab-American community and its contribution to culture and politics in the United States. One integral part of the class is a weekly discussion of current events in the Arab World, i.e. the situation in Iraq, US policy toward the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the US war on terrorism.
International Nonwestern, Sophomore Interdisciplinary Studies