Program Contact: Nita Prasad   203-582-3729

The minor in Middle Eastern Studies facilitates the interdisciplinary study of the Middle East, offering insights into the language, history, culture, politics and religions of this ethnically diverse geographical region. The program recognizes the interconnectedness of the peoples of the Middle East, and emphasizes the interactions between the Middle East and the wider global community, in both the past and present. Courses included in the minor encompass the Arab World, Turkey, Israel, Iran and North Africa. While current political and military conflicts are covered, no single topic, academic discipline or political ideology dominates the programming; students are able to engage with a number of approaches and disciplines, ranging from ancient Middle Eastern religions to contemporary political economies of Middle Eastern countries.

Select six of the following courses (18 credits) after consultation with the program director:18
Elementary Arabic I
Elementary Arabic II
Introduction to Modern Hebrew
Introduction to Elementary Modern Hebrew II
The Holocaust
Twentieth-Century World History
The Middle East, 1300-1919; Critical Issues
Introduction to International Relations
Middle Eastern History and Politics
Borders & Battles: Conflict and the Legacy of Empire
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Total Credits18

Special topics courses relevant to the minor are offered on a rotating basis to supplement the courses listed above. Examples include Introduction to Judaism or The Anthropology of Morocco: Gender and Indigeneity.