Arab American Studies (AAST)

AAST 5676     Arab Americans Since 1890     3 Credit Hours

This course traces immigration from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine (Bilad al Sham) to the U.S. from the 1890?s to the present. We begin by utilizing theories on immigration and ethnicity in order to understand patterns of settlement, work, and leisure, and examine the Arab Americans? religious life, press, and evaluate their membership in unions and political parties. Participants will gain knowledge of the immigrants? past achievements and more recent scholarship on their development in public and private spheres. The course includes activities in local institutions, researching archival material, and contact with community leaders. This course will provide knowledge of the historical roots of the Arab Americans? adjustment to life as U.S. citizens and will prepare the students for further inquiry. Graduate Students can expect to evaluate archival manuscript collections, lead class discussions and could engage original research.

Restriction(s):
Can enroll if Class is Graduate

AAST 5678     Middle Eastern Diasporas     3 Credit Hours

This course explores the diasporas of Arabs, Turks, Assyrians, and Iranians living in Europe and the Americas that have occurred since the 1880s. It pays careful attention to how "aspects of diaspora" shape, mimic, transect, and undermine the political and economic regimes of which they are part. The reception of Middle Eastern communities in different national contexts and historical periods receive special attention as do their adaptive strategies as religious, ethnic, gendered, and racialized minorities. Those enrolled in the graduate level of the course pursue additional readings and assignments.

Restriction(s):
Can enroll if Class is Graduate

AAST 573     Arab American Women Writers     3 Credit Hours

Examines the literary and cultural contributions of Arab and Arab American women novelists, poets, and artists to the development and consolidation of the cultures of understanding and coexistence; explores the tensions between citizenship and belonging, race and the politics of fear, gender and geographical mobility, and ethnic minorities and mainstream consciousness; discerns how Arab women writers and artists retool their various artistic endeavors to channel socio-political disenchantment, critique and civil disobedience; stresses how literary and artistic productions of heterogeneous number of Arab American women writers and artists can indeed foster alternative visions of socio-cultural coexistence, dialogue, and hospitality via artistic commitments to technical and stylistic experimentation and renovation.

AAST 590     Topics in Arab Amer Studies     3 Credit Hours

The content of this course will vary. All courses which will run under this number will cover Arab American issues. (OC)