MELC 101, "Gateway to the Middle East and Horn of Africa," introduces the peoples of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa from ancient to modern times. In this course, we will learn about the experiences of these peoples from their own stories, texts, and media. We will engage with diverse cultures, religions, languages, and lifeways. How did people in the ancient Middle East think about their identities? How did religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam start? What's the deal with the Crusades? And much more.
Please note: We will talk about history and politics (including recent developments), but that is not the main focus of the course. Our main focus is learning about people's lives and experiences, and how they choose to express them in stories and media.
Course format: The course has one main professor. Other MELC faculty may guest lecture. On Mondays and Wednesdays, about half the class time will be lecture, and half will be discussion of primary sources and in-class activities related to what we are learning. Friday quiz sections are set up for review, discussion, and taking unit quizzes or working on unit assignments.
Assignments: 4 quizzes or take-home unit assignments, daily in-class activities. No final exam. Homework mostly consists of reading/looking at selections from primary sources before class.
The highlighted things are still under construction. We are currently revising the course to make it more up-to-date, more informative, and more fun! I will update the description once we have pinned these details down. If you have questions, feel free to email me. (Kathryn Medill: kmed1@uw.edu)