ARAB 275 Corruption and Subjection in the Arab World

A selection of literary works and films from the Arab world will be analyzed in the context of historical, cultural, social, and political developments from the last decades of the 20th century. The texts, in various genres - short story, novel, memoir, poetry - will highlight the heterogeneity and complexity of Arab countries, such as: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Some of the main themes that we will cover include: tradition versus religion, challenges of modernity, gender relations, social (im)mobility, and generational gap. The course will be conducted in English.