Syllabus

Syllabus

The course involves close reading and active discussion as well as a series of reflections on the reading posted to the class electronic forum. A five page comparative analysis of some aspect of Greek, Christian, and Islamic thinking about the individual, the community, the state, or the divine is due Wednesday, September 24. You base this essay on class reading. In the second block of the course, you prepare a longer (10-12 page) primary source-based research paper due in draft on Friday, October 10 and in final form on October 17th. A final examination concludes the course. Because of the importance of class discussion, missing class is not an option.

Required Reading

Homer	The Odyssey
Grant	The Ancient Mediterranean
Aeschylus	Oresteia
Aristotle	On Politics (selections)
Augustine	Confessions
Armstrong	Muhammad
Peters	A Reader on Classical Islam
Pirenne	Mohammed and Charlemagne
Pico della Mirandola	Oration on the Dignity of Man (on line)
Machiavelli	The Prince
Ibn Khaldun	The Muqaddimah (selections)
Mahfouz	Midaq Alley
Calvino	Mr. Palomar
Selected Readings


Class Sessions
Pre class posting
Study the maps

Mon. Sept. 1	Introduction
Tues., Sept. 2	Place experienced and imagined Grant: Appendix William & Pitman (xerox) Odyssey: bks. 1-8

The Ancient Mediterranean

Wed., Sept. 3 a & b	The Human dimension Odyssey: bks. 9-14 Grant: 6 7:30 p.m. follow up discussion of The Things They Carried
Thurs., Sept. 4	A Greek Sea Odyssey: bks. 15-24 Grant: 7
Fri., Sept. 5 a & b	The reach of the gods I Aeschylus: Agamemnon
Mon., Sept. 8 a & b	Reach of the gods II Aeschylus: Libation Bearers; Eumenides
Tues., Sept. 9 Wed., Sept. 10	State and citizen: the polis Aristotle (on reserve, Tutt Library): Bk. I, 1-2. 4-7, 12-13; Bk. III, 1-2, 17-18; Bk. VII, 1-9, 13; Bk. VIII, 1-3 Grant: 8, pp. 185-208 Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.: meet with John in Rastall
Thurs., Sept. 11	A Roman Sea Grant: 8, pp. 208-28; 9-10 Begin Augustine, bks. 1-3
Fri., Sept. 12	State and citizen: republic to empire Augustine, bks. 4-7
Mon., Sept. 15 Tues., Sept. 16	Reach of the gods Augustine: bks. 8, 11-12 Genesis: bks. 1-9 (on line) "End of the Roman Empire" (film)

Medieval Mediterranean

Wed., Sept. 17 a & b	West and East: Rome's "fall" Pirenne: Pt. I, 1-3
Thurs., Sept. 18	Origins of Islam I Peters: 1 Armstrong: Introduction, 1-5 Source project: 1:00 in Tutt Library
Fri., Sept. 19	Origins of Islam II Armstrong: 6-9
Mon., Sept. 22 a & b	Faith and practice Peters: 3 (1-13, 24-27); 4 (3-7, 13, 29); 8 (17) Armstrong: 10
Tues., Sept. 23	An Islamic Sea Pirenne: Pt. II, 1-2
Wed., Sept. 24	Essay due Pirenne: Pt. II, 3, Conclusion
Block Break
Mon., Sept. 29	Europe emerges Pirenne: Pt. II, 3, Conclusion
Tues., Sept. 30	Islamic orthodoxy Peters: 4 (20-21, 23, 25-28); 5 (1-2, 6, 10-11, 16-18, 21-24); 6 (8-12, 16); 8 (1-4, 6-12) Paper topics due
Wed., Oct. 1	Paper conferences, a.m. and p.m. "El Cid" [film]
Thurs., Oct. 2	West against East: A European Sea Fulcher of Chartres: 1-3 Ibn al-Athir and others on the First Crusade http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/worldreach/assets/docs/crusades/IndexArab.html Anna Comnena: bk. 10 (5-11); 11 (1-6) Crosby (xerox) Paper conferences, p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 a & b	Conflict and connection Ibn Rushd Aquinas Peters: 7 (1-2, 4, 6-7, 10-14, 17, 19)

Modern Mediterranean

Mon., Oct. 6	Divine order: man the mortal god Pico della Mirandola: Oration
Tues., Oct. 7 Wed., Oct. 8	State and citizen: principalities Machiavelli Begin Ibn Khaldun
Thurs., Oct. 9	State and citizen II Ibn Khaldun
Fri., Oct. 10	New centers Read Mahfouz
Mon., Oct. 13 Tues., Oct. 14	State and citizen: colonies Mahfouz "Battle of Algiers" [film] Drafts due [Monday]
Wed., Oct. 15 Thurs., Oct. 16	Postmodern divinities Calvino
Fri., Oct. 17	Confronting modernity Visit of Professor Mustapha Tlili Essay due
Mon., Oct. 20	In each other's eyes Said and critics (xerox)
Tues., Oct. 21	Clash or confluence? Huntington and critics
Wed., Oct. 22	Final Examination

Susan Ashley	1425 North Tejon 389-6529 (Office) 636-2185 (Home) E-Mail
John Cropper	222 North Uintah E-Mail