Middle Eastern Humanities: An Introduction to the Cultures of the Middle East
An Introduction to the Cultures of the Middle East
Published on 23. August 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
334 pages
978-0-7575-8312-4 (ISBN)
Description
Middle Eastern Humanities: An Introduction to Cultures of the Middle East combines the guided, step-by-step and interactive style of a textbook with a sophisticated and sympathetic approach to the cultural logics of tradition and innovation of the Middle East. The book will be useful for teachers and students, as well as those educating themselves about this critical region of the world. Each chapter starts with an introduction by the author, an anthropologist and historian who writes and teaches about Syria, Islam, nationalism, gender, media and popular culture. Each chapter then includes readings by Middle Eastern and Western scholars, journalists and historical actors to deepen the point. Finally, study or discussion questions prompt the reader to apply the material to practical situations. The book is divided into sections on methodology (the value of a humanities approach and debunking stereotypes), diversity and environment (geography, food and diverse lifestyles), Islam (its origins, practices and beliefs, family life and durabilities and vulnerabilities as a social system), cultural expressions (literature, art, science, music and dance traditions) and current hybrids (electronic media and popular culture in predominantly young societies). Following a program used successfully in the University of Arizona's General Education program for a decade, this book prepares students and readers for a trajectory of further study, professional engagement or appreciation of the complexities of this critical region of the world.
More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Iowa
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
New edition
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 203 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-7575-8312-4 (9780757583124)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
- PART 1 PRELIMINARIES
- Chapter 1 The Humanities
- Why Study Middle Eastern Humanities?
- Losing the Liberal Arts ~ Valerie Saturnen
- Top Ten Reasons to Study Humanities ~ Roberta Vandermast
- Chapter 2 Stereotypes
- On Stereotypes
- Orientalism: A Brief Definition ~ Edward Said
- The Meaning and Significance of Stereotypes in Popular Culture ~ Jack Nachbar and Kevin Lause
- Among the Norse Tribes ~ Judith Gabriel
- Arabs in America ~ Philip Harsham
- PART 2 DIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENT
- Chapter 3 Geography
- Resources and Access
- The Middle East ~ lan R. Manners and Barbara McKean Parmenter
- The Struggle for Islamic Oil ~ Juan Cole
- Chapter 4 Food
- Agriculture and Civilization
- The Muslim Gardens of Paradise ~ Clifford Wright
- On the Flatbread Trail ~ Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
- A Harvest of Legume Research ~ Lynn Teo Simarski
- Wine of Arabia ~ Paul Lunde
- Chapter 5 Hospitality
- Meat, Ritual, and Hospitality
- Environment: Land, Animals, and Special Skills ~ Donald Cole
- PART 3 ISLAM: UNITY AND POWER
- Chapter 6 Messenger and Message
- Muhammad's World
- The Medium and the Message ~ Ingrid Mattson
- Chapter 7 Islamic Practice
- Orthodoxy, Orthopraxis, and Unity
- Islamic Values and Social Practice ~ Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban
- The Hajj ~ Ismail Ibrahim Nawwab
- Fasting Days, Festive Nights ~ Sarah Gauch
- Chapter 8 Islamic Fault Lines
- Authority and Centrifugal Forces
- The Other Islam ~ Vali Nasr
- Chapter 9 Women and Family
- A Gender Revolution?
- Childhood in the Harem ~ Huda Sha'arawi
- Weddings in Egypt ~ Patti Jones Morgan
- PART 4 CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS
- Chapter 10 Private and Public
- Hijab and the City
- The Kabyle House or the World Reversed ~ Pierre Bourdieu
- The Magic of the Mashrabiyas ~ John Feeney
- Fishawy's Caf?® ~ Mae Ghalwash and Josh Martin
- Hammam ~ Paul Lunde
- Chapter 11 Representations
- Surface, Space, and Science
- The Flowering of lntellectual Life ~ Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom
- The World of Mohammed Zakariya ~ Piney Kesting
- Chapter 12 The Word
- Orality and Literacy: The Power of Words
- Tales in the 'Hood: The Last Hakawati ~ Barbara Nimri Aziz
- Flat Number 6 ~ Elif Shafak
- Chapter 13 Music and Dance
- Spirituality and Sexuality
- Flight of the Blackbird ~ Robert W Lebling Jr.
- From Umm Kalthum to Arabpop ~ Andrew Hammond
- La Danse du Ventre ~ Elias Antar
- PART 5 CURRENT HYBRIDS
- Chapter 14 Media Evolution
- The Nation-State and Its Discontents
- Prime-Time Ramadan ~ Sarah Gauch
- Chapter 15 Old Culture, New Culture
- Growing Up
- Children of War ~ Deborah Ellis
- Appendix A Map of North Africa and the Middle East
- Appendix B Glossary
- About the Author
- Credits
- Chapter 1 The Humanities
- Why Study Middle Eastern Humanities?
- Losing the Liberal Arts ~ Valerie Saturnen
- Top Ten Reasons to Study Humanities ~ Roberta Vandermast
- Chapter 2 Stereotypes
- On Stereotypes
- Orientalism: A Brief Definition ~ Edward Said
- The Meaning and Significance of Stereotypes in Popular Culture ~ Jack Nachbar and Kevin Lause
- Among the Norse Tribes ~ Judith Gabriel
- Arabs in America ~ Philip Harsham
- PART 2 DIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENT
- Chapter 3 Geography
- Resources and Access
- The Middle East ~ lan R. Manners and Barbara McKean Parmenter
- The Struggle for Islamic Oil ~ Juan Cole
- Chapter 4 Food
- Agriculture and Civilization
- The Muslim Gardens of Paradise ~ Clifford Wright
- On the Flatbread Trail ~ Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
- A Harvest of Legume Research ~ Lynn Teo Simarski
- Wine of Arabia ~ Paul Lunde
- Chapter 5 Hospitality
- Meat, Ritual, and Hospitality
- Environment: Land, Animals, and Special Skills ~ Donald Cole
- PART 3 ISLAM: UNITY AND POWER
- Chapter 6 Messenger and Message
- Muhammad's World
- The Medium and the Message ~ Ingrid Mattson
- Chapter 7 Islamic Practice
- Orthodoxy, Orthopraxis, and Unity
- Islamic Values and Social Practice ~ Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban
- The Hajj ~ Ismail Ibrahim Nawwab
- Fasting Days, Festive Nights ~ Sarah Gauch
- Chapter 8 Islamic Fault Lines
- Authority and Centrifugal Forces
- The Other Islam ~ Vali Nasr
- Chapter 9 Women and Family
- A Gender Revolution?
- Childhood in the Harem ~ Huda Sha'arawi
- Weddings in Egypt ~ Patti Jones Morgan
- PART 4 CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS
- Chapter 10 Private and Public
- Hijab and the City
- The Kabyle House or the World Reversed ~ Pierre Bourdieu
- The Magic of the Mashrabiyas ~ John Feeney
- Fishawy's Caf?® ~ Mae Ghalwash and Josh Martin
- Hammam ~ Paul Lunde
- Chapter 11 Representations
- Surface, Space, and Science
- The Flowering of lntellectual Life ~ Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom
- The World of Mohammed Zakariya ~ Piney Kesting
- Chapter 12 The Word
- Orality and Literacy: The Power of Words
- Tales in the 'Hood: The Last Hakawati ~ Barbara Nimri Aziz
- Flat Number 6 ~ Elif Shafak
- Chapter 13 Music and Dance
- Spirituality and Sexuality
- Flight of the Blackbird ~ Robert W Lebling Jr.
- From Umm Kalthum to Arabpop ~ Andrew Hammond
- La Danse du Ventre ~ Elias Antar
- PART 5 CURRENT HYBRIDS
- Chapter 14 Media Evolution
- The Nation-State and Its Discontents
- Prime-Time Ramadan ~ Sarah Gauch
- Chapter 15 Old Culture, New Culture
- Growing Up
- Children of War ~ Deborah Ellis
- Appendix A Map of North Africa and the Middle East
- Appendix B Glossary
- About the Author
- Credits