Arabic 402 - Topics in Arabic Language and Culture

This advanced Arabic course covers a number of topics that survey the linguistic, geographical, historical, social, religious, cultural, and artistic aspects of the Arab world. Special emphasis will be on varieties of the Arabic language, Arabic literature, Arabic political discourse, religions in the Middle East, Arabic folkloric traditions, Arabic Media and film, women in the Middle East and Arabic cuisine and music. The course provides students with an opportunity to engage with the diversity of the Arabic cultural traditions in the past and present times through interacting with the Arabic cultural products, perspectives, practices and processes of interaction. The course materials are entirely in Arabic and will be explored through discussions, readings and videos. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Follow academic, professional and literary texts on a wide range of familiar and unfamiliar subjects;

Follow narrative, informational and descriptive discourses on most topics and can understand standard dialects;

Express themselves freely and spontaneously and deliver presentations with accuracy and clarity on a variety of topics and issues;

Write clear well-structured short essays about a range of subjects, underling the relevant issues and supporting points of view at some length;

Gain intercultural communicative competence with regard to the rich cultural aspects of the Arab world;

Requisite: ARAB 302 or equivalent. Limited to 18 students. Spring semester. Five College Senior Lecturer Hassan.

How to handle overenrollment: Priority to ASLC majors, then seniors and juniors

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: In this course, students will use a textbook, a range of audio and video instructional and authentic materials and teacher-prepared materials and exercises. Assessment is based upon class attendance and participation, weekly short essays and short presentations, 3 term quizzes and a final paper.