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Course Description:
Contemporary Arab women authors have written themselves and their characters into the global community, adapting to a wide range of environments, crossing both physical and virtual borders. A number of these authors explore cross-historical and cross-cultural connections among Arab, British, and American women.

The novels, essays, poems, and memoirs invite us to question and reevaluate cultural perceptions of Arab women.This class will examine issues of gender, class, education, nationalism, and religion in these texts. We will take a literary tour of Arab communities via works in English by Egyptian, Jordanian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Anglo-Arab, and Arab American women authors. The class will apply various critical strategies for reading, discussing, and writing about these texts, including exploration of multicultural online resources.

Our main focus will be reading and discussion of the required literary texts. However, in order to develop a better understanding of the characters, themes, and issues presented in these works, additional readings and research in theory, criticism, history, religious studies, current events, and popular culture will be necessary. We will not be able to cover every angle and issue, but we will attempt to address key information to help us contextualize the literary works. This course will be a collaborative effort to synthesize old and new ideas, question assumptions, and explore ways of developing cross-cultural awareness and understanding.

Required Texts:
The Map of Love, Ahdaf Soueif
Pillars of Salt, Fadia Faqir
A Border Passage, Leila Ahmed
A Beggar at Damascus Gate, Yasmin Zahran
Baghdad Diaries, Nuha Al-Radi
Never in a Hurry: Essays on People and Places, Naomi Shihab Nye
Words Under the Words, Selected Poems, Naomi Shihab Nye
Arabian Jazz, Diana Abu-Jaber

NOTE: While we are focusing on the writing of Arab women, we need to remember that many voices of different backgrounds, including our own, contribute to the scholarly, public discourse about Arab women. Our discussions and research will help us explore these other voices and determine how they interact in the wider dialogue.

Recommended for Purchase:
Food for Our Grandmothers, Joanna Kadi, ed. (available via most online booksellers)
Orientalism, Edward Said (available new/used via most booksellers)

OTHER REQUIRED READINGS:
NOTE: These readings may be obtained through ASU Hayden Library reserve, handouts, or online sites as indicated. These readings include essays by Arab feminists (historical and contemporary), selections from Said's Orientalism, and recent essays on postcolonialism. Listservs and online sources, such as Al-Ahram and Al-Jadid, will provide connections to Arab and Arab-American news, book reviews, and interviews in order to contextualize the literature. Country sites, online tours, images, and examples of Arabic script will supplement the readings that construct perspectives of Arab culture in the Middle East, Britain, and the United States.

BEFORE WE GET STARTED:
Reflect on why you are taking this course. We will take a few moments to free write during the first week. Consider the following, as well as your own, questions: Why did you decide to take this class? What do you expect to learn in this class? Why and how? As you develop responses to your questions throughout the semester, you will contribute your findings to class discussion.

COURSE BLACKBOARD SITE:
We have an online course Blackboard site via the MyASU portal. Log in at www.asu.edu/myasu with your ASURite ID and password. Click on the link to our course site. You will find announcements, course documents, assignment information, online resources and readings, as well as other useful materials on this site. Be sure you have an active ASU email account (if you use another account, forward your ASU email to your alternate email address). Check for Announcements on a regular basis, and definitely before a class meeting; various updates, syllabus and/or schedule changes, and other information will be posted on our course site. *Blackboard will be abbreviated as "BB" on the schedule.

ASSIGNMENTS

Reading Responses (120 points); Annotated Bibliography (75 points); Critical Analysis Research Essay (130 points) Oral Presentation (50 points); Reading Observations and Questions (125 points) (The latter two items are considered part of class participation, an important aspect of our class.)
Total points = 500
Descriptions of each assignment can be found below. The grading emphases will be on critical reading, thinking, writing, and researching, with significant weight placed upon class participation.

Grading:
Grading is based on the usual percentage scale: 100-90= A, 89-80= B, 79-70= C, 69-60= D, 59-0= E.

DAILY CLASS PREPARATION:
For each class discussion, bring one observation and one question (both typed) about the assigned readings (or guest lecture). These observations and questions will help develop our discussion along the paths your are interested in, and will also serve as a means for taking attendance. [See "Assignments" below for more information.] Consider the following as you read: location, gender roles, ethnicity, social/economic class, religion, language, food, dress, social activities, education, and other factors that interest you.

NOTE: Review the BB online sources for historical and political context, as well as information about the authors and their texts. For further information, research (online or hardcopy) the issues of interest to you. Your research will help you develop your Annotated Bibliography, as well.

ATTENDANCE and PARTICIPATION:
You may miss a maximum of 2 classes. For each class missed beyond 2 absences, your course grade will drop a partial letter grade. Missing class also results in loss of participation credit for your Reading Observations & Questions for each meeting.

READING RESPONSES:
Our required texts are the work of living authors, and the reception of their writing continues to be informed by readers', reviewers', and scholars' feedback. Write your reading response in the form of a letter to the author, whose work you are reading. You are not expected to send the letter, but write as though the author will receive it and take it seriously. What do you want to say to the author about her writing? Support your comments, questions, and suggestions with specific examples from the primary and secondary texts to indicate that you have read thoroughly and critically. The reading response letter should be 500-750 words (12-point font, 1-inch margins). Do not go over the 750-word maximum--this exercise challenges you to write clearly and concisely. Reading responses will reflect on your learning expectations, questions addressed, and issues raised in relation to the reading. In other words, "How has the reading impacted your thinking?" You may wish to refer to your reading response during class discussion.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Compile a bibliography of primary and secondary resources on contemporary Arab literature and culture, aside from the ones we are using on the syllabus, course Blackboard site, and library reserve. Evaluate each source carefully before deciding to include it in your bibliography; online sites are especially problematic, since these sources may have more personal opinion than critical content. Use MLA style for your entries. Provide annotation for each source, indicating what it is and why/how it is useful for your research. This annotated bibliography will contribute to the development of your Critical Analysis Research Essay. The total number of sources will vary depending on your research, but aim for at least 15 sources. Try to maintain a balance of source types, without relying too heavily on a certain kind (i.e., online sources, government sources).

This compilation of sources will help you determine your research focus and illustrate your research skills. You will periodically share your findings with the class in order to supplement discussion of class readings.

*On the day the Annotated Bibliography is due, also submit a brief, typed description of your proposed essay argument, including the texts you plan to focus on. (see essay info below)

CRITICAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH ESSAY:
Choose one assigned text and one outside text, each by a different Arab woman author. Examine how the two texts describe and represent Arab women.
Consider the following questions before you write:
· Does each text necessarily undermine, manipulate, or otherwise disrupt stereotypes of Arab women? Why (not) and how (not)?
· What voices from critical theory may agree with or object to these textual representations of Arab women? In what ways do the literary texts and these critical voices contribute to a wider public dialogue about Arab women?
· How does historical, political, socio-economic, geographical, and/or religious context affect these representations?

Integrate supporting evidence from theoretical, historical, and cultural sources in your argument of 10-12 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins). Include your name and page numbers on all pages. Before you begin writing, you will need to develop a set of questions (beyond the ones above), which you want your essay to explore. These questions will help you narrow your focus and design a specific thesis, which you will expand into a detailed discussion. Consider yourself a critical theorist within the public, scholarly conversation about Arab women authors, their texts, and representations of Arab women.

ORAL PRESENTATION:
You will give a 10-15 minute presentation on your Critical Analysis Research Essay and answer questions from the class. The presentations will follow a conference panel format, such as scholars and teachers engage in at professional conventions. You, too, are a scholar and critical theorist, sharing your work with colleagues, seeking their feedback, and taking the public discussion into exciting new directions.

LATE WORK POLICY:
Late assignments, including in-class work, will not be accepted for credit. There will be no exceptions for late work, including computer-related problems. Plan your time so you are able to complete your assignments on schedule.

PLAGIARISM:
To plagiarize is to present as your own any work that is not exclusively your own. Plagiarism of all or a portion of any assignment will be strictly penalized. Please refer to the ASU policy on plagiarism. Be sure to properly cite all sources when quoting, paraphrasing, or referring to ideas that are not your own. MLA citation style will be used for this class.

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
Come to class on time prepared to discuss the readings and any contextual information you collect. Full attendance can only be earned for arriving on time and remaining until the class session is dismissed. Please turn off or silence all electronic devices during class. Remember that class discussion, face-to-face and online, is public. Consider how your words and tone may impact others in the class. Our goal is to have a friendly forum in which to exchange ideas and opinions, while maintaining respect for all participants.

WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES:
Please make careful note of the published deadlines for dropping courses. The deadline for Unrestricted Withdrawal from any course you have enrolled in for this semester is 13 February 2004 (in-person)/ 15 February 2004 (via ASU Interactive and SunDial). The deadline for Restricted Course Withdrawal--meaning that the teacher of the course you wish to drop must indicate that you currently have a passing grade in that course--is 2 April 2004, and the deadline for Restricted Complete Withdrawal is 28 April 2004.

EMAIL:
If you do not already have an email account, please go to the Computing Commons and open one this week. Our course Blackboard site uses ASU email accounts; if you are using another email address, make sure your ASU email is sent to that address. I will use email as a means of corresponding with you about your work and any questions you may have. I will be available to answer questions via email as well as during office hours. Messages sent in the evening and on weekends will be checked the following school day.

NOTE: If you are a student who requires special accommodation, please contact Disability Resources for Students at 965-1234. Please feel free to discuss the special accommodations with me.

**Your feedback throughout the course is welcome and encouraged.

NOTE: This schedule is tentative and subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and/or on the course Blackboard site. Check the Blackboard site Announcements on a regular basis, particularly the morning before class to ensure you have the most recent information.

**Readings and Writing Assignments are due on the dates scheduled below.

Week 1:

T, 1/20
Introduction.
Reflection on objectives.

Th, 1/22
Historical Perceptions: Victorian Travelers & Contemporary Narrative
Read Orientalism, Introduction and Part I, Ch 1 pp31-49 (Hayden Library reserve)
Read "Introduction: The Debate on Arab Women," Sabbagh (online/hardcopy reserve)
*Start reading The Map of Love, Ahdaf Soueif

Week 2:

T, 1/27
Continue reading The Map of Love, Ahdaf Soueif
Historical essays by Arab feminists (to be announced)
Visit Al-Ahram site and read article of your choice to discuss (via BB)
Online tour of Egypt

Th, 1/29
Finish reading The Map of Love
Read "The Arab Woman in U.S. Popular Culture," by Hamilton, pp173-80 (in Food for Our Grandmothers on library reserve)
Read reviews of Soueif's text; interviews with Soueif (via BB/ "Authors").
**Reading Reflection due.

Week 3:

T, 2/3
Introduction to Arab Cultures
Read Orientalism, Part 3, Ch I, 201-25 and Ch IV, 284-328 (on reserve)
Read "Gender and Family in the Arab World," Joseph (online/hardcopy reserve)
*Search for online cultural resources and bring recommendations to class.

**Begin working on Annotated BibliographyTh, 2/5
Overview of Islam (guest lecturer?)

Week 4:

T, 2/10
Post-WWI: British influence in the region
Start reading Pillars of Salt by Fadia Faqir
Review online Background on Faqir (via BB)
Read "The Triumphant Discourse of Global Feminism: Should Other Women be Known?, by Lazreg, pp29-38 (in Going Global on reserve)

Th, 2/12
Online tour of Jordan.
Read "Women's Rights in the Arab World," Khalidi and Tucker (online/hardcopy reserve)
Read "Trajectories of Change: The Politics of Reading Postcolonial Women's Texts in the Undergraduate Classroom," McWilliams, pp252-83 (in Going Global on reserve)

Week 5:

T, 2/17
Finish reading Pillars of Salt
Read two articles of your choice from The Jordan Times for discussion (via BB)

**Reading Reflection due

Th, 2/19
Start reading A Border Passage by Leila Ahmed
Read background of Ahmed (via BB)
Read "Coming to America: Reflections on Hair and Memory Loss," Shohat, pp284-300 (in Going Global on reserve)
Read "The Arab Woman and I," by Fayad, 170-2 (in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve)

Week 6:

T, 2/24
Arabic language & script (guest speaker?)

Th, 2/26
Finish reading A Border Passage
Read Interviews with Ahmed and Reviews of her book (via BB/"Readings"& "Authors").
Read Articles from Al-Ahram (online/ student selections)
**Reading Reflection due

Week 7:

T, 3/2
Start reading A Beggar at Damascus Gate by Yasmin Zahran
Read brief biography of Zahran (via BB)
Take Online tour of Palestine and review related history (via BB)
Read "Palestinian Women and the Politics of Reception," Saliba & Kattan, pp84-112 (in Going Global on reserve)

**Annotated Bibliography with description of proposed essay argument dueTh, 3/4
Finish reading A Beggar at Damascus Gate
Read online review of Beggar (via BB/ "Authors")

**Reading reflection due

Week 8:

T, 3/9
Palestinian & American: Exploring Heritage & Community
Read selected Poems & Essays by Naomi Shihab Nye (to be announced)
Read Background on Shihab Nye (via BB "Authors" and online search) Read "Homecoming," by Munn, pp94-6 and "Arab-Americans: Living with Pride and Prejudice," by Collier, pp165-7 (both in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve)
Read selected Poems & Essays by Naomi Shihab Nye (to be announced)
Background on Shihab Nye

Th, 3/11
Read more selected poems & essays by Naomi Shihab Nye (to be announced)
Read Interviews with Shihab Nye (online search & BB "Authors")
Images from Shihab Nye's travels to Palestine

Week 9:

Spring Break: 3/14-3/21

Week 10:

T, 3/23
Start reading Baghdad Diaries by Al-Radi.
Take Online tour of Iraq (via BB)
Read background on Al-Radi (via BB)
Research Background on 1991 Iraq war (online resources)
Read "A Woman's Place is in the Struggle," by Elia, pp 113-19 and "'Offensive' Art by Palestinian Children," by Marshy, pp120-4 (also pictures) (both in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve)

Th, 3/25
Representation of Arabs/Muslims during 1991 Iraq War (guest speaker?)
Read "Military Presences and Absences," by Saliba, pp125-32 and "Gulf War," by Melhem, pp133-41 (both in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve)

Week 11:

T, 3/30
Finish reading Baghdad Diaries
Read reviews of Baghdad Diaries (via BB)
Read "Pulled," by Macki, pp211-13 (in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve)

**Reading reflection due

Th, 4/1
Contemporary Arab American Writers
Read the following essays by other Arab American women (all found in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve):
"Introduction," Kaadi
"Boundaries: Arab/American," Majaj (65-86)
"Chalked Out," Sa'adah (50-5)
"Wherever I Am," Salome (87-93)
"Global Sisterhood: Where Do We Fit In?" Sharif (151-9)

Week 12:

T, 4/6
Continue Contemporary Arab American Writers
Read selected poems by Suheir Hammad, Mohja Kahf, and others (online texts to be announced)
Read in Food for Our Grandmothers on reserve: "Exotic," Pauline Kaldas and "Browner Shades of White," Halaby
Read background on authors (via BB)

Th, 4/8
Start reading Arabian Jazz by Diana Abu-Jaber
Background on Abu-Jaber (online)
Al-Jadid articles (to be announced)

Week 13:

T, 4/13
Finish reading Arabian Jazz
Read Reviews of Abu-Jaber's work (via BB)

**Reading Reflection due

Th, 4/15
Discussion to be announced.
*Schedule for Oral Presentations Announced

Week 14:

T, 4/20
After September 11, 2001
Read Selected readings by Suheir Hammad, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mohja Kahf, Nathalie Handal, D. H. Melhem, & Layla Al-Wafi (read online texts via BB under "Online Readings")
Other readings by these authors to be announced.

Th, 4/22
Making Global Connections: Arab Women in the Middle East, England, & the US
Revisit your questions and goals for the course from first week.

Week 15:

T, 4/27
****Critical Analysis Research Essay due
**Oral Presentations begin

Th, 4/29
**Continue Oral Presentations

Week 16:

T, 5/4
**Continue Oral Presentations