Reading Classical Arabic Texts (316-2-20)
Instructors
Ragy H Ibrahim Mikhaeel
8474670927
Crowe Hall 4-117
Ragy Mikhaeel is a native of Cairo, Egypt. He taught Arabic at Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges before coming to Northwestern ten years ago. He is the author of Barron’s Learn Arabic: The Fast and Fun Way (as Ragy H. Ibrahim), He received the 2015 Excellence in Foreign Language Teaching Award from the Council on Language Instruction (CLI) and the 2017-2018 Provost's Fellowship for Digital Learning Award.
Meeting Info
Kresge 4531 MENA Seminar Rm: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
This course is an Introduction to Arabic Islamic Manuscripts (Codecology) with Applied Exercises. The course is dedicated to the study of the manuscript literature of the Arab Islamic civilization and heritage. It uses seven different Arabic scripts to provide the students interested in Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, with a professional and functional linguistic skills that enable them in the future to do research in the field of Arabic Islamic studies. While decoding the text, we will also delve into a literary analysis of the text and learn about style, new vocab, calligraphy, and advanced grammar concepts. Students will continue their learning of Arabic while reading an ancient Quranic sura/manuscript.
Registration Requirements
Strong performance in Arabic 211-2 or equivalent; or permission from the instructor.
Learning Objectives
The overall goal for this class is for students to reach a proficiency level that is close or equivalent to Advanced Low or Advanced Mid in reading, speaking and writing Modern Standard Arabic. Specifically, by the end of the quarter students will:
• be able to read and comprehend authentic Arabic literary texts/Manuscripts with the help of their own dictionary;
• be able to identify essential codicological elements (script related) of seven different Arabic scripts.
• be able to identify essential rhetoric and figures of speech when reading Arabic manuscripts or equivalent literary document;
• have mastered several advanced grammatical concepts and learnt how to integrate them in their writing;
• be more confident when reading Arabic scripts or when doing research related to Arabic manuscripts.
• gain deeper knowledgeable about Arabic culture and Arabic heritage and be ready for higher courses in Literature and/or Arab Manuscript Codecology.
Teaching Method
This course emphasizes the analysis and understanding of the use and function of Arabic Manuscripts. Students will do both codicological and literary analysis of each manuscript. In their critical reading and discussion of the text, students will not only learn to appreciate the different Arabic script styles incorporating different themes (Quranic texts, letters of correspondence, miraculous healing, amulets …). Each manuscript discussed is fully supported by a range of vocab and grammar and rhetoric/ Balagha -building discussion and activities. In-class discussions will reinforce the use of new vocabulary and grammatical function, as well as enhance the understanding and appreciation of the manuscript Arab culture with a focus on Huqqa AlBukaa' an original manuscript NU has at Herskovitz. The instructor will post 6 focused online videos for the method of analysis of the texts using Huqqa AlBukaa' as an example.
Evaluation Method
Attendance and participation has 30% in this class, First midterm Manuscript exercise and paper, second midterm Manuscript exercise and paper and a class project.
Class Materials (Required)
Class material is in the form of a course packet written by the instructor and selected readings provided by the instructor.
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area