Global Studies: Middle Eastern and North African Studies Emphasis
Available starting August 2026
Description
The Global Studies: Middle Eastern and North African Studies emphasis offers an interdisciplinary approach to the cultures, histories, and politics of this vital region.
Through a wide array of courses spanning history, linguistics, anthropology, as well as cultural and religious studies, you will gain a holistic understanding of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). From premodern civilizations to modern geopolitics, our curriculum equips you with critical skills to analyze this dynamic part of the world.
Upon completion of this emphasis, you will be able to identify the major historical, cultural, political, and ethnolinguistic aspects of the Middle East and North Africa. You will also achieve proficiency in a MENA language and learn to conduct independent research, enabling you to develop cross-cultural competency.
Whether you're drawn to public service, non-governmental organizations, international business, or further studies, a MENAS emphasis in Global Studies provides a solid foundation for diverse career paths.
Learning Outcome
Students will be able to explain the major historical periods, and the cultural, political, and ethnolinguistic diversity of the contemporary Middle East and North Africa.
Language Requirement
4th semester proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian or Turkish
Emphasis Courses
ARB/LING 426: Introduction to Arabic Linguistics
ARB/MENA 450: Arabic Language Variation: Linguistic Analysis, Diglossia and Ideology in Multiple Genres
ARB 460: Ethnolinguistic and Religious Diversity in the Arab World
ARB/MENA 470: Trends in Modern and Contemporary Arabic Intellectual Thought
ARB 490: Advanced Arabic Media
HIST/MENA 443: Environmental History of the Middle East
JUS/HIST/MENA/POL 377: Modern Israel
LING/MENA 454: Structure of a Middle Eastern Language
MENA 160A1:Global Islam
MENA 160A2: Middle Eastern Humanities
MENA/GLS 225: Sports and Society in the Middle East and North Africa
MENA/GLS 245: Islamic Spain and the American Southwest
MENA/HIST/RELI 277A: History of the Middle East: 600-1453
MENA/HIS 277B: A People's History of the Modern Middle East
MENA/JUS/PRS/RELI 285: Jews of Persia
MENA/ANTH/LING 330: Languages & Societies of the Middle East
MENA/RELI 334: Islamic Thought
MENA/ANTH/LING 337: Language and Power in the Middle East and North Africa
MENA/PRS/RELI 342: The Persian World: Arts, Culture,and History
MENA/ANTH 354: Food Traditions of the Middle East & North Africa
MENA/RELI 365: Muslim Views of the West
MENA/HIST 379: The Ottoman Turkish Empire
MENA/HIST 380: Everyday Politics in the MiddleEast and North Africa
MENA/HIST/POL 385: Introduction to Political Islam
MENA/ANTH/HIST/JUS/POL/RELI 389" Middle Eastern Ethnic and Religious Minorities
MENA/ANTH/HIST/POL/RELI 408A: Islamic Movements in the Contemporary Muslim World
MENA/ANTH/HIST/POL 417A: North African Societies: History, Culture & Politics
MENA/ANTH/GLS/RELI 419: Contemporary Muslim Societies
MENA/POL 422:Human Rights in the Middle Eastand North Africa
MENA/ANTH/LING 430A: Language and Society in the Middle East
MENA/ANTH/PRS 432: Iranian Culture and Society
MENA/HIST/RELI 444: Islamic Mysticism
MENA /ANTH/GWS 451: Gender and Violence in the Middle East
MENA/JUS/RELI 456: Jews of the Islamic World in the Modern Period (1840-Present)
MENA/ANTH 459A/HIST 459A: Turkey: Culture, Power and History
MENA/GWS 463: Gender Issues and Women's Literature in the Middle East
MENA/GWS/PRS 471: Iranian Cinema, Gender Issues, and Social Change
MENA/HIST 480:The Middle East in the Twentieth Century
MENA 482: Modern Arabia and The Gulf
MENA/HIST/POL 484: History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1800 to Present
MENA/HIST/PRS 485A:History of the Iranian Plateau, 600-1501
MENA/HIST 485C: A History of Migrations in the Modern Middle East, North Africa, And the Mediterranean World, c. 18"
MENA/HIST 485P: Palestinian Culture and Society, 1900-Present
MENA/ANTH/GWS 490: Women in Middle Eastern Society
MENA 493: Internship
MENA/HIST 495E: Struggle and Survival: Modern Mid East and North Africa, c. 1850-Present
MENA 496B: Special Topics in Middle Eastern and North African Studies
MENA/HIST 496D: The Late Ottoman Empire
MENA/PRS 496E: Marxism and the Middle East
MENA/POL/RELI 496G: Islamic Law and Society
MENA/HIST 496S/POL 496S: Colonialism and Anti-Colonialism
POL/MENA 465: International Politics of the Middle East
PRS 496A: Topics in Classical and Ancient Persian Literature and Culture