FYSM 230 - Biography and Life History in the Middle East

Institution:

Trinity College

Subject:

Description:

Why do we read life histories -- biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs We may be curious about how our predecessors lived and thought, about what they ate and how they dressed, and about their hopes and fears. We may look to their lives for moral guidance, as we face challenges and disappointments ourselves. Meanwhile, as historians, we may follow life histories to understand the roles and accomplishments of the great and the humble in places and times of the past. In this class, we will study the social history of the modern Middle East through the lives of individual men and women. We will see how they responded to the sweeping social changes that occurred in the region in the past two centuries, as Western influence grew and tradition and modernity competed. These were turbulent times: relations between classes, men and women, and nations were decisively transformed. While examining the specifically "Middle Eastern" experiences that the readings recount, we will also discuss the human universals that they present, for example, in patterns of sibling rivalry, prejudice and discrimination, and self-doubt. We will not only read life histories in this class, we will also write accounts of our own. Looking to Middle Eastern biographies for literary inspiration, we will evaluate our own places in history along with some of the changes that we have undergone or witnessed first-hand. 1.00 units, Seminar

Credits:

1.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.Trincoll.edu

Phone Number:

(860) 297-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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