ARAB 130 Intro to Arabic Language and Culture
In this course, you will begin to build a foundation in Arabic language and explore many societies in the Middle East.
Materials will highlight different voices of the contemporary Arab world. The course also offers ample opportunity to visually and interactively consider different aspects of Arab culture, which is in a constant state of change and fluctuation. Throughout the course, we will complicate the notion that a singular, monolithic Arab culture exists, while also searching for those elements that unify the vast Middle Eastern region.
Through exposure to themes such geography, food, the arts (including music and the visual arts), diversity (Islam and other religions, ethnic groups, and more), economics, conflict, and other elements of everyday life, you will feel yourself experiencing today's world in different Arab countries. You will also consider the various ways in which Arabs themselves perceive, appreciate, and critique their own societies. The course ultimately helps participants develop a greater awareness and understanding of attitudes and values that may differ from their own environment and background.
You can expect to learn the following from this course: how to read and write the entire Arabic alphabet, basic conversational skills in Arabic, a broad historical overview of the Arab world through the present day, cultural phenomena through thematic modules, and more about the topics that interest you with interactive exercises and assignments.
PLEASE NOTE: For CUA undergraduate students, this course can fulfill a humanities requirement or be counted as an elective.