Cultural pluralism in modern middle east

Seminars: 2 weeks / sessions, 1.5 hours / session

There are no prerequisites for this course.

How did societies of the Middle East deal with ethnic and religious diversity? What is the role of Islam in the governing principles related to inter-communal contact? How did the Ottomans Ottoman Empire (1299–1922), who had ruled over most of what we now call the "Middle East" for about half a millennium, regulate its vast populations' difference without imposing on a single "nationhood"? What happened when this formula got challenged in the 19th century when the ideas of nation-state emerged and eventually, along with Western economic and military advance, brought an end to the Ottoman dynasty's rule? This seminar will explore the answers to these questions. We will start with classical Islam, move to early modern Ottomans and then to the modern era because the basic assumption of the course is that history matters and to understand the modern we need to look at its roots. We will discuss the meanings and limits of concepts such as "cosmopolitanism," "tolerance," "coexistence," and "pluralism," and will not shy away making comparisons between the Middle East and the racial and ethnic relations here and now.

MIT leaves decisions regarding classroom use of laptops and other internet-connected devices up to the instructor. In this class, laptops and tablets are allowed, but only for note-taking. Cell phones are not allowed.

Plagiarism - the use of another's intellectual work without acknowledgement - is a serious offense. Students who plagiarize will receive an F in the subject, and that the instructor will forward the case to the Committee on Discipline. Full acknowledgement for all information obtained from sources outside the classroom must be clearly stated in all written work submitted and in all oral presentations, including images or texts in other media and for materials collected online. All ideas, arguments, and direct phrasings taken from someone else's work must be identified and properly footnoted. Quotations from other sources must be clearly marked as distinct from the student's own work. For further guidance on the proper forms of attribution, consult the style guides available in the Writing and Communication Center. Review MIT’s online Academic Integrity Handbook.

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