NES 1985

FWS: Writing Under Pressure: Arabic Fiction in Times of Crisis

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2017-2018.

This course examines Arabic fiction written under conditions of crisis, when the author's life or safety was under threat due to war, famine, a totalitarian regime, etc. All readings will be available in English translation. We will read fiction from Lebanon's civil war period (1975-1990), the Iraqi Gulf War and economic sanctions (1990-2003), Egypt under Hosni Mubarak (1981-2011), and more. Students will answer the following questions in their essays: what compels an author to write despite the imminence of existential threat? What does each author want to convey most urgently about the crisis he/she is experiencing? How does crisis shape writing—how do authors protect themselves from crises and how does that impact their writing style?    

When Offered Spring.

Course Attribute (CU-ITL)

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