Not offered 2007-2008
ANTH 224 Morality and Modernity in the Muslim Middle East *
The Muslim Middle East has been shaken in recent decades by numerous political and military conflicts, which have been much reported in the popular press. Just as important,
though less frequently noted by Western media and much less well understood, have been
the crises and controversies within Middle Eastern society over what constitutes moral
behavior and how it should be organized and regulated. This course examines the historical
background of current debates and some of the central issues, including: the propriety of
female veiling; women, education, and work; the social and political responsibilities of
religious believers and the use of violence for political ends; redefinitions of public and
private space; and the role of Western capitalism and consumerism in Middle-Eastern
society.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: midterm, final, and 15-page internet-based
research paper. Open to first-year students.
D. EDWARDS