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 the Western capitalism and consumerism in Middle-Eastern society. Format: ecture/discussion. Requirements: midterm, final, and 15-page internet-based research paper. Open to first-year students.