Academic Catalog

MES528 POLITICS OF LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Course Code: 8320528
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): 3(3-0)
ECTS Credit: 8.0
Department: Middle East Studies
Language of Instruction: English
Level of Study: Masters
Course Coordinator: Lecturer Dr. TUÐBA TANYERÝ ERDEMÝR
Offered Semester: Fall or Spring Semesters.

Course Content

This course is a seminar on the identity politics as observed though the spoken and written languages of the Middle East. The aim of the course is to familiarize the students with the ancient and modern languages of the area, and to present specific discussions on how linguistic continuity and discontinuities in the area play a role in identity politics. The scope of the course includes a summary of the linguistic past of the Middle East, focused discussions on the current identity debates on various languages, and on the language reforms in Turkey, Iran and Israel.