Rationale
As the birthplace of at least four major religions and many civilizations,
the Middle East has for centuries been a center of knowledge and ideas,
of techniques and commodities, and, at times, of military and economic
power. Yet despite the historical and cultural significance of the
Middle East, the general knowledge and understanding of this area
and its peoples is normally in direct apposition to the importance
and consequence of this area. The Middle East, through its resources,
peoples and geographic location, contributes significantly to the
material and cultural elements of our daily lives. This is also the
case for the neighboring countries of Central Asia, whose cultures
and politics have become increasingly important after the break-up
of the Soviet Union. The Middle East and Central Asia are diverse
culture areas of major strategic importance to American foreign policy
and will continue to be so in the near future. Finally, immigration
to the United States from countries of the Middle East and Central
Asia has increased greatly, particularly in the New York Metropolitan
area and on Long Island. This has led to a greater interest in these
regions by all Americans, and in particular, those of Middle Eastern
descent.
As a field, Middle Eastern Studies did not emerge in the United States
until the twentieth century, though its antecedents in France and
the United Kingdom were established considerably earlier. At Oxford
and Cambridge, for example, several chairs of Arabic were established
in the seventeenth century. Middle Eastern Studies in the United States
is an exciting and growing field. Currently, the Middle East Studies
of America (MESA) lists 2,600 members and 68 doctoral dissertations
were written in the field in the United States in the year 1998-9.
A review of the dissertation topics, courses offered in Middle Eastern
Studies programs nationwide and a survey of publications attest to
the diversity of interdisciplinary interest in this extremely active
and vibrant field. Organizations devoted to Central Asia Studies are
not as prominent but have recently emerged to enhance American scholarship
in the area. Because
Hofstra is committed to offering its students cross-cultural courses
to gain insights into diverse cultures and modes of thought, The
Middle East and Central Asian (MECA) Minor complements existing
area studies programs at Hofstra such as African, Asian, and Latin
American Studies. Currently, the Departments of Anthropology and
Sociology, Comparative Literature, History, Art History, Economics
and Geography, Jewish Studies, and the program in Religious Studies
offer introductory and advanced courses on Middle Eastern cultures.
The minor will afford students in a wide range of majors the flexibility
to pursue an interest in Middle Eastern Studies. By approaching
the study of the Middle East and Central Asia from a range of disciplines
and perspectives, students in this minor will form a more nuanced
view of the area. An important part of the minor will be highlighting
texts and perspectives from the standpoint of those who live in
the area.
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