Arabs today. Modern culture, customs and politics

elective courses

Remote learning

Interactive classes devoted to the Arab community of the modern world will be an opportunity to listen to lectures illustrated with recordings and photos, as well as to work independently and exchange views on the most pressing problems of today's Middle East and North Africa. The cultural content will be supplemented with learning the basics of literary Arabic (alphabet, pronunciation, key phrases).

Who are Arabs of the 21st century? How do they perceive themselves? What do they bring to the globalized world? What do they value and what do they deny in the West? What values have they cultivated for centuries? Who and what shapes their attitudes - preachers, politicians, media? These are the main questions that we will try to answer during interactive classes. The lecturer will describe key social, moral and political problems in the word and image. She will refer to fashions and trends regarding various spheres of life. She will also characterizes the needs of a consumer who is attached to the principles of the Muslim religion. It will be provided an opportunity to reflect on the borders - art, acceptance of diversity, transformation of the world over which Allah watches over. The lecturer will describe the profiles of Arabs known all over the world, encourage the Participants to search for up-to-date information on the events and phenomena observed in the Arab world individually, to make their own analysis of media reports. The group will be required to read press articles, social media content, watch recordings of e.g. advertising campaigns, excerpts from speeches made by politicians and interviews with influential representatives of the Arab world.

Supplementary literature and links to useful articles will be provided to the Participants on an ongoing basis during the course.

The Student will gain knowledge in the following range of topics:

1. Does the contemporary Arabic culture exist?

2. A brief history of the Arab world.

3. Contemporary authorities in the Arab world and their image.

4. Islam in the 21st century.

5. The contemporary elite of the Arab world.

6. Arabs in the West, the West towards Arabs.

7. Media in the Arab world.

8. Language modifications.

9. Superstitions and modernity.

10. Sexual minorities.

11. The role of women and feminism.

12. Consumer culture and Islam.

13. Selected profiles of literary heroes. Contemporary problems included in the poetry.

14. Where is the Arab world heading? Problems with identity, demography, influences of globalization.

15. Basics of modern standard Arabic.

activity in classes 50%

final work (presentation or essay on one of the topics given by the lecturer) and conversation with the lecturer on the developed topic 25%

written test of basic language competences 25%

2 unexcused absences allowed per term