This intensive course combines advanced language and culture training with an in-depth survey of contemporary Arab culture. In addition to developing advanced discourse skills and expanding the range of genres and registers in which they are proficient, students will work with experts from the Arab world to explore important themes in the contemporary Arab world. Special attention will be paid to developing proficiency in oral and written debate, analysis, criticism, and academic discourse. 75% of class time is devoted to developing this language skills. The remaining 25% is devoted to exercising those skills in a series of seminars presented by experts from the Arab world, as listed in the SEMINAR TOPICS section below.
Students who complete the course successfully will develop solid advanced skills and will reach a global proficiency of Advanced Low/Mid or higher. They will be able to understand materials from a range of registers and genres and to speak and write appropriately in a range of formal, informal, professional, and academic environments, will be able to compose and present analyses and critiques, and participate in academic discussions and debates.
Dr. Safaa Faisal: BBC Cairo Bureau Chief Dr. Nazih Alahdab: Host of Al Jazeera's Fauq al’sotah ("Beyond Authority")
This seminar focuses on Arab media, both inside and outside the Arab world, across all means of transmission. There will also be a focus on the role of social media in monitoring and gauging the reactions of people on the streets of the Arab world regarding current issues. We will explore the pressure and difficulties that reporters and journalists face in providing an accurate portrayal of events.
Dr. Mohammed Suleiman, Head of Cultural Outreach, Library of Alexandria, Egypt
This seminar explores the Arab heritage of museums, manuscripts, and historical monuments. Events in the Middle East have made these vulnerable to loss due to conflicts and revolutions (as happened in Iraq and Syria and as is currently happening in Yemen). We will also investigate the impact of such events on cultural artifacts and the heritage of humanity in general.
Basillius Bawardi, Senior Lecturer, Bar Ilan University, Israel
This seminar will address general issues facing minorities, be they ethnic, religious, indigenous, or non-Arab immigrants. We will also explore the challenges facing specific minorities, including Arabs in Israel, non-muslim Arabs, and other Arab minorities in the Middle East.
Saad Abdelghaffar, Associate Professor of Arabic Literature and Rhetoric, Assiut University, Egypt
This seminar will explore contemporary literature and culture in the Arab world. We will also discuss the challenges that emerging genres and styles pose to Arab art and music, will explore the impact of changing tastes, and will consider the challenges facing Arab cinema in its attempts to create authentic portrayals of contemporary life.
Driss Cherkoui, director, ‘Alim Center in Morocco Dr. Muhsin al’Aqili, Professor of Curriculum and Applied Linguistics, Head of the Arabic Department, King Saud University
This seminar focuses on the challenges facing education systems in the Arab world and the challenges facing individual learners. We will explore the relation of education to the job market, issues of curriculum and curricular reform, educational systems, and will consider the rise of private institutions and their impact on the educational system as a whole.
Hala al-Hamad, Director, Yarmok University Language Center, Jordan
This seminar will address social challenges in the Arab world with an emphasis on the challenges faced by Arab women in attaining civil rights. Topics will include issues of early marriage, divorce, and workplace equity. We will explore the traditional role of women and the attitude of the media and governments toward women and children.
Montaser Al-Hamad, Associate Professor of Arabic as a Second Language, Qatar University
In this seminar, we will examine the challenge of migration and will explore the causes and motivations for migration, whether legal or illegal. In addressing the issues of asylum and refugees, we will work with authentic materials generated by immigrants discussing their journeys, their experiences with cultural shock, the challenges they faced as they endeavored to integrate into their new society, and issues surrounding the difficult choice to stay or to return home.
DATES
Class Dates: May 31 – July 29, 2022
Class Times: Monday – Friday, 9:00am-1:00pm, eastern daylight time
To maximize learning, Workshop students immerse themselves in Arabic language and culture; living, working, and eating with fellow students and faculty on the Arabic floors of the residence hall and signing a binding immersion contract, in which they promise to speak only Arabic for the duration of the program.
Immersion will challenge you, perhaps more than you expect, but it will broaden your exposure to Arabic and to Arab culture in a safe, supportive environment. So immerse yourself in Arabic this summer and see how much you can do!
HOUSING AND MEALS
Immersion students live in Willkie Center in air-conditioned single rooms, sharing a lounge with other students studying the same language. All immersion students are expected to live in the language dorm.
On-campus dining options in the summer are limited. Indiana University Meal plans are available, but the number of cafeterias and hours of operation are limited. Most Workshop students prefer pay-as-you-go dining.
ELIGIBILITY
This course is open to all, including
Students from Indiana University
Students from other universities and colleges
Graduate, undergraduate, and community college students
Life-long learners
High-school students over age 16
PREREQUISITES
All students, including Indiana University students, must complete an online placement exam before enrolling. You will receive details in your acceptance packet.
COSTS & CREDIT
ESTIMATED TUITION AND FEES
$1,864 (6 undergraduate credits*)
$705 (IU combined mandatory fee for 6+ credits)
$350 (Language Workshop fee)
OTHER COSTS
Dorm Housing, $32/night, if applicable
Meals: vary
Travel: varies
Textbooks: vary
All rates are subject to change. Participants are responsible for checking current rates before signing billing, housing, or meal contracts. The rates cited here are based on data available in autumn 2021 at Indiana University Student Central.
*Indiana University students may enroll for graduate credit. Regular graduate tuition and fees apply.
OTHER COURSE DETAILS
Hours of Instruction: 9-week courses, 180 hours total (level 1) 8-week courses, 160 hours total (levels 2-5)
Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies