WMS 178A                                                                             Suad Joseph

Winter 2007                                                                            220 Young Hall

Office hours:    Mondays12:00-2:00

WOMEN WRITERS OF THE ARAB WORLD:    SYLLABUS

            WMS 178A, Women Writers of the Arab World, focuses on the rich variety of writings by women in and of the Arab world.  The primary objective of the class is to read, in translation, Arab women authors writing through a number of genres – novels, short stories, poetry, essays, commentaries, memoirs, folklore, proverbs – and develop a critical understanding of the social/cultural context of the writings by women in and of the Arab world.  The approach will be primarily, but not exclusively, an anthropology of literature.  This approach views literature as a cultural lens, a cultural framework – an analysis by members of communities of key social issues and concerns.  Our approach is to identify and study the cultural lens or lenses through which the women writers write.   The required books are in the UC Davis bookstore and Shields library (2 hour reserve).  Please note that chapters from books are designated by  “In”  followed by name of editor or author of the book in which the chapter is found.

REQUIRED BOOKS IN BOOKSTORE (and on 2-hour Reserve in Shields Library)

Lisa Suhair Majaj, Paula W. Sunderman, Therese Saliba, (eds).  Intersections.  Gender, Nation, and Community in Arab Women’s Novels.  2002.  Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.

Assia Djebar.  Fantasia.  An Algerian Cavalcade.  1993.  Portsmith, NH:  Heineman.

Nawal El Saadawi.  The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World. 1982.  Boston: Beacon Press.

Hoda Barakat.  The Stone of Laughter. 1994.  Reading, U.K: Garnet Publishing

Sahar Khalifeh.  Wild Thorns.  2003.  New York: Interlink Books

Etel Adnan.  Sitt Marie Rose.  1982 (or latest edition).  Sausalito, CA: The Post-Apollo Press.

Fatima Mernissi. Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood. 1994.  Perseus Books.

Jean Said Makdisi.  Teta, Mother, and Me.  An Arab Woman’s Memoir.  2005. London: Saqi Books.

READINGS

Jan 3                I.  Introduction: Who are they, why do they write, why do we read them?

                        II.  Framing Writing Projects:

Jan 8                Salma K. Jayyusi.  “Modernist Arab Women Writers: A Historical Overview” In.                                       Majaj. Pp 1-32

                        Lisa Majaj.  Introduction.  In Intersections.

                        III.  Memory, Self, Identity, Transcultural Translations

Jan 10              Fatima Mernissi.  Dreams of Trespass.  Pp.  1-123

Jan 17              Fatima Mernissi  Pp. 124-242

Jan 22              Jean Said Makdisi.  Pp. 9-137

Jan 24              Jean Said Makdisi.  Pp. 140-243

Jan 29              Jean Said Makdisi.  Pp. 248-406

                        IV. Patriarchy, Feminisms, Translation & Transnationalism

Jan 31              Amal Amireh.  “Framing Nawal El Saadawi: Arab Feminism in a Transnational                  World”.  In Majaj.  Pp. 33-67

                        Nawal El Saadawi.  Woman at Point Zero.  Pp. 1-108.

Feb 5               MIDTERM

V. History, Colonialism

Feb 7               Film: “Battle of Algiers” by Gillo Pontecorvo (117 min)

                        Nada Elia.  “The Fourth Language: Subaltern Expression in Djebar’s Fantasia” In                                      Majaj.  Pp 183-199.

Feb 12             Assia Djebar.  Fantasia.  An Algerian Cavalade.   Pp. Table of Contents -140.

Feb 14             Djebar. Pp. 141-227.

Feb 21             VI.  Civil War and the Politics of Religion and Sectarianism

Film:   “Alone with War” by Danielle Arbid (58 min)

                        Lisa Majaj. “Voice, Representation and Resistance: Etel Adnan’s Sitt Marie                                       Rose”. In Majaj. Pp 200-230.

Feb 26             Etel Adnan.  Sitt Marie Rose. Pp. 1-105        

                        VII.  Sexualities, Masculinities

Feb 28             Guest Lecturer: 

Mona Fayad. “Strategic Androgyny: Passing as Masculine in Barakat’s Stone of                Laughter”.  In Majaj Pp 162-179

Hoda Barakat.  The Stone of Laughter Pp.  v-105     

Mar 5               Hoda Barakat.  Pp. 107-231.

Mar 5              Paper Due in Class

                        VIII.  Nation, Nationalist Movements in a Globalizing World

Mar 7               Barbara Harlow.  “Partitions and Precedents: Sahar Khalifeh and Palestinian                      Political Geography” In Majaj. Pp. 113-131.

                        Sahar Khalifeh.  Wild Thorns.  Pp.  5-106

Mar 12             Sahar Khalifeh Pp. 107-207

Mar 14 Film: “Palestinian Writers” by Matteo Bellinelli (50min)                              

FINAL EXAM: Friday March 16, 8-10am