Course Schedule

Course Term
Course Attributes
Fall 2025
RELI

RELI 277A – History of the Middle East: 600-1453

In this course, students take a humanistic disciplinary perspective to explore the cultural products of the pre-modern Middle East and answer questions about its historical development. Using primary sources in translation and secondary scholarship, students will explore the context of the rise of Islam; the process of conversion and expansion across the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia; the crystallization of Shi'ism and changing notions of religious authority; and the impact of Turkish migrations and Mongol conquests. They will become familiar with major genres of pre-modern Middle Eastern literary, religious, and scientific writings, and use techniques of close reading to answer questions about those texts' ideological positions and contexts.

Section
001
Days
MoWeFr
Time
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
Date
Aug 25 - Dec 10
Instructor
Status
Open
Enrollment
60 / 62
  • Days: MoWeFr
  • Time: 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
  • Dates: Aug 25 - Dec 10
  • Status: Open
  • Enrollment: 60 / 62