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Semester 1

Modern Persian Literature and 'Modern' Iran (IMES10061)

Subject

Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

4

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed at least 3 courses in a related subject area at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses.

Course Summary

This option introduces students to 20th century Persian-language literary texts available in translation as a means of understanding the efforts of an ever-expanding Iranian intellectual class to address issues surrounding the rise of the modern nation-state in the Middle East generally and Iran in particular over this period via use of both the short story and the novel. The course can intersect with other departmental courses on modern Middle Eastern Studies, allowing students to explore their particular interests generally. But, it will also intersect in particular with a course in modern Persian history which will consider the political and socio-economic history of Iran since the 16th century.

Course Description

This option introduces students to 20th century Persian-language literary texts available in translation as a means of understanding the efforts of an ever-expanding Iranian intellectual class to address issues surrounding the rise of the modern nation-state in the Middle East generally and Iran in particular over this period via use of both the short story and the novel. The course can intersect with other departmental courses on modern Middle Eastern Studies, allowing students to explore their particular interests generally. But, it will also intersect in particular with a course in modern Persian history which will consider the political and socio-economic history of Iran since the 16th century. This course will add to options in Middle Eastern literature and cultural studies by exposing students to a range of important literary works translated from Persian while also requiring them to consider these works from the perspectives both of development/modernisation theory, Orientalism and postcolonial, the role of the intellectual in society generally and modern Iran in particular as well as gender studies and modern Middle Eastern history. The course thus assists students in their engagement with those aspects of Middle East studies that are associated with modern Middle Eastern cultural, political and socio-economic. The course adds to those of our longer-standing and recently introduced offerings that broaden our focus on modern Middle Eastern cultural and political developments.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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