PART ONE READINGS, GEOGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, FALL 2007

1. Tuesday, August 21, Introduction to the Course

-Read your course syllabus thoroughly and be sure this course is for you! Note that the syllabus in your Course Manual is NOT updated.

-Read pages 6-11 in your National Geographic Atlas of the Middle East and pages 3-11 in Middle East Patterns.

-Know Maps: Learn the names and locations of all the countries covered in the map on page 10 of your National Geographic Atlas of the Middle East. Have a good look at the ethnic and linguistic distributions on pages 68-69.

2. Thursday, August 23, Landscapes of the Middle East

-Read: Colbert Held’s Middle East Patterns,Pages 13-48.

-Know Maps: pages 14, 16, 22, 42 in Middle East Patterns; Physical Features (mountains, seas, rivers, etc) in the National Geographic Atlas of the Middle East, pp. 60-61; and climate map in the National Geographic Atlas, p. 62 (note especially the distribution of Mediterranean climates)

3. Tuesday, August 28, Natural History of Middle Eastern Deserts

-Read, on Electronic Reserve (ERES) for the class, the posted pages between pp. 6-88 (that book’s page numbers) of Cloudsley-Thompson, J.L. 1977. Man and the Biology of Arid Zones. See your syllabus on how to access ERES

4. Thursday, August 30, The Ecological Trilogy, I: Village Life

-Read, on Electronic Reserve for the class, pages 17-19 (that book’s page numbers) of Bates, Daniel and Amal Rassam. 1983. Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East; and Middle East Patterns, pp. 144-155

5. Tuesday, Sept. 4, The Ecological Trilogy, II: Pastoral Nomadism

-Read, on ERES: Hobbs, Bedouin Life in the Egyptian Wilderness (Livelihood chapter)

6. Thursday, September 6, The Ecological Trilogy, III: Urban Life

-Read: In Middle East Patterns, pages 65-71 (from "Neolithic Revolution" to "Mesopotamia to the Roman Conquests") and pages 125-131 (from "Overall Settlement Pattern" to "Urban Problems and Prospects"); and, on the Electronic Reserve, the sections on the rise of civilization and cultural heritage (pages 20-25) in Bates’ and Rassam’s Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East

-Know Maps: Use your Atlas to find all cities discussed in today’s lecture.

7. Tuesday, September 11. An Introduction to Islam, I

-Read: The Middle East (Congressional Quarterly), First half of chapter “Fifteen Centuries of Islam”)

8. Thursday, Sept 13. Islam, II: Field Trip to the Islamic Center.

-Please, be sure to read BEFORE you go: On ERES, "Separate but Equal," by Lisa Nipp. You can ask followup questions about this at the Islamic Center.

Meet behind (not at the front door of) the Islamic Center on 201 South 5th in Columbia, at 2:00 P.M. We might be separated into women's and men's groups. Please dress modestly (no shorts, short dresses or short sleeves for women, no shorts for men). You will be asked to leave your shoes at the door, so wear socks you can walk around in. The Field Trip is a required assignment for this course. The Islamic Center is open to peoples of all faiths, and I am not aware of any religious restriction that would keep any of you from attending. We will break up at the usual end of class time (3:15), though our hosts may welcome you to stay and chat for awhile.

9. Tuesday, Sept 18. Introduction to Islam, III: Diffusion/Schism

-Read: The Middle East, Second half of chapter “Fifteen Centuries of Islam”)

10. Thursday, September 20. Test One