BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide the tools for understanding some cultural elements of Arab countries, considered as contexts influenced by the spread of Islam and of the Arabic language. Cultural, institutional, and political aspects of Arab societies will be analyzed from religious, legal, sociological, anthropological, linguistic and literary perspectives and placed in a diachronic perspective, up to contemporary times.
Resorting to diverse sources, the course aims to provide the methodological and critical tools for the study of Arab societies and the elements of continuity and rupture that have characterized them from the advent of Islam to the present. At the end of the course, the student will be able to analyze Arab specificity by placing it in a comparative dimension, in dialogue with the global context and identifying possible elements of exchange with other cultures.
Course Prerequisites
None.
Teaching Methods
Weekly lectures, including the screening and discussion of audiovisual materials (film excerpts, advertisements, television programmes, and songs), as well as the analysis of short, simple Arabic texts on the distinctive features of Arab societies.
Seminars and student-led in-depth activities may also be included.
Assessment Methods
Oral test at the end of the 54-hour module about the course content, Reading List materials, and materials found in Moodle.
Evaluation will be in 30/30.
Registration on the Moodle platform is mandatory to register for the exam.
The syllabus for attending and nonattending is the same.
Assessment
The assessment consists of an oral examination at the end of the entire 54-hour module, covering the course contents, the materials included in the Reading List, and the materials available or indicated on Moodle.
Final marks are awarded on a 30-point scale.
Registration on the Moodle platform is compulsory to register for the examination.
The syllabus is the same for attending and non-attending students.
The final grade will be awarded according to the following assessment criteria:
Excellent (30 with honours): Excellent knowledge of the course contents and an excellent ability to explain and contextualise them appropriately. Clear, accurate, and effective presentation, with an excellent command of technical terminology in Arabic.
Very Good (30–27): Very good knowledge of the course contents and a very good ability to explain and contextualise them appropriately. Clear, accurate, and effective presentation, with a very good command of technical terminology in Arabic.
Good (26–24): Good knowledge of the course contents, although primarily descriptive, with an acceptable ability to analyse and synthesise information. Good command of technical terminology in Arabic.
Satisfactory/Pass (23–18): Appropriate, though not entirely comprehensive, knowledge of the course contents. Limited but sufficient analytical skills. Language is simple, with some errors in both Italian and Arabic.
Fail (below 18): Partial and superficial knowledge of the course contents. Course topics are analysed and contextualised in a superficial and confused manner. Fragmentary and unclear presentation, with serious errors in both Italian and Arabic.
Contents
Prof. Arianna Tondi's Programme (24 hours, First Semester): The Arab World and Islam in the Classical Period. This first part examines the emergence, formation, and consolidation of Arab culture from the pre-Islamic period to the eighteenth century. Particular attention is devoted to the following topics: Arab identity and Muslim identity; the origins and spread of Islam; the Prophet's biography (sīra) and the emergence of the first Muslim community; the Qur'an: revelation, main themes, and textual structure; the origins of theology (kalām); the sources of Islamic law and the four legal schools; Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh); the first major schism in Islam: Shi'ism; the Five Pillars of Islam; Islamic mysticism (taṣawwuf); the emergence of the Arab-Islamic Empire: the succession to the Prophet; the Rightly Guided Caliphs; the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates; the Sultanate; and the dynasties of the Islamic world.
Prof. Martina Censi's Programme (30 hours, Second Semester): Cultural Expressions of the Contemporary Era. This second part focuses on the relationship between artistic languages and the transformations that have taken place in contemporary Arab societies, with particular emphasis on the twenty-first century. Special attention is devoted to the performative role of art and to the relationship between artistic practices, conflict, political engagement, resistance, and the renegotiation of social norms.
Online Resources
More information
Non-attending and repeat students are required to contact both instructors at least two months before the examination.
Please note that the syllabus for non-attending students is the same as that for attending students.