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Area Studies (Research): Asia and the Middle East: Middle Eastern Studies

Master

One of the specialisations of the Research Master Area Studies: Asia and the Middle East is Middle Eastern Studies. Within this specialisation students take three common core courses together with all the students of the Research Master. The remaining course load can be filled in with the specialised regional and thematic courses on offer. Students may follow their own interest and either opt to take all courses from one subspecialisation or take the opportunity to combine them with courses from other subspecialisations. They should be aware, though, that for some of the courses a certain level of knowledge of a particular language is required (see course descriptions). Students are strongly advised to contact the track leader or student advisor when composing their programme.

In the first year, they have one common core course in the first semester (Theories and Methods in Area Studies) and one in the second semester each having a weight of 10 EC. In the second year, all students have to take the Thesis Writing Seminar of 10 EC.

First Year

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Semester 1 (Fall Semester)

Common Core Course(s) (10 EC) (sem 1)

Theory and Methods of Area Studies is obligatory for first year students. They are also strongly advised to attend the Thesis Writing Seminar for which they will receive credits in the second year only.
Theories and Methods in Area studies 10
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 1 & 3) 10

Specialisation Courses: courses of a general Middle East interest (sem 1)
Anthropology of Islamic Law 10
Christianity in the Middle East (1800-present) 5
The Islamic Book: from Manuscript to Modern Media 10
Theories and Methods of Middle East and Islamic Studies 10

Specialisation Courses: Persian Studies (sem 1)
Classical Persian Poetry as a Living Tradition 10
Literature and Politics in Persian-Speaking World 10

Specialisation Courses: Arabic Studies (sem 1)
Culture and Society in the Medieval Muslim World 10

Specialisation Courses: Turkish Studies (sem 1)
From Ottoman Empire to Turkish Republic 10
Society and Culture in the Caucasus and Central Asia 10
The Ottoman Empire and Europe 10

Specialisation Courses: North African Studies (sem 1)
Languages of the Maghrib 10
Law and Society in the Maghreb 10

Specialisation Courses: Islamic Studies (sem 1)

Specialisation Courses: Eastern Christianity (sem 1)
Christianity in the Middle East (1800-present) 5

Semester 2 (Spring Semester)

Common Core Course(s) (10 EC) (sem 2)

Students choose one of the two courses (“Culture and Conquest” or “State and Society”). They are also strongly advised to attend the Thesis Writing Seminar for which they will receive credits in the second year only.
Arts and Culture in Area Studies: Culture and Conquest: the impact of the Mongols and their descendants 10
State and Society: Orientalism, Colonialism, and Post-Colonialism 10
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 2 & 4) 10

Specialisation Courses: courses of a general Middle East interest (sem 2)
Pilgrimages and Holy Places 10
Religion, art, and identity of Christian societies in the Middle East 10
Islam and Modernity 10

Specialisation Courses: Persian Studies (sem 2)
Historiography and Cultural History (Persian Studies) 10
Persian Literature outside Iran: A Literary History 10

Specialisation Courses: Arabic Studies (sem 2)
Arabic Dialectology 10
Text and Transmission 10
Themes in Modern Arabic Literature 10

Specialisation Courses: Turkish Studies (sem 2)
Continuity and Change in Turkish Culture 10
Practicing Modernity in Central Asia and the Caucasus 10
Turkey since World War II 10

Specialisation Courses: North African Studies (sem 2)
Arabic Dialectology 10

Specialisation Courses: Islamic Studies (sem 2)
European policies and jurisprudence concerning Muslims and Islam 5
Fatwas and the Dissemination of Religious Authority in Indonesia in the 20th Century 10
Piety, Modernity, and Gender in Islam: Anthropological Perspectives 5

Specialisation Courses: Eastern Christianity (sem 2)
Christian and Islamic art and architecture: a heritage of religious interaction in its social and cultural contexts 5
Religion, art, and identity of Christian societies in the Middle East 10

Second Year

After the completion of their first year students may opt to spend the summer or a complete semester (semester 3) to study abroad at one of the institutions affiliated with our programme or to do fieldwork. Students who want to go abroad need to contact a potential supervisor of their project early in the second semester (of the first year) to write a sound proposal. This proposal needs to be submitted to the Board of Examiners for approval at least two months before the student leaves (preferably before the end of the second semester).

Students who are staying in Leiden are obliged to take the Thesis Writing Seminar and choose two courses from the list below during the third semester.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Semester 1 (Fall Semester)

Common Core Course (10 EC): all students have to take this obligatory course (unless they are abroad).
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 1 & 3) 10

Specialisation Courses: courses of a general Middle East interest
Anthropology of Islamic Law 10
Christianity in the Middle East (1800-present) 5
The Islamic Book: from Manuscript to Modern Media 10
Theories and Methods of Middle East and Islamic Studies 10

Specialisation Courses: Arabic Studies
Culture and Society in the Medieval Muslim World 10

Specialisation Courses: Persian Studies
Classical Persian Poetry as a Living Tradition 10
Literature and Politics in Persian-Speaking World 10

Specialisation Courses: Turkish Studies
From Ottoman Empire to Turkish Republic 10
Society and Culture in the Caucasus and Central Asia 10
The Ottoman Empire and Europe 10

Specialisation Courses: North African Studies
Languages of the Maghrib 10
Law and Society in the Maghreb 10

Specialisation Courses: Islamic Studies
Islamic Jurisprudence for Muslims in Europe: The Role of Fatwas 5

Semester 2 (Spring Semester)

Common Core Course: all students have to take this obligatory course.
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 2 & 4) 10
Thesis Research Master Area Studies 30