GEOG 3154 Geography of the Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is a large and complex field of inquiry—with far too many countries and themes to cover in one term. There are many different ways to approach the study of a geographic region. In this class we approach the study of MENA through a focus on themes: representation, urban spatial practices, displacement and disputes. This seminar focuses on the ways in which identities are inscribed in place and space as well as represented through the environment, political economy, cultural practices and identities.

Our aim is to render visible historical and contemporary exertion of power through cultural processes of exclusion and inclusion and examine cultural productions of sameness and difference that constitute this dynamic region. This requires understanding how categories such as class, ethnicity, religion, gender, and geography are mobilized in these narratives throughout the Middle East context. Our exploration of the various axes of identity formation will take place through a grounded study of the ways in which power and culture intersect in the contemporary context and change urban environments. We will also reflect upon how the dramatic changes of the past decade and how they are related to processes that have been occurring across the region for some time.

GEOG 6292 Qualitative Methods in Geography

GEOG 2148 Economic Geography

GEOG 6262 Geographical Perspectives on the Middle East

GEOG 6250 Geographical Perspectives on Development