Note: B& K is Baron and Keddie book; Ahmed refers to her book (in the bookstore), Women and Gender in Islam. (See section on reading materials in course description.)

Part One: Women, the Rise of Islam, and Issues in Premodern Society

Sep. 5 Early Islam and the Position of Women. Assignment: read Ahmed, Ch. 3-5 and prepare for discussion. Summary #1 due.

Sep. 10 "Women and Islam." In-class writing. Assignment: start reading The Liberation of Women in preparation for class on Sep. 26th.
Sep. 12 CLASS IN ROESCH LIBRARY, RM 401. Erica Coe, reference librarian, will teach you about library resources on researching Middle East women. Attendance will be taken.

Sep. 17 Gender and Islamic Law. Assignment: read "The Koran on the Subject of Women," and "`A'isha bint Abi Bakr" (reserve).

Sep. 24 In-class workshop on research papers. Assignment: TBA
Sep. 26 In-class debate on Qasim Amin.  Assignment: read The Liberation of Women and prepare for debate. Summary # 2 due.

Oct. 1 Modernity and the 'new' woman. Assignment: read Najmabadi, "Crafting an Educated Housewife" and Fahmy, "Women, Medicine and Power in Nineteenth-Century Egypt." Prepare for discussion.
Oct. 3 Role of marriage in Middle Eastern society. Assignment: read in B&K, Tucker, "The Ties That Bound" and Baron, "The Making and Breaking of Marital Bonds in Modern Egypt." Prepare for discussion.

Oct. 8 Women and family. Assignment: read Meriwether, "The Rights of Women and Responsibilities of Women as Wasis in Aleppo" (reserve)
Oct. 10 Women and work: production. Assignment: read Khater, "'House' to 'Goddess of the House'" (reserve); Quaetert, "Ottoman Women, Households, and Textile Manufacturing" in B&K. Click here for powerpoint.

Oct. 15 Women and work: entertainers. "Umm Kulthum: a Voice Like Egypt." Assignment: read Danielson, "Artists and Entrepreneurs" in B&K. BOOK REVIEW DUE.
Oct. 17 Women and work: professions. Assignment: read Musa, "The Difference Between Men and Women and Their Capacities for Work" (reserve); and Shehadeh, "Retired Journalist" (reserve). Click here for powerpoint.

Oct. 22 Introduction to political trends, modern Middle East. Short test on part two. Assignment: final paper prospectus due. Click here for powerpoint.
Oct. 24 Women and the politics of domination. Assignment: read Kandiyoti, "Islam and Patriarchy" in B&K. Summary #3 due.

Oct. 29 Women's Movements. Assignment: read Fleischmann, "The 'Other' Awakening" (reserve)
Oct. 31 Women and Nationalism. Assignment: read Kandiyoti, "End of Empire: Islam, Nationalism and Women in Turkey" (reserve) and Margot Badran article on reserve. (not e-reserve) Click here for powerpoint.

Nov. 5 Women and conflict. Assignment: read MERIP primer on Palestine; Gorkin and Othman, xiii-124.
Nov. 7 Women and conflict. Assignment: Gorkin and Othman, pp. 125-228. Summary # 4 due.

Nov. 12 Political trends II, Modern Middle East (short lecture). In-class workshop and group meetings on research papers/presentations. Assignment: bring in your sources, including new ones recommended by EF or found by you.
Nov. 14  Contemporary Women and Islam. "Divorce Iranian Style." Assignment: read Haddad and Smith, "Women in Islam: the Mother of All Battles" (reserve)

Nov. 19 Discussion of film, and Middle Eastern women and the West. Short test on part three. Assignment:
Nov. 21 Final Presentations.  Women and politics. Summary #5 due on reading and video of Nov. 14th.

Nov. 26 "Iraqi  Women in Exile."
Nov. 28 THANKSGIVING

Dec. 3 Final Presentations. Women and religion, women and law.
Dec. 5 Final Presentations. Women and family, women and education.

FINAL PAPERS DUE IN MY MAILBOX BY DEC. 9TH AT 9:00 A.M. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. PERIOD.