The Frankfurt School of Social Thought posits that art and literature are social. Based on this premise, this course delves into the social and cultural function and purpose of literature by examining a selection of literary works translated from Arabic, covering the pre-Islamic eras to the present. It examines poetry, travel books, letters, and religious scriptures, and asks what happens to literature when it travels from one cultural context to another, for instance, during translation.
Counts Toward Concentrations: International Relations, Middle Eastern Studies
To find books for this class, please visit the St. Olaf Bookstore.