Middle Eastern Jewish and Islamic Civilisations (JH)

Overview

Why study Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations?

Through the lens of the Middle East and North Africa, Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations introduces you to a broad range of subjects at university level. If you are interested in literature, religion, ancient and modern history, philosophy, and in the Middle East and North Africa’s relationship with the Western world, this is the course for you. You will be able to explore how societies develop their values and perspectives in deep historical time, beginning with the cultures of the Sumerians, Babylonians, Persians and ancient Israelites, and extending to the political conditions of the contemporary world.

Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations: The course for you?

If you are interested in ancient and modern history, in literature, in religion and philosophy, in the Middle East and its cultures and religions, in the region’s relationship with the Western world, this course would be of great interest to you. If you find yourself asking how societies develop their values and perspectives, you will be able to explore how they do so over the course of some of the most exciting periods of human history beginning with the cultures of ancient Israelites, Persians and Babylonians, and extending to the contemporary political conditions in the Middle East.

Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations at Trinity

• Learn about the history and culture of major trading partners. 
• Study societies from antiquity to modernity. 
• Understand the challenges of diversity and multiculturalism. 
• Optionally learn a Middle Eastern language. 
• Optionally study abroad. 

The cultures and societies of the Middle East and North Africa have been deeply influential in shaping European and Western values. Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations offers you the opportunity to study the historical origins as well as contemporary culture of a wide range of societies of the region, providing you with an insight into the contemporary Middle East and to the challenges of diversity and multiculturalism in an increasingly globalised world.

Pathways

The pathways available are Single Honours, Major with Minor, and Joint Honours. There may also be an opportunity to take this subject up as a New Minor Subject from second year.

Graduate skills and career opportunities

As well as the specific knowledge you acquire about the Middle East, North Africa, and Jewish and Islamic history and culture, you also acquire skills highly valued by employers, such as critical and independent thinking, clear writing, evidence-based argument, research, presenting effectively, and problem-solving. You will also acquire valuable knowledge in international affairs.

Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations provides the ideal foundation for those aspiring to careers in public services, foreign affairs, diplomacy, journalism and education. Many of our graduates can be found in these and in other professions.

Your degree and what you’ll study

At entry, Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilisations must be combined with one other subject. In later years, you will be able to select additional subjects and electives.

The Department of Near and Middle Eastern Studies’ dedication to small-group teaching makes the student experience particularly rewarding. Amongst our students, we foster independent and creative thinking and, to facilitate this, lecturers are always ready to meet individual students to discuss academic issues.

First and second years

First and second years In first year, you are introduced to the history of the region as well as to the history of Jews and Muslims in the context of the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and the US. We offer introductory courses in the Modern Middle East, to Jewish and Islamic cultures, and Ancient Near Eastern history and culture. 

Topics in the first two years include:  

• Politics of the contemporary Middle East and North Africa
• The Middle East during the two World Wars
• Jews in European Society
•  Islam in Europe
• Ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Empires
• European relations with the Middle East and North Africa

You explore them through academic literature and many primary sources, including literature, film, ancient inscriptions, blogs, government records, archaeological evidence. 

From second year, you can optionally commence study of a language: Arabic, Turkish, Ancient or Modern Hebrew, Middle Egyptian Hieroglyphs or Sumerian. You can also select all nonlanguage modules, including Trinity Electives. In your core course, you will study diverse cultures in the ancient, medieval and modern worlds through political, religious and literary texts, material culture, music, blogs and film. 

Topics include:

• The ancient empires of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia
• Contemporary Islamic Movements
• Human Rights in the Middle East
• The History of Jews and Muslims in Europe from the Medieval to the Modern Period
• Turkish Cultural History
• The History of the Ottoman Empire

Third and fourth years

In third year, you may choose to study for a semester abroad (this is not compulsory). You can continue with your Middle Eastern Language (if you have decided to study a language) or choose from a broad range of options offered by the department of Near and Middle Eastern Studies, open modules and Trinity Electives.

 In your final year, you can continue your language, if you are doing one, and choose from a wide range of modules to suit your interests. Options in recent years have included: 

• The Modern Middle East and European Powers 
• The Decline of the Ottoman Empire 
• The Middle East and America
• The Jews of Egypt and their Encounter with Greek Culture
• The Persian Empire
•  Islam and Gender
•  Holocaust Representation in Film and Literature
• Advanced language
• Reading Gilgamesh

You also write a dissertation, which is an independent research project carried out under the guidance of a supervisor. At all levels, you will be assessed by a combination of continuous assessment and exams. We use a mix of traditional and innovative continuous assessment methods – essays, project work, presentations, book reviews and dossiers and podcast creation. Language modules are traditionally assessed by written and oral assessments and examinations. Final year students also write a Capstone project.

There are QQI/FET routes available for this course. Please see www.cao.ie for details.

Click here for further information on modules/subjects.

Study abroad

Immersing yourself in the culture of another people, and spending time in another University system, is not only an enormously fun and formative experience, it is also one of the most valuable ways of achieving fluency and getting to know about the local people, politics, history and culture. Study abroad is likely to prove one of the highlights of your degree. 

In third year, students have the opportunity to apply to study abroad in a prestigious European university with the EU funded Erasmus programme. Alternatively, you may apply to spend your third year in leading universities in North America, Australia and Hong Kong. The department of Near and Middle Eastern Studies also has a special exchange programme with Charles University, Prague, Boğaziçi University (Istanbul) and with a number of universities in the Middle East. For more information on study abroad destinations and requirements visit: www.tcd.ie/global/mobility/outbound/