Arab Culture I
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course provides students with an overview of the core topics of the Arab culture from a historical, diachronic perspective, also with regard to the pre-colonial period and its effects on contemporary events. Students will get a grasp of the main geopolitical, cultural and historical features of the Arab world, from the 6th century up to the present day.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
- investigate, critically discuss and communicate the key aspects of Arab culture
- master the course contents independently and proficiently.
- investigate, critically discuss and communicate the key aspects of Arab culture
- master the course contents independently and proficiently.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course is divided into three parts:
1 - Contemporary History and Politics of North Africa and Palestine:
The course will trace the historical and political developments of contemporary North Africa from colonisation through to the Arab Spring, as well as the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
2 - Contemporary politics and policies in North Africa and Palestine:
The module will address a number of political issues concerning the societies and governments of North African countries and Palestine: Islamism, nationalism, conflicts and women's issues.
3 - The novelised account of the contemporary history of Arab countries:
This part of the course - organised as seminars and group work - will introduce students to the reading of a selection of novels by Arab authors, translated into Italian (from Arabic or another language), set in contemporary North African countries and Palestine.
1 - Contemporary History and Politics of North Africa and Palestine:
The course will trace the historical and political developments of contemporary North Africa from colonisation through to the Arab Spring, as well as the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
2 - Contemporary politics and policies in North Africa and Palestine:
The module will address a number of political issues concerning the societies and governments of North African countries and Palestine: Islamism, nationalism, conflicts and women's issues.
3 - The novelised account of the contemporary history of Arab countries:
This part of the course - organised as seminars and group work - will introduce students to the reading of a selection of novels by Arab authors, translated into Italian (from Arabic or another language), set in contemporary North African countries and Palestine.
Prerequisites for admission
No special prerequisites are required.
Teaching methods
Lectures and group activities on scheduled books and video-documentary materials on some of the topics covered in the classroom and on the authors/authors of the novels on the program. Seminars with guests and scholars.
The course's MyAriel page contains a 'lecture blog' updated weekly, in which the content of individual lectures is described and bibliographical references and possible further study are provided.
The course's MyAriel page contains a 'lecture blog' updated weekly, in which the content of individual lectures is described and bibliographical references and possible further study are provided.
Teaching Resources
1. C. Roggero, Storia del Nord Africa indipendente. Tra imperialismi, nazionalismi e autoritarismi, Bompiani, Milano 2019
2. Slides, maps and documentaries on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict uploaded to the course page on MyAriel
3. ONE text of your choice from the following:
· Marco Allegra, I palestinesi. Storia e identità di un popolo, Carocci, Roma 2010
· Chiara Comito e Silvia Moresi (a cura di), Arabpop. Arte e letteratura in rivolta dai paesi arabi, Mimesis Edizioni, Milano-Udine 2020
· Massimiliano Cricco, Federico Cresti, Gheddafi. I volti del potere, Carocci, Roma 2011
· Arturo Marzano, Questa terra è nostra da sempre. Israele e Palestina, Laterza, Bari-Roma 2024
· Arturo Marzano, Storia di Gaza. Terra, politica, conflitti, Il Mulino, Bologna 2025
· Ilan Pappé, Brevissima storia del conflitto tra Israele e Palestina. Dal 1882 a oggi, Fazi editore, Roma 2024
· Renata Pepicelli, Femminismo islamico. Corano, diritti, riforme, Carocci, Roma 2018 (20101)
· Renata Pepicelli, Il velo nell'islam. Storia, politica, estetica, Carocci, Roma 2018
· Andrea Plebani, Jihadismo globale. Strategie del terrore tra Oriente e Occidente, Giunti, Firenze 2016
· Caterina Roggero, Il conflitto del Sahara occidentale (1975-1991), RCS Media Group 2024 [Available to buy online only from the Gazzetta dello Sport store - please contact the teacher if you encounter any problems]
· Caterina Roggero, La Libia italiana, RCS Media Group, 2024 [to be requested from the teacher]
· Caterina Roggero, La guerra d'Algeria (1954-1962), RCS Media Group, 2023 [Available to buy online only from the Gazzetta dello Sport store - please contact the teacher if you encounter any problems]
· Ester Sigillò, Massimo Ramaioli, L'attivismo islamico in Maghreb. Politiche e ideologie contemporanee, Carocci, Roma 2024
4. ONE COUNTRY of your choice, from which to choose ONE of the indicated novels:
Morocco:
Tahar ben Jelloun, Il libro del buio (any edition)
Fouad Laroui, Le tribolazioni dell'ultimo Sijilmassi, Del Vecchio Editore, Roma 2019
Mohamed Choukri, Il pane nudo, (any edition)
Fatema Mernissi, La terrazza proibita. Vita nell'harem, Giunti, Firenze 2007
Algeria:
Alice Zeniter, L'arte di perdere, Einaudi, Torino 2018
Yasmina Khadra, Quel che il giorno deve alla notte, Mondadori, Milano 2009
Aziz Chouaki, La stella di Algeri, Edizioni e/o, 2003
Tunisia:
Ali Becheur, I domani di ieri, Francesco Brioschi Editore, Milano 2019
Shukri al-Mabkhout, L'Italiano, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2017
Amira Ghenim, La casa dei notabili, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2022
Libya:
Hisman Matar, Il ritorno, Einaudi, Torino 2016
Ibrahim Al-Khoni, La patria delle visioni celesti e altri racconti dal deserto, e/o edizioni 2007
Hisham Matar, Amici di una vita, Einaudi, Torino 2024
Egypt:
'Ala al-Aswani, Sono corso verso il Nilo, Feltrinelli, Milano 2018
Naguib Mahfouz, Il vicolo del mortaio, Feltrinelli, Milano (any edition)
Magdy El Shafee, Metro, Il Sirente, Fagnano Alto 2010 insieme a Khaled Al Khamissi, Taxi. Le strade del Cairo si raccontano, Il Sirente, Fagnano Alto 2009
Palestine:
Susan Abulhawa, Ogni mattina a Jenin, Feltrinelli, Milano (any edition)
Adania Shibli, Un dettaglio minore, La Nave di Teseo, Milano 2021
Bassem Khandaqji, Una maschera color del cielo, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2024
Asmaa Alghoul, Sélim Nassib, La ribelle di Gaza, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2024
2. Slides, maps and documentaries on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict uploaded to the course page on MyAriel
3. ONE text of your choice from the following:
· Marco Allegra, I palestinesi. Storia e identità di un popolo, Carocci, Roma 2010
· Chiara Comito e Silvia Moresi (a cura di), Arabpop. Arte e letteratura in rivolta dai paesi arabi, Mimesis Edizioni, Milano-Udine 2020
· Massimiliano Cricco, Federico Cresti, Gheddafi. I volti del potere, Carocci, Roma 2011
· Arturo Marzano, Questa terra è nostra da sempre. Israele e Palestina, Laterza, Bari-Roma 2024
· Arturo Marzano, Storia di Gaza. Terra, politica, conflitti, Il Mulino, Bologna 2025
· Ilan Pappé, Brevissima storia del conflitto tra Israele e Palestina. Dal 1882 a oggi, Fazi editore, Roma 2024
· Renata Pepicelli, Femminismo islamico. Corano, diritti, riforme, Carocci, Roma 2018 (20101)
· Renata Pepicelli, Il velo nell'islam. Storia, politica, estetica, Carocci, Roma 2018
· Andrea Plebani, Jihadismo globale. Strategie del terrore tra Oriente e Occidente, Giunti, Firenze 2016
· Caterina Roggero, Il conflitto del Sahara occidentale (1975-1991), RCS Media Group 2024 [Available to buy online only from the Gazzetta dello Sport store - please contact the teacher if you encounter any problems]
· Caterina Roggero, La Libia italiana, RCS Media Group, 2024 [to be requested from the teacher]
· Caterina Roggero, La guerra d'Algeria (1954-1962), RCS Media Group, 2023 [Available to buy online only from the Gazzetta dello Sport store - please contact the teacher if you encounter any problems]
· Ester Sigillò, Massimo Ramaioli, L'attivismo islamico in Maghreb. Politiche e ideologie contemporanee, Carocci, Roma 2024
4. ONE COUNTRY of your choice, from which to choose ONE of the indicated novels:
Morocco:
Tahar ben Jelloun, Il libro del buio (any edition)
Fouad Laroui, Le tribolazioni dell'ultimo Sijilmassi, Del Vecchio Editore, Roma 2019
Mohamed Choukri, Il pane nudo, (any edition)
Fatema Mernissi, La terrazza proibita. Vita nell'harem, Giunti, Firenze 2007
Algeria:
Alice Zeniter, L'arte di perdere, Einaudi, Torino 2018
Yasmina Khadra, Quel che il giorno deve alla notte, Mondadori, Milano 2009
Aziz Chouaki, La stella di Algeri, Edizioni e/o, 2003
Tunisia:
Ali Becheur, I domani di ieri, Francesco Brioschi Editore, Milano 2019
Shukri al-Mabkhout, L'Italiano, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2017
Amira Ghenim, La casa dei notabili, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2022
Libya:
Hisman Matar, Il ritorno, Einaudi, Torino 2016
Ibrahim Al-Khoni, La patria delle visioni celesti e altri racconti dal deserto, e/o edizioni 2007
Hisham Matar, Amici di una vita, Einaudi, Torino 2024
Egypt:
'Ala al-Aswani, Sono corso verso il Nilo, Feltrinelli, Milano 2018
Naguib Mahfouz, Il vicolo del mortaio, Feltrinelli, Milano (any edition)
Magdy El Shafee, Metro, Il Sirente, Fagnano Alto 2010 insieme a Khaled Al Khamissi, Taxi. Le strade del Cairo si raccontano, Il Sirente, Fagnano Alto 2009
Palestine:
Susan Abulhawa, Ogni mattina a Jenin, Feltrinelli, Milano (any edition)
Adania Shibli, Un dettaglio minore, La Nave di Teseo, Milano 2021
Bassem Khandaqji, Una maschera color del cielo, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2024
Asmaa Alghoul, Sélim Nassib, La ribelle di Gaza, Edizioni e/o, Roma 2024
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination consists of an oral interview in which students will have to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the themes and texts covered in the syllabus, and the ability to contextualize, comment on and discuss them in light of the analytical tools provided during the course. Consideration will be given to the student's active participation in the lectures and activities organized as part of the course. Part of the examination may consist of a questionnaire in the manner that will be detailed in class.
The program is valid until February 2028.
The program is valid until February 2028.
L-OR/12 - ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
De Angelis Francesco
Professor(s)
Reception:
Tuesday 10:00
Floor 4, room 4012 Sesto San Giovanni (p.zza Indro Montanelli)