Turkey: Spring 2012 Senior Seminar

Travel Dates: March 25–April 13, 2012

Leaders: Jim Block and Grant Gonzalez

Itinerary: Click to view

 

Program description: This seminar will explore Turkey, the crossroads of civilization, where East meets West. Since antiquity, the land that is now Turkey has hosted merchants and marauders from Homer’s Greeks to Genghis Khan, from the crusaders of Europe to the silk and spice traders of China and India. In our three-week sojourn, we’ll explore the wonders of ancient and modern Turkey, from Troy to Ephesus. We'll walk in the footsteps of St. Paul, Alexander the Great, Anthony and Cleopatra, and Ataturk. We'll explore the mosques of the great Sinan, the Aya Sophia of Justinian, the Harem of the Ottomans, and the delights of the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Spice Bazaar.

The literature in this course will focus on Turkey, from Homer’s Iliad to the works of Orhan Pamuk, and will include novels, short stories, and poetry. Writing assignments will include both critical analyses and personal narratives; students will be required to keep both a reading journal and a travel journal.

 

The Senior Seminar will be paired with the interdisciplinary Islamic Middle Eas course. This course is an introduction to the Middle East that includes discussions of history, politics, culture, language, art and architecture, and literature in the context of the area’s chief religion, Islam. Emphasis will be on the region’s confrontation with the West in the modern period, including the Arab-Israeli conflict; Islamic revivalism; and the role of Turkey in the modern period, including its relationship with Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. Other major topics include the historic role of Turkey as an ancient crossroads, the role of Islam in contemporary Turkish life, and the role and influence of Ataturk on modern Turkey. Many see Turkey developing into a model Muslim nation, capable of accommodating both traditional Islamic life and a modern secular one.

 

Credits: Seniors in this course will earn three credits: one credit in English, one credit for Islamic Middle East (REL/HIS2: half history, half religious studies), half a credit for Expository Writing, and half a credit in the student’s choice from a menu of options. Students may take this seminar instead of or in addition to any senior English course.

Application: The application form is available in Student Announcements on SWIS, or at the Center for International Education in Beveridge Hall, Room 030, or x3251.

Fee: In addition to the regular cost of tuition, room, and board, students pay a program fee of $2,400, plus airfare and other major transportation costs. NMH partially subsidizes its study abroad programs in order to keep costs affordable for families. Limited need-based financial aid may be available but is not guaranteed.