Middle Eastern Cities: Navigating the Transition from Empires to Nation-States and the Globalized World
Photo Credit: Anna Berdnik, Unsplash
By: Muna Güvenç Ospina León (Assistant Professor of Fine Arts) and Yuval Evri (Assistant Professor of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)
Professors Güvenç and Evri co-taught an undergraduate course entitled Middle Eastern Cities this past Spring. They offer their shared reflections in this piece.
Co-teaching this course at Brandeis University has been an immensely rewarding experience, as it represents a rigorous interdisciplinary endeavor to explore the dynamic evolution of Middle Eastern cities. By merging cultural history, urban studies, architecture, and political geography, we offer students a comprehensive framework to understand how historical and contemporary forces have shaped key cities such as Cairo, Damascus, Istanbul, Jerusalem, and Baghdad. These cities, with their rich layers of geopolitical, cultural, and social transformation, serve as living case studies of the impacts of colonialism, imperialism, nation-state formation, globalization, and neoliberalization.
Our approach treats cities not merely as physical entities but as intricate symbolic spaces shaped by networks of power, culture, and memory. Through this lens, students critically engage with urbanism and visual culture, gaining a deeper understanding of how Middle Eastern cities embody both historical legacies and contemporary challenges. We focus on the Global South’s urban spaces as arenas of contestation, emphasizing how their evolving landscapes reflect complex socio-political realities.
A distinct feature of our course is the inclusion of perspectives from scholars and artists who bring firsthand regional insights. This collaboration introduces comparative elements that enrich our discussions on urban transformation, the Ottoman Empire's legacy, and the roles of religion and secularism in shaping urban spaces. By integrating these voices, we not only expand our academic discourse but also reflect the interwoven relationships that characterize the region.
This cross-cultural exchange offers students a rare opportunity to engage with regional issues through multiple viewpoints, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of the region's contentious socio-political landscape. Supported by a Mandel Center grant, we have hosted guest speakers, such as Neta Weiner, Stav Marin, and Yoni Battat, whose diverse insights bridge academic theories with lived experiences, making the course both grounded and transformative.
Navigating sensitive topics like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has underscored the importance of respectful dialogue and critical thinking. We strive to create an environment where students feel encouraged to explore multiple narratives, equipping them with the tools to analyze complex issues with empathy and rigor. The interdisciplinary collaboration enhances this dialogue, as it challenges students to question assumptions and broaden their understanding of the region's historical and contemporary realities.
Ultimately, this course bridges academic research and public discourse, underscoring the relevance of Middle Eastern studies to pressing global issues. By cultivating dialogue across disciplines, we help students grasp the intricate connections between history and present-day socio-political dynamics. Our own dynamic intellectual exchanges in the classroom demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, which students have found enriching and impactful, as reflected in their positive feedback.
Looking ahead, we aim to further expand the course by adapting to growing enrollment and exploring opportunities for immersive, field-based learning. A potential study trip to the Middle East would allow students to experience the cultural and architectural elements firsthand, deepening their understanding and providing a tangible link to the concepts discussed in class.
Through this course, we strive to empower students with a critically engaged and empathetic understanding of Middle Eastern cities, equipping them to navigate the region’s multifaceted realities both in their studies and beyond. Our ongoing collaboration with scholars from the region has been instrumental in realizing this vision, and we are excited to continue building on this foundation in the years to come.