An exploration of Egyptian history, with an emphasis on religious and cultural dimensions, from late antiquity and the rise of Islam to the present. Topics include the adoption of the Arabic language; religious diversity and conversion; the emergence of distinctive social-cultural forms in Egypt's urban, coastal, desert and rural areas; evolving understandings of and responses to the Pharaonic past; and the gradual transformation of Cairo, from a garrison town in the early Islamic period to a pre-eminent commercial, intellectual, cultural and artistic capital and a megalopolis in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Attention to Egypt's interactions with its neighbours in the eastern Mediterranean, especially Syria; Egypt's experience of the Crusades and colonialism, and especially its relations with Britain and France; and the challenges of the twenty-first century, including conservation of the natural and built environments.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 15

Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors who have taken at least one unit in Middle Eastern Studies or Religion, with permission of the instructor. Not open to students who have taken REL 268.

Instructor: Marlow

Distribution Requirements: HS or REP - Historical Studies or Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered

Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as REL 268.