2025 Fall MELC 117AC 001 LEC 001

2025 Fall

MELC 117AC 001 - LEC 001

Formerly Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures 117

The Origins of Racism in the West

Yonatan Binyam

Aug 27, 2025 - Dec 12, 2025
Tu, Th
02:00 pm - 03:29 pm
Class #:33776
Units: 4

Instruction Mode: In-Person Instruction

Current Enrollment

Total Open Seats: 33
Enrolled: 2
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 35
Waitlist Max: 10
No Reserved Seats

Hours & Workload

9 hours of outside work hours per week, and 3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week.

Other classes by Yonatan Binyam

Course Catalog Description

This course provides students an opportunity to investigate the similarities and differences between premodern and modern group identity narratives. Premodern narratives of peoplehood will be analyzed alongside modern racial narratives utilizing a comparative approach to reading primary sources, coupled with a critical engagement with secondary sources on the issues of racism, race, ethnicity, and religion. The course will focus on narratives related to Western Civilization, Whiteness, Anti-Blackness, Antisemitism, Orientalism, and Islamophobia. It will also cover some of the parallels and differences between Western ideologies of racism and Antisemitism and those found in certain parts of the premodern Islamic world and the Middle East.

Rules & Requirements

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills

Meets Historical Studies, L&S Breadth
Meets Philosophy & Values, L&S Breadth
American Cultures Requirement

Reserved Seats

Current Enrollment

No Reserved Seats

Textbooks & Materials

See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.

Textbook Lookup

Guide to Open, Free, & Affordable Course Materials

eTextbooks

Associated Sections

None