Course Soptlight: MIDEAST 325 "Introduction to Modern Arabic Literature"

Q1. Welcome! Can you please introduce yourself and your academic background?

My name is Hanan Jasim Khammas, and I am an Assistant Professor of Modern Arabic Literature at the University of Michigan. I hold a PhD in Literary Theory and Comparative Literature from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. I am also the author of Writing Through the Body: Iraqi Responses to the War on Terror (2024).

Q2. This Fall, you’ll be teaching MIDEAST 325. Can you tell us more about this course?

MIDEAST 325: Introduction to Modern Arabic Literature introduces students to the major literary genres, themes, motifs, styles, and authors of twentieth-century Arabic literature. The course explores how creative writing in the Arab world engaged with some of the most crucial historical and cultural transformations of the century, particularly the emergence of Arab nation-states and their postcolonial development. We will examine issues such as identity, gender, nationalism, modernity, and Islam, and consider how these themes shaped modern Arabic literary expression.

Q3. Can you explain how your research interests relate to this course?

The study of Arabic literature and culture has, until very recently, often been shaped by political tensions and historical calamities, and it has frequently been approached primarily through the framework of area studies. My training in literary theory and comparative literature, as well as my research on contemporary cultural semiotics of corporeality, gender, and sexuality in Arab contexts, moves beyond that tradition. It allows me to situate Arabic literature within broader conversations in world literature. It is almost impossible to understand contemporary creative phenomena around the world without considering the crucial influence of postcolonial, feminist, and gender studies. In this sense, my research helps me show students that the study of Arabic literature is not simply the study of an “alien” or distant culture. Rather, it offers a new lens through which we can better understand today’s global cultural, political, and social phenomena.

Q4. What materials or literature are you most excited to engage with?

I am excited to engage with a wide range of literary and creative forms, including the short story, the novel, poetry, theater, cinema, comic books, songs, and even commercials. I try to convey to my students that storytelling is not only about reading long or difficult texts. It is also about understanding that meaning often goes beyond the words on the page. Form, style, motifs, sounds, colors, and visual elements are all part of the interpretive process.

One of the most exciting aspects of my courses is that students often have the opportunity to speak with writers and artists directly. Through these conversations, they learn how creativity can become an instrument of enjoyment, reflection, and personal growth.

Q5. For any students who are interested in taking your course but may be hesitant to engage with a new subject, why do you think they should enroll? What will they gain from this course?

First and foremost, students will have the opportunity to enjoy extraordinary readings, experiences, and conversations. They will also develop a valuable new skill: learning how to interpret creative processes beyond the visible objects they see or the words they read.

In this course, students will be invited to share their opinions and ideas with classmates and, at times, with well-known artists and writers. The classroom is a space for open and thoughtful discussion, where students can speak freely as long as they remain kind, respectful, and engaged with one another.

Q6. Is there anything else students should know about this course or your teaching style before the Fall?

Students should expect to read, think, and share. I love dynamic classes where students move around the room, talk to one another, and take an active role in shaping the conversation. In my classes, students always come first. I design my courses in a way that allows students to lead, while I guide, support, and orient the discussion.