Morocco: Contemporary Arts and Culture

General Description

This course will serve as an introduction to contemporary Morocco and its historical role as a crossroads of civilizations straddling three continents: Africa, Europe, and West Asia. The course will explore themes--language and multilingualism, colonialism, and slavery--via readings of contemporary literature, visits to key historical sites, guest lectures from Moroccan scholars, and engagement with the arts.

Learning Goals

With the cosmopolitan capital Rabat as our classroom, we will explore the country’s ancient history and its modern development, with special attention to the following: the politics of language and multilingualism in North Africa; the history of slavery and colonialism in Morocco; and Morocco’s role in Pan-Africanism and the global decolonization movement. We will focus on these themes through readings of creative literature, historical scholarship, exposure to the arts, and visits to Morocco’s historical sites, museums, and cultural institutions.

Prerequisites & Expectation

No prerequisites, but knowledge of French and/or Arabic is useful. We will include a list of summer readings in preparation for the seminar.

Location

This global seminar will be held in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. Blessed with beautiful beaches, museums, architecture, and universities, Rabat is both a world-class capital and an accessible university town. High-speed trains connect Rabat with other big coastal cities such as Casablanca and Tangier. As the seat of government, Rabat is secure, tolerant, cosmopolitan, and beautiful. Prices and expenses are relatively affordable; food is high quality and delicious; the country’s medium size enables easy transit, especially to coastal cities; and the summer weather, though warm, is temperate and perfect for outdoor excursions. An imperial city, Rabat blends tradition and modernity and is itself an extraordinary museum.

Living and Travel Conditions

Students will be housed in a comfortable hotel in downtown Rabat, in an area served by numerous restaurants, cafes, stores, hospitals, and other amenities. Most travel will be served by private bus or high-speed train.

Faculty

Dr. Vaughn Rasberry

Vaughn Rasberry is Associate Professor of English and African and African American Studies at Stanford, where he teaches African diaspora literature and philosophical theories of modernity. Since 2018, I’ve travelled extensively in Morocco and have visited most major cities in the country, including Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Meknes, Marrakesh, Fes, Azemmour, Essaouira, Agadir, and Amazigh villages in the Atlas Mountains. Over the years, I’ve studied the Arabic language and developed an interest in Moroccan culture and its relationship to the global African diaspora.

Dr. Touria Boumehdi

Dr. Touria Boumehdi Tomasi serves on the faculty of the Language Center at Stanford University. She teaches all levels of undergraduate and graduate courses in Modern Standard Arabic and Spanish, including accelerated and intensive offerings.

Grading Basis

Letter Grade