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78032-01 - Proseminar: The Politics of Heroism in the Middle East (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Hala Al Daoud (hala.aldaoud@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course investigates the cultural, political, and communicative processes through which societies construct figures of national heroes and, conversely, villainy. Through case studies from the Middle East and North Africa region, we will analyze how nationalist movements, colonial and anti-colonial struggles, media ecologies, and political performances shape cultural memory and understand how national icons are constructed, mobilized, and disputed in local and global arenas. Some of these figures secured a position in the canon of memory sites or became vessels of contested memories and political aspirations, providing a human face for entire movements. Students will explore how media, rhetoric, memory politics, and emotional appeal shape a figure’s transformation into either a national hero or a national villain or perhaps both. The course invites critical reflection on the instability and contestation inherent in heroic narratives: Who has the authority to define a hero? How do acts of violence become framed as either heroic or villainous? What is sacrificed and what is achieved when a single life comes to symbolize a larger cause? And how do competing publics negotiate such narratives in moments of crisis, conflict, and commemoration? |
| Bibliography | The required and recommended literature will be announced at a later date. |
| Comments | Kindly note, there will be no lecture on Thursday 19. February. We will resume on 5. March. If you have an issue with registration to this course, kindly send me an email. |
| Admission requirements | - |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 19.02.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum E005 |
| Thursday 26.02.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Fasnachtswoche |
| Thursday 05.03.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Maiengasse, Seminarraum E005 |
| Thursday 12.03.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 19.03.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 26.03.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 02.04.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Osterwoche |
| Thursday 09.04.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 16.04.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 23.04.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 30.04.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 07.05.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 01 |
| Thursday 14.05.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 21.05.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 28.05.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Modules |
Modul: Ethnographien (Bachelor's degree subject: Anthropology) Modul: Themen der Nahoststudien (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Modul: Themen der Nahoststudien (Bachelor's Studies - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |