Sexualities of the Middle East: A Cultural History (IDSEM-UG 9550)

The course will tackle questions of sexuality in the Middle East from a historical perspective. Applying methodologies of queer theory, it will discuss the complex history of sexuality in the Middle East, and sketch the genealogy of Western attitudes towards both Arab and Jewish sexuality. Relying on theorists and historians like Michel Foucault, Robert Aldrich, Khaled El-Rouayheb, Samar Habib, and Joseph Massad, we will explore the essential role that the queer issue plays in the contemporary politics of the region.

Interdisciplinary Seminars (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2025)


IDSEM-UG 9550-000 (20949)
01/20/2025 – 04/29/2025 Thu
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Late afternoon)
at NYU Tel Aviv (Global)
Instructed by Ilani, Ofri