MUSA 2309 Music and Culture in the Middle East
This course explores the relationship between different music traditions of the Middle East and their respective cultural contexts. It addresses issues of music's structure and content vis-à-vis its role in social, political, and religious situations in the region; the ways that these forces influence musical aesthetics, while also addressing the role of music in the Middle East historically. The cultural areas covered in this class include the Arab World, Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan.
Course overview
- Department
- Music Academic
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Both
- Offered
- Every Fall
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- Cultural Diversity
Requirements fulfilled
- Music (Before Fall 2026): One of the following non-Western tradition courses (Before Fall 2026 (page heading "Major Requirements Before Fall 2026"; elsewhere the page calls these "contracts before fall 2026"))
- University Core: Cultural Diversity (All undergraduates)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 2.90 / 5 · Good
- Instructor rating
- 3.00 / 5 · Good
- Terms evaluated
- 4
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Ann Riordan | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.2 | — | 5 of 6 |
| Spring 2024 | Ann Lucas | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 1–3 hrs/week | 2 of 4 |
| Fall 2022 | Ann Lucas | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | ≤ 1 hr/week | 2 of 3 |
| Fall 2021 | Ann Lucas | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 1 of 2 |