MECA 1 Introduction to Middle East and Central Asia Cross-Cultural Core Course, 3 s.h.   An interdisciplinary course highlighting major themes in the academic study of the Middle East and Central Asia. This course draws on approaches and methods applied in the humanities and social sciences for interpreting culture history and change in the region. The course will be framed by the ongoing debate over the history of "Orientalism" as a Western style for interpreting the region's cultures alongside presentation of indigenous voices and the contemporary postcolonial critique of Western academic analysis of the region. A major goal of the course is to foster appreciation for the region's cultural diversity, as well as its continuing relevance in global society. The course prepares students for more discipline-specific courses on the region and serves as a foundational course for the MECA minor. No prerequisites.