In this course, a large variety of issues having to do with gender and sexuality in the Middle East will be explored by means of academic, literary and political writings; documentaries; movies and music. The course will be organized around the following question: How is masculinity/femininity defined, practiced, and discussed in different Middle Eastern societies such as Iran, Egypt, Syria, Israel, Palestine, Türkiye, and Jordan? Male circumcision, female genital mutilation, feminist movements, clothing and veiling, domestic violence, virginity controls, gay/lesbian/bisexual experience and politics, women's peace activism, women's participation in nationalist politics and wars, as well as the connections between masculinity, national identity, and soldiering will be discussed in relation to the history, politics and experience of gender and sexuality in this part of the world