Arabic Language and Literature
- Department Interdisciplinary
- Academic Division The College
- Offerings Coursework
The Arabic curriculum at W&L is designed to reflect the rich linguistic literary and cultural diversity of the Middle East. In the classroom we adopt a learner-centered approach that encourages students to actively engage with speaking, listening, reading, and writing Arabic.
Arabic
Arabic at W&L adopts a communicative approach to language learning, training students in Modern Standard Arabic and the Levantine vernacular simultaneously. In this globalized century, proficient students can pursue careers in diplomacy, education, business, law, interpretation/translation, journalism, intelligence and more.
Arabic at W&L is housed in the Middle East and South Asia (MESA) Studies Program. Students may focus on Arabic language if they minor in Middle East and South Asia Studies with Language Emphasis (MESAL).
In addition to first-, second- and third-year Arabic, courses include Special Topics in Arabic Culture and Literature, as well as Directed Individual Study.
“Arabic at W&L has always challenged me but has kept me engaged every step of the way through diverse ways of learning and relevant content.”
Jonathan Pezzi
Class of 2019
Thomas deBuchananne ’27 Awarded CIE Arabic Summer Scholarship
Washington and Lee’s Center for International Education awarded deBuchananne funding to study Arabic at the University of Jordan this summer.
W&L Arabic Professor Publishes Paper in International Peer-Reviewed University Journal
Anthony Edwards’ article focuses on the 19th-century Orientalist Gregory M. Wortabet.
W&L Arabic Professor Publishes Paper in International Peer-Reviewed Journal
Anthony Edwards illustrates his case study that focuses on Khalīl al-Khūrī, a central figure of the Nahḍa.
W&L’s Edwards Featured in the Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies
Arabic professor Anthony Edwards recently published a paper titled “Becoming the Muʿallim: how tradition and innovation made a Nahḍa icon.”
Bishop ’26 and Gibbons ’26 Awarded CIE Arabic Summer Scholarship
Washington and Lee's Center for International Education awarded two students funding to study Arabic at the University of Jordan this summer.
W&L Faculty Members Present Papers at 2022 MESA Conference in Denver
Anthony Edwards, Theodore Van Loan and Kameliya Atanasova were featured at the annual event.
W&L Professors Each Present Papers at the 34th Deutscher Orientalistentag
Timothy Lubin and Anthony Edwards both presented at the event held in Berlin earlier this month.
W&L’s Anne Riter ’22 Awarded Fulbright to Austria
Riter will spend the next academic year volunteering with a community organization, working as an English teaching assistant and taking courses at the University of Graz.
Six W&L Students Awarded Critical Language Scholarships
Six undergraduate students received Critical Language Scholarships, which will provide them the opportunity to study language intensively during summer 2022.
Program Spotlight: Center for International Education – Study Abroad
Approximately 70% of students participate in an abroad program during their time at W&L.
W&L’s Edwards Publishes Paper in Journal
Arabic professor Anthony Edwards recently published “An Incomplete Journey Away from the Past: The Life and Ideas of Antonius Ameuney (1821–1881).”
W&L’s Ana Estrada Hamm ’22 Awarded a Boren Scholarship
Estrada Hamm recently received a David L. Boren Scholarship from the National Security Education Program to study abroad in Jordan.
Meet the Faculty
At W&L, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.
Jumana S. Al-Ahmad
Visiting Assistant Professor of Arabic
- P: 540-458-4819
- E: jalahmad@wlu.edu
Jumana Al-Ahmad’s research focuses on the intersection of religion, culture and human rights with attention to the thought and activism of women intellectuals in Tunisia and across the Maghrib. She teaches Arabic language, as well as courses on Islamic feminism, social justice, and Qur’anic studies.
Anthony (Antoine) Edwards
Assistant Professor of Arabic
- P: 540-458-8396
- E: edwardsa@wlu.edu
Edwards teaches courses in Arabic at all levels as well as a course on the Arab world through film. His research centers around Arabic language and grammar as well as the histories and ideologies of Arabic.