Courses and Workshops > Summer 2012

Naguib Mahfouz’s Allegory of Spiritual Quest

Clare Fischer

Wednesdays June 6–27 10 am–12 noon Room 41B University Hall, 2199 Addison St Fee: $95

Syllabus Faculty Interview

This class will read and discuss a short novel written by the only Nobel Prize for Literature recipient from Egypt: Naguib Mahfouz. We will study The Journey of Ibn Fattouma with an eye toward the recent struggles associated with the “Arab Spring.” Short lectures will contextualize the assigned text. Participants are expected to read the novel and follow current discussions in the media about Egypt’s current political struggles and the implications of religious identity, with each meeting focusing on particular themes. No prior knowledge of Islam as a religious tradition is expected.

Text: Naguib Mahfouz, The Journey of Ibn Fattouma (Anchor, 1993)

Clare Fischer, Professor of Religion and Culture Emerita, Graduate Theological Union, has instructed courses on literature and religion at her former institution as well as Fromm Institute. She is developing an essay on Mahfouz and the motif of political allegory and spiritual pilgrimage for publication. She has been involved in OLLI's Research Committee since its inception.