141222 SE Popular literature and Folk Art in Palestine and Yemen (2021S)

This course will provide an overview of Popular Literature and Folk Art in Palestine and Yemen during the 20th century until the present day. The focus will be on the importance of Popular Literature and Folk Art in understanding people’s lives and providing us with knowledge on different aspects of a society such as forgotten historical events, people’s beliefs, their habits, practices, and current and past contextual circumstances. In addition to that, we will explore how Popular Literature and Folk Art is considered as a source of epistemological knowledge which contributes to the construction of counter-narratives. To reflect upon these aspects a comparative approach will be employed, including an exploration of the wider literature on the subject. Various practical examples, such as graffiti, art and poems will be discussed and analysed in order to reflect upon the role of Popular literature and Folk Art in both societies.