Arabic, Persian and Turkish Languages and Cultures

Degree: Master of Arts in Arabic, Persian and Turkish Languages and Cultures
Mode of Study: Full-time
Duration: 1 year
Start date: September, February
Language of instruction: English
Specialisations:
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Leiden University’s MA in Arabic, Persian and Turkish Languages and Cultures has a long and distinguished academic history, stretching back to the founding of the university in the sixteenth century. Since then an array of scholars—including Scaliger, Erpenius, Dozy, de Goeje, Wensinck and Snouck Hurgronje—have taught at the university and contributed to the development of one of the world’s finest oriental collections, held at the University Library.

The information about this programme is available in the following languages:

Leiden University offers a programme that will expose you to research covering the history, literature, languages and politics of the Arab, Persian and Islamic world, of Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, and that will give you the opportunity to study at sister institutions both in the Netherlands and abroad.

The programme offers three specialisations:

  • Arabic Studies
  • Persian Studies
  • Turkish Studies

Within each of the three specialisations it is possible to further narrow down your field of interest by opting for a particular disciplinary approach such as linguistics, anthropology (of law) or literary studies, or by choosing for a particular geographic region like Morocco or Central Asia or a particular historical period such as the Middle Ages or the twentieth century.

Prof. Zürcher

“It is only possible to gain a better under-standing of present-day developments in the Middle East if you understand the historical background.”

“Leiden University enjoys a rich research tradition, and has a great
many publications about Turkey to her name. The Turkish Languages
and Cultures department is also well-known, particularly as text
books written in Leiden are used throughout the world.

This master’s programme focuses on the one hand on the origin of
the modern Turkish nation state, and, on the other, on Turkey and
the Ottoman Empire and their relationship to Europe. I myself am
fascinated by the Middle East and by modern history, in particular
the period around World War I. This makes Turkey a rewarding subject
for study. Until the First World War, the greater part of the Middle
East belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Around 1918, the great empires
came to an end: not only the Ottoman Empire, but also the German
Empire, the Hapsburg Empire and the Romanov Dynasty in Russia.
The centuries-old multicultural Ottoman Empire was transformed
into the modern mono-cultural republic of Turkey.

As a result of the start of accession talks between Turkey and the EU,
the number of students with an interest in political science has been
growing of late, but teaching in the MA specialisation Turkish Studies
focuses primarily on the language, history and cultural heritage
of Turkey. I firmly believe that it is only possible to gain a better
understanding of present-day developments in the Middle East if
you understand the historical background. Turkey is two things at
the same time: a young state which has been created by a political
elite, but also an ancient state, heir to the Ottoman Empire, which
existed for six hundred years. This has left its mark on the country.”

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