<p>Dr. Selim Kuru of the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations is amazing.</p>
<p>This guy is funny, has a collegial environment and is happy to help anyone who shows up at his door. I took him for a Writing credit and his class was straightforward and cool. </p>
<p>Also, this may seem like a slight to you, he would call people on their BS in class. A big part of his class is based upon insights into the reading material, so sometimes myself and another guy in class would debate each other and disagree, but both of us had insight into the material, so we got great grades. However, those who raised their hand just to raise it and say something that was one way got shot down with statements like "yes, that is the introduction on page 1 of 8, but on page 2-3 that concept is shot down entirely." I, for one, think that this type of professor is amazing because then you know exactly what is required of you.</p>
<p>The reading is not too much. Oh, but he only teaches about Turkey, the nation. Ehh, rather he teaches about the Ottoman Empire as well, but mainly Turkey.</p>
<p>But he's smart as a tack, witty, his class is interesting and he played some pretty awesome indie movies and had us discuss the cultural subtexts of Turkish society in the films.</p>
<p>All-in-all, an awesome experience. I got a Phi Beta Kappa level grade, I learned a lot of interesting material about a fascinating society which I knew almost nothing about and the experience was fun. Pretty much everything I'm looking for in a University of Washington experience.</p>