LIT3061 Special Topics: Perceptions of Islam

Perceptions of Islam seeks to explore the ways Islam is practiced and perceived through a study of its religious texts, its history and its literature, both classical and contemporary. At this point in our history, with our own convoluted middle-eastern foreign policy, “terrorism” understood as a cipher for Islamist militancy, our misunderstandings of Islamic culture exacerbated by our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, not to mention the rise of ISIL and Boko Haram, it is vitally important that we broaden our understanding of the nature and the culture of Islam and its teachings. To that end we will read, study and discuss selections from the Qur’an and other primary Islamic sources as well as analyze highly controversial contemporary literature written both within and against the Islamic tradition. These include Moroccan, Pakistani, Egyptian, Persian and Ottoman traditions, and span the centuries from the seventh to the twentieth. This course stresses independent reading, class discussion, and oral presentation. Graded student responses include reading quizzes, analytical essays, in-class presentations and a final examination. Students must have completed three courses at the 2000 level, two of which must be in the History, Religion or Literature disciplines, with grades of C or higher, as prerequisites for this course. Credits: 3.000

WRT 1012 Lecture Min Credits: 3.00