Contemporary Islam: Doctrines and Schools of Thought in the Arab World [2650]

General Information

• Credits: 6 ECTS
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's or Licence level (or equivalent); proficiency in English
• Learning format: asynchronous distance learning – 100% e-learning
• Language of instruction: English
• Course access: available at any time of year
• Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle

Course Overview

This course examines the main schools of thought shaping contemporary Islam in the Arab world, focusing on the discourse of religious and intellectual figures rather than on the practices of believers. It explores how Islamic doctrines have evolved in response to the challenges of modernity, the nation-state, colonialism, human rights, the social sciences, and globalisation. Particular attention is paid to the debates between so-called “integralist” and “liberal” currents, as well as their implications for conceptions of authority, justice, attitudes towards otherness, the status of women, and political violence. The course thus provides interpretive tools for understanding the diversity of contemporary interpretations of Islam and their religious, social, and geopolitical implications. 

Course Objectives

This course enables you to:

• Understand the main currents of thought in contemporary Islam in the Arab world.
• Analyse the relationships between religion, the state, political power, and religious authority. Identify debates concerning rights, freedoms, the sciences, and the historicisation of Islamic knowledge.
• Study representations of otherness, interreligious relations, and gender issues in contemporary discourse.
• Develop a critical understanding of the religious, political, and geopolitical issues shaping contemporary Muslim societies. 

Course Competencies

This course is linked to the following competency:

• Analyse contemporary currents, the plurality of Islam and its relations with other religious traditions.

Course Outline

Section 1 Land, Nation, and Umma
Section 2 The framework of the State
Section 3 The clash of rights
Section 4 The challenges of historicization
Section 5 The relationship to otherness
Section 6 Women, femininity, feminism

Assessment Methods 

Course assessment is based on:

• tracking and completion of the course and of all learning activities. These activities, designed as essential practice and learning exercises, may be completed multiple times and are not factored into the final grade,
• the final assessment quiz, which constitutes the graded evaluation.

Learning Format

The course is taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:

• written course materials;
• supplementary documents and, depending on the content, video resources;
• interactive learning activities (quizzes, exercises);
• a discussion forum with the course instructor and fellow participants.

Prerequisites

This course is open to anyone holding a Bachelor's degree or Licence (or an equivalent qualification) in theology, the humanities, social sciences, or a related field, or with significant personal or academic experience related to the topics covered.

A good command of written English is recommended to facilitate understanding of the content and participation in the activities offered. 

Accessibility

The course is accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device, via the MyDomuni platform.
For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to course content and activities.

Disability liaison officer: cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu.

Selective Bibliography

• Sarah Albrecht, Dār al-Islām Revisited. Territoriality in Contemporary Islamic Legal Discourse on Muslims in the West, Leiden, Brill, 2018.
• Chibli Mallat, Introduction to Middle Eastern Law, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007.
• Bernard Lewis, The Muslim Discovery of Europe, New York, W. W. Norton & Company, 1982.
• Brigitte Maréchal et Sami Zemni (dirs.), The Dynamics of Sunni-Shia Relationships. Doctrine, Transnationalism, Intellectuals and the Media, London, Hurst & Company, 2013.
• Duygu Köksal et Anastasia Falierou (dirs.), A Social History of Late Ottoman Women. New Perspectives, Leiden/Boston, Brill, 2013.