Semester:
Offered:
THIS SEMINAR HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Ali S. Asani (Committee on the Study of Religion)
First-Year Seminar 37Y 4 credits
This seminar will explore the range of issues that face contemporary Muslim societies through the perspective of short stories, novels, and poems written by Muslim authors from different parts of the world. Issues to be examined will include: the impact of colonialism, nationalism, and globalization; the politicization of Islam; the emergence of terrorism in the name of religion; the status of women and gender relations; attitudes towards the West and Western culture; the interaction between religion, race, and ethnicity; and the search for an “authentic” Islamic identity in the context of modernity. Readings will consist of Muslim authors from the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the West (Europe and America). No prior knowledge of Islam is assumed. Assignments include compiling a portfolio of creative responses to the weekly readings using different media.