Learning objectives
a) Knowledge and Understanding: The course is divided into three parts.
The first introduces the elements of the history of the Islamic religion and its subsequent development; the second illustrates the elements of the Arabic language and its impact on culture and socio-political institutions of Islam; the third examines some "institutions" of contemporary Islam, for example, tribal and kinship networks, negotiating and economic practices, fundamentalism, the state and religious law.
b) Interpretation and Decision: The course aims to give students the conceptual and categorical tools useful for a first qualification about the religious phenomena, the Islamic world's political and social.
c) capability to learn: The course aims to provide students with the basics to analyze and evaluate international cultural institutions, Italian and, if possible, Arabs, so as to make them as independent as possible and objectives of research and study.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
Islam is not only one of the most widespread global religions of the modern world, but it is mainly a matrix of beliefs and practices applied in many countries, from Morocco to Indonesia. The foundamental belief in one God (tawhid) is supported through series of "Muslim institutions", namely a complex of religious, legal and cultural rules that oversee the collective life of states, groups and individuals. These "institutions" relate not only ritual aspects of life of the faithful, but often give meaning and shape "secular relations", like justice, economy, family, government, solidarity and welfare.
The course aims to illustrate the historical roots of this reality, its cultural nature, its current value both in countries of origin and in the western settlement.
Full programme
Introduction of the course and the program: terminology and useful concepts: religion, culture, institutions.
Part one:
History of Islamic Religion and its global development.
The other secularization, the colonial worlds, the post-colonial legacy, the contemporary Islamic reformism.
Second part:
Religion, language and Muslim culture.
Islam anthropology, ibadat and Muamalat, the right, the Arab state, tribalism.
Part Three:
contemporary institutions of the Muslim world.
Political Islam, Muslim women and feminism, religious minorities in Islamic countries, the Islamic economy, fundamentalism, al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Bibliography
- Giorgio Vercellin, Istituzioni del mondo musulmano, Einaudi, Torino, 2002, pp. 419.
Teaching methods
The course is divided into three thematic blocks. Each block includes theoretical lessons and practical activities in the final balance of the block. The latter activity is not mandatory, but can be evaluated by the teacher in a positive way for the final examination. Activities will be: analysis of texts (random groups), presentation of papers (volunteer groups) and lecture simulation (individual work).
Assessment methods and criteria
A) Students are invited to take part of the class. This activity is not mandatory but it can be positively evaluated.
B) Non attending students are expected to discuss arguments of the lessons considering the different blocks of issues.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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