Module POLI1051: INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM AND THE MUSLIM WORLD

Department: GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (POLITICS)

POLI1051: INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM AND THE MUSLIM WORLD

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The module will enable students to develop an understanding of the beliefs and practices of Islam appropriate to a level one introductory course. The module will contribute to the development of a systematic understanding of the scripture, theology, law and orthopraxy of Islam, all of which are key to understanding the role of religion in the contemporary Muslim world. It will also place Islam in context, tracing jurisprudential and doctrinal developments through time and against a backdrop of key events in the political history of the Muslim world. It will aim to give students detailed and specific knowledge, informed by developments at the forefront of academic enquiry. It will contribute also to a wider understanding of key concepts, theories and methods. It will prepare students for advanced modules in Muslim political thought in their second and final years, where ideas and theories are considered in greater depth, with the aid of case-studies from around the Muslim world.

Content

• This module aims to provide an historical and thematic introduction to the beliefs and practices of Islam. The course will focus on six areas of study: the prophethood of Muhammad; the Koran; the Fundamentals of Belief; the Pillars of Islam; Spirituality; and Islam in the Modern World. Topics within these areas include: the evolution of Muslim theology;
• Jurisprudence and the rise of the schools of law;
• Islamic mysticism or Sufism;
• Gender and sexuality in Islam;
• Islam and politics;
• The relationship between Islam and other faiths;
• Islam and democracy.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will develop a knowledge and understanding of:
• The role of the Koran in shaping the beliefs and practices of Islam.
• The fundamentals of belief in Islam, namely Divine unity, prophethood and the Hereafter.
• Islamic orthopraxy or the pillars of Islam.
• The scriptural and rational disciplines which evolved in response to the Koran, such as hadith, jurisprudence and theology.
• The socio-cultural milieus in which Islam evolved.
• The role of religion in the contemporary Muslim world.

• Students will develop a range of subject-specific skills, including:
• Accurate and effective description of a range of Muslim theological and jurisprudential concepts.
• Identification and application of appropriate methods of critical analysis to key debates in Muslim religious thought.
• Gathering and organising evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including the Koran.
• Critical reflection on the role of religion in the socio-cultural and political life of the Muslim community.
• Understanding the interplay between faith and politics, or mosque and state in Muslim history.
• Locating Islam within the matrix of world cultures and religions, particularly in the context of its historical relationship with the West.
• Demonstrating these skills in a variety of forms.

• Students will develop a range of key skills, including:
• Retrieving and utilising resources to which they have been directed.
• Identifying resources on their own initiative.
• Assessing the suitability and quality of resources.
• Planning and successful completion of written assignments.
• Self-organisation and time-management.
• Self reliance and self criticism.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures will give a detailed outline, appropriate to a level one module, of the context and content of the texts and ideas to be studied and advice as to critical approach and reading.
• Tutorials will supplement and deepen the content of lectures and provide an opportunity for the presentation and discussion of selected issues. The meetings will be based upon prescribed texts with suitable guidance on the issues they raise. The tutorial programme will enable students to explore aspects of Islam and Muslim religious thought critically and in detail and to develop skills in communication and group discussion. They will also provide a basis on which to select their areas of study for formative and summative essays.
• The formative essay of 1500 words and the 2000 word summative essay together with the two hour unseen written examination test the ability to plan work, identifying and retrieving sources and selecting and displaying appropriate subject specific knowledge and understanding on their substantive content, and to start developing subject specific skills in interpretation and analysis. They also develop key skills in effective written communication and information presentation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Tutorial presentations, formatively assessed by feedback sheet and individual discussion where necessary.1500 word essay returned with feedback sheet.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University