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Courses
Course Titles in Bold represent courses whose content is dedicated to Islamic Studies.
| African Civilization And Culture ( Africana Studies) | 0586 |
| 2008 - Fall | Subject: Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, International Affairs |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course is an introduction to the most basic elements of African civilization and culture. It provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of African people, their civilization, and diverse cultures. The course focuses on African traditional life, African contributions to world civilization, and the impact of other cultures on Africa. We will discuss the structure of the family, the community, communal participation, political institutions, and politics and society.
Prerequisite(s) |
| Religion And Politics (Political Science, Cross listed with Religious Studies) | 1275 |
| 2008 - Fall | Subject: Political Science, International Affairs |
| Prerequisites: None |
| In recent years religious groups and religious values have played an increasingly prominent role in politics in many countries, including the United States. The purpose of this course will be to consider the public and political aspects of religion in the United States. Religious beliefs and institutions have wide-ranging implications for civic norms, public policy, political leadership, international relations, and the treatment of various social groups. After an historical survey of the role of religion in American politics, the second part of the course will focus on the contemporary impact of American religious groups and values on public opinion, lobbying, and electoral choice. We will also discuss the implications of the doctrine of "separation of church and state" for law, education, and civil liberties. (Comparative field)Instructor:North,Christopher T |
| Saints East And West ( RELGST) | 1540 |
| 2008 - Fall | Subject: Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| A Russian monk has once observed that "each saint is a unique event." Indeed, in various religious traditions we encounter men and women who are recognized and venerated as particularly holy and unique witnesses to the divine. Just as each saint is unique within his or her tradition so is each tradition of saints unique in its articulation and expression of the overall religious culture. Looking cross-culturally at the materials on saints selected for this course, and by discussing (problematizing) the notion of sainthood itself, we shall examine religious themes, ideas and symbols found in them. These diverse writings are often marked by very personal tone, deeply felt relation with the divine (sometimes reflecting saintâ''s inner struggles, sometimes his/her mystical experience of union), but also by pleas and calls for social and/or religious reforms. Our examples of devotional literature will include Hindu, Muslim and Christian sources, medieval as well as modern. Even though originating in specific religious contexts, many of these narratives raise issues which have wider human appeal and hence relevance for us today, too. |
| Sociology Of Religion (Sociology) | 0339 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Anthropology, Sociology |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Religion has always been one of the most important elements of human society. Why? Sociologists have long turned their attention to religion- from classic sociologists like Durkheim and Weber struggling to understand the importance of religion, to the predictions of the coming death of religion in the 1960s. Along with these analyses we will consider how political and economic structures both shape and are shaped by religion, examine the impact of secularization and fundamentalism on the world, the impact of, mass media, fringe movements and consumer culturStudents will read a number of classic and contemporary works on religion and will respond to them with a number of short papers and questions. Cross listed with Religious Studies |
| West Africa In The Era Of The Slave Trade (AFRICANA) | 1720 |
| 2008 - Fall | |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Cross listed with HIST 1720 This course provides an introduction to the history the societies of west and west-central Africa. It explores the enormous linguistic and cultural variation among these societies and examines their political, economic and social evolution during the centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade (roughly 1600 to 1850). Students are encouraged to think about how complex historical processes occurring around the entire Atlantic Ocean basin affected the development of states and societies in western Africa. |
| Africa and the Atlantic (HIST) | 2727 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: History |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course explores the place of Africa in Atlantic history, focusing on the nature of West African societies, the slave trade, and the transit of peoples, cultures, and modes of resistance to the Americas. We will also give attention to east Africa and its relation to the Indian Ocean and more broadly to Africa in the "age of revolution." We will study the main frameworks of interpretation of African, diasporic, and African American history, ranging from the world-system analysis of Immanuel Wallerstein, to the global historical anthropology of Eric wolf, to the Marxist dependency theory of Walter Rodney, to the cultural/intellectual history of the black Atlantic of Paul Gilroy, to the substantial literature built up by Africanist historians. |
| Arabic 1 (LING) | 0131 |
| 2008 - Fall | Subject: Language, Literature |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Three sections of Arabic 0131 offered. Check website above for times and days. |
| Arabic 2 (LING) | 0132 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Language, Literature |
| Prerequisites: None |
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| Arabic 2 (LING) | 0132 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Other |
| Prerequisites: None |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512. |
| Arabic 3 (Linguistics) | 0133 |
| 2009 - Fall | Subject: Language, Literature |
| Prerequisites: Arabic 2 or Equivalent |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses.
2. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for enrollment in Level 1 courses. However, anyone with prior exposure to the language they wish to study will NOT be allowed to register for a Level 1 course. Applicants for higher-level courses should meet with the instructor for an informal placement interview to determine their proper level. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512.
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| Arabic 4 (LING) | 134 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Other |
| Prerequisites: Applicants for higher-level courses should meet with the instructor for an informal placement interview to determine their proper level. |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512. |
| Death in the Name of God - Martyrs and Martyrdom (RELGST) | 1143 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| The Roman Empire understood Christianity to be an illegal and superstitious movement, and a threat to the traditions of their ancestors. Subsequently, many Christians were charged wit the crime of "atheism," and put to deant, as atheism was equivalent to treason. Who were these people who voluntarily embraced their own deaths as a vindication of their faith, and how did Rome justify their extinction? How were they understood by their pagan and Jewish neighbors? We will explore the cultural, political and religious context of Christian martyrs (beginning in Second Temple Judaism). We will then analyze their stories (martyrologies), imperial transcripts and legislation, and examine the later (Christian) Imperial legislatiory against "heretics." This background in the ancient concepts of martyrdom will help us explore the evolution of such ideas through the Middle Ages and contemporary society. The latter half of the course will focus on Islamic traditions of martyrdom, the political ramifications of such behavior, and reactions to the public spectacle of dying as the ultimate religious act. |
| Economic Development Of The Mena (Economics) | 20364 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Economics, Business, Technology |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Nowadays, Countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the area comprising the Arab States, Iran, Israel, and Turkey, face enormous economic challenges in the Twenty-First Century: Stagnant real wages, deteriorating competitiveness, and rapidly growing populations and labor forces, have left most countries in the region unable to afford soaring living standards to much of the society. Yet the opportunities facing the region have never been greater: world trade is growing rapidly, capital flows to most of these countries have never been higher, and regional integration options are many as the result of the European Union's agreement for a free trade area in the Mediterranean. Why after years of negative per capita income growth, has the region been unable to accumulate sufficient reform momentum to sustain economic growth? Do important differences across countries hold lessons for the future? What are the social consequences of economic stagnation, and how might future adjustment costs be managed to protect the poor? How have individual countries in the region defined the challenges ahead? And what issues must be addressed to realize a more prosperous future? This course is designed to expose students to current views by academics and policy makers on past practices and future challenges facing the economies of the MENA region, as a set of developing countries that share a common heritage but also show countless differences. The emphasis will be on developing an overall understanding of the origins and nature of various economic problems while at the same time providing a critical examination of existing and alternative development policy formulations in MENA. The course will focus on population growth and the impact of demographic changes on employment, poverty, and income distribution; agriculture; education; capital formation; labor migration; economic liberalization; the rise and fall of the oil-based regional economy; the economics of structural adjustment and reform; economic regional integration and the challenges of globalization; as well as gender issues. |
| Egyptian Arabic 1 (LING) | 701 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Other |
| Prerequisites: Students should have already had LING 0131/Arabic 1 and be enrolled in, or have already taken LING 0132. |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512. |
| Egyptian Arabic 2 (LING) | 702 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Other |
| Prerequisites: Applicants for higher-level courses should meet with the instructor for an informal placement interview to determine their proper level. |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512. |
| Francophone Africana Literature (AFRCNA) | 1347 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Language, Literature |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Unknown to many in the United States several of the presidents of African countries are writers of fiction and poetry. One of these writers is Leopold Sedar Senghor, the former president of Senegal, West Africa, member of the French Academy, and author of several collections of poetry. Reading poetry, folklore, and novels produced by African writers from French-speaking countries sheds light on the issues confronting people living in developing nations such as polygyny, rapid urbanization, assimilation, post-independence, the marginal man or woman, myths and rituals, and the concept of negritude. The course will be taught in English with readings in English translations. |
| Government and Politics in the Middle East (Political Science) | 1351 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Political Science, International Affairs |
| Prerequisites: None |
| A survey of the developing political systems of the Middle East and their positions in world affairs. Considered are the nature of political leadership, the challenge of generating political legitimacy, the emergence of militant Islam, and the legacy of Western and Soviet imperialisms. The course will examine the states of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Israel as well as the Palestinians within a political development framework. |
| History Of Africa Before 1800 (HIST) | 795 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: History |
| Prerequisites: None |
| A survey of pre-colonial Africa, emphasizing the enormous variety among African societies and exploring the diverse histories of different sub-regions within the continent. Topics include forms of social and political organization, pre-colonial economies, empires of the Western Sudan, Swahili city-states, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and Islamic revolution in West Africa. |
| History of Africa pre 1800 (Africana Studies Cross listed with History) | 0318 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: History |
| Prerequisites: None |
| his course explores the early history of Africa and Africa's place in the world from the beginnings of human evolution to the high point of Africa's medieval empires in the fifteenth century and the low point of slave trade thereafter. The course introduces students to the multiple disciplines contributing to knowledge about early Africa, develops skills in internet research, and shows the centrality of Africa and Africans for humanity in general. The five modules of the course address human evolution, language in history, archaeology of Neolithic and iron-age settlements, medieval empires, and slavery. |
| Intro To Islamic Civilization (RELGST) | 455 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course aims to introduce students to Islamic and Middle Eastern History from the time of the Prophet (ca. 600 C.E.) to the Iranian Revolution in 1979. We will proceed chronologically, focusing mainly on political events. However, a special emphasis will be given to the formation of the Islamic tradition, its evolution across different regions and cultures in time, and its interaction with other traditions. In the modern era, we will particularly explore the Islamic societies' political, cultural, and military encounter with the rising power of the West in the Middle East. In addition to the several historical processes and developments such as modernization, nation-building, Islamic fundamentalism and globalization, which have shaped the history of the Middle East in the last two centuries, our class discussions will also touch on the main theoretical perspectives that have stamped the studies of Islam and the Middle East. Here, concepts such as orientalism, defensive development, and modernity will constitute our main focus. |
| Introduction to Islamic Civilization (History) | 0756 |
| 2009 - Fall | Subject: History, Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Islamic Civilization is one of the great world civilizations, which dominated much of the Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. We shall follow the development of Islamic Civilization from the first stirrings of Muhammad?s prophetic vision, to the modern period. We shall focus upon a variety of themes such as unity and diversity within Islam, the vitality and strength of Islam, and on the ways in which Muslims responded to the historical challenges, and the issues of change and reform. Finally, the goal of this course is to obtain the tools to read beyond the headlines, which often misrepresent Islam, and to understand the Islamic Civilization in its diverse geographical, historical, economic, and political aspects. |
| Iraqi Arabic 1 (LING) | 711 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Other |
| Prerequisites: Students should have already had LING 0131/Arabic 1 and be enrolled in, or have already taken LING 0132. |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512. |
| Islam, Science and Society (Religious Studies, Anthropology) | 1800 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course will explore the relationship between Islam, science and technology. By bringing together scholarly work in science studies, religious studies, and ethnographic cases from the Islamic world, this course will examine the ways in which Islam has interacted with the worlds of technoscientific discursive practices. The aim of this course is to build a critical understanding of the contemporary usage of Islamic views on socio-political aspects of knowledge production in the modern context by focusing on the case of science and technology. |
| Islamic Law and Jurisprudence Seminar (Law) | 5866 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Law |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course will introduce the principles of Islamic jurisprudence as developed in the classical and late classical era, and will survey basic Islamic law doctrine in various fields of law: commercial, criminal, family, and war. The second half of the course will discuss the contemporary application of Islamic law: the structural challenges that are associated with any attempt to re-infuse Islamic law in contemporary Muslim societies in light of these developments, the extent to which Islamic law is or can be relevant in the development of law in majority Muslim states, and the attempts to reform and recast Islamic law in light of the contemporary challenges. Students will be required to produce a 20-25 page paper |
| Islamic Law and Jurisprudence Seminar (Law) | 5866 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Law |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course will introduce the principles of Islamic jurisprudence as developed in the classical and late classical era, and will survey basic Islamic law doctrine in various fields of law: commercial, criminal, family, and war. The second half of the course will discuss the contemporary application of Islamic law: the structural challenges that are associated with any attempt to re-infuse Islamic law in contemporary Muslim societies in light of these developments, the extent to which Islamic law is or can be relevant in the development of law in majority Muslim states, and the attempts to reform and recast Islamic law in light of the contemporary challenges. |
| Jews in the Islamic World (History, cross listed with Religious Studies, Jewish Studies) | 1759 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: History, Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| A survey of Jewish life in Spain,North Africa and the Middle East in medieval and early modern times. |
| Marriage Life and Sexual Ethics in Islam (RELGST) | 1800 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Bearing in mind that Shari'a law is applied today mostly in marriage, personal status, and inheritance all around the Muslim world, and the on-going debate about human rights in Muslim countries, this course will offer background on Muslim marriage and sexual life. The course will cover formation of Shari'a law; the variety of methodological approaches of the legal schools in regard to marriage, polygamy, sexual life, divorce, custody, reproductive and inheritance rights, accompanied by court cases in classical legal works; and the contemporary debates among Muslim jurists between traditionalists and modernists. |
| Moroccan Arabic 1 (LING) | 731 |
| 2009 - Spring | Subject: Other |
| Prerequisites: Students should have already had LING 0131/Arabic 1 and be enrolled in, or have already taken LING 0132. |
| The Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center makes it possible to study foreign languages not available in other language departments in the University. Up to four courses may be taken in the languages that are offered, for a total of 14 credits over four semesters. LCTL courses make use of the most appropriate language-learning materials available from various sources. Textbooks are available for individual purchase at the Book Center; recorded material may often be duplicated through the language lab for home study in conjunction with our courses. For courses that require special enrollment counseling, authorization may be obtained from LCTL staff members in G-47 CL. Further information can be obtained by calling 624-5512. |
| Religions of the West (Religous Studies) | 0105 |
| 2008 - Fall | Subject: Theology, Religion |
| Prerequisites: None |
| A historical introduction to the religious traditions that developed in ancient Near East and the Mediterranean. The major emphasis on the course is on the history of the Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Some attention is paid to other traditions, including Zoroastrianism. We focus on key concepts, historical developments, and contemporary issues. Throughout the course, we also examine interactions among these religious traditions. In the last part of the course we examine the issue of globalization and the spread of these religions around the world as well as the presence of "non-western" religion in the "West." The course also serves as an introduction to the academic study of religion and will provide a foundation for further coursework in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. No prior knowledge of any of the religions studied is expected or assumed. |
| Sociology of Islam (Sociology) | 1366 |
| 2009 - Fall | Subject: Anthropology, Sociology |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This course provides a survey of the Islamic tradition, with an emphasis on the sociological aspects of Islam. The aims of the course include: -- Gaining basic grounding in the major sociological themes in Islamic history. -- Discerning the varieties of the modern Islamic experience -- Examining some elements of continuity and change as expressed by Islamic intellectual systems and social movements in modern times. The early part of the course will be devoted to the basic historical narrative, after which some time will be devoted to exploring the evolution of global networks through which the Islamic experience has been sustained. Then we will devote some time to customary Islam, namely how the faith is approached in everyday life by many Muslims. This will provide a good ground on which to study the contemporary Islamic revival and related themes, including the relation of Islam to modern states and to civil society. The last segment of the course will be devoted to exploring the thought of some prominent modern Muslim public intellectuals, many of who are credited with providing the basic ideas of the contemporary Islamic revival. |
| Special Topics in Cultural Anthropology: Anthropology of Islam (Anthropology) | 1737 |
| 2009 - Fall | Subject: Anthropology, Sociology |
| Prerequisites: None |
| As a "world religion" Islam has had a profound influence on a broad array of nations, ethnic groups and local expressions of culture. It has played a role in shaping societies, politics, economics and law. Taking a broad, anthropological perspective on the study of religion, this course examines the many different ways in which culture and society have been influenced by Islam in different parts of the world. |
| Special Topics: Islam, Cinema, and Culture (Religious Studies) | 1800 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Anthropology, Sociology |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Cross listed with Anthropology. The aim of this course is to explore the relationship between religion and cinema. In conjunction with ethnographic, historical, and other cultural writings, we analyze the ways in which Iranian cinema and Islam intersect. This is an interdisciplinary course that cuts across anthropology, cinema studies, religious studies, and Middle Eastern studies. In order to have a deeper cultural and religious understanding we focus on Iranian cinema as the main venue of exploration. |
| Turkish (Linguistics) | 0561 |
| 2009 - Fall | Subject: Language, Literature |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Pitt is currently offering four semesters of Turkish. This course is equivalent to Turkish 1.
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| Understanding September 11 and Its Aftermath (PS ) | 1583 |
| 2009 - Spring | |
| Prerequisites: None |
| The course provides a space to reflect on the multiple perspectives that tried to explain the events of September 11, 2001. These explanations included, but are not limited to, theories resting on a “clash of civilizations,” US foreign policy, Islamic fundamentalism, oil, the Cold War and its aftermath, Al-Qaeda’s hatred of US democracy, the Israel/Palestine conflict, the presence of US troops in the Middle East, and various conspiracy theories. People both at home and abroad had to deal with the consequences of 9/11, so the course will explore the deeper implications and impact of 9/11 on peoples at home, as well as peoples and states abroad. Drawing on frameworks from different disciplines, this course deconstructs some of the political rhetoric emerging from the attacks of September 11 and investigates the political, historical, and economic contexts of this event in relation to race, ethnicity, class, religion, and power. The course uses 9/11 as an example of an event that helps us to think critically about US national culture and politics, and how the notion of “community” was imagined or how it shifted after 9/11. We will discuss how national identity, patriotism, and moral character shaped visions of “American-ess” after 9/11. The course aims to contextualize this event in a longer history of Arab/Muslim/Americans’ relations to the U.S. and U.S. foreign policy. It also aims at reflecting on similar events in U.S. history and how such events could be seen as historical structures that have had long lasting ramifications for people at home as well as abroad. Finally, the course aims to discuss how people from outside the U.S. view such events and what this tells us about how people abroad view “America” and the role of the U.S. on the global stage. The course will discuss the implication and impact of 9/11 on people living in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine and the region at large, and how the event has produced as another structural turning point in the histories of regions and peoples in the U.S. and abroad. |
| Understanding September 11 and Its Aftermath (PS ) | 1583 |
| 2009 - Spring | |
| Prerequisites: None |
| The course provides a space to reflect on the multiple perspectives that tried to explain the events of September 11, 2001. These explanations included, but are not limited to, theories resting on a “clash of civilizations,” US foreign policy, Islamic fundamentalism, oil, the Cold War and its aftermath, Al-Qaeda’s hatred of US democracy, the Israel/Palestine conflict, the presence of US troops in the Middle East, and various conspiracy theories. People both at home and abroad had to deal with the consequences of 9/11, so the course will explore the deeper implications and impact of 9/11 on peoples at home, as well as peoples and states abroad. Drawing on frameworks from different disciplines, this course deconstructs some of the political rhetoric emerging from the attacks of September 11 and investigates the political, historical, and economic contexts of this event in relation to race, ethnicity, class, religion, and power. The course uses 9/11 as an example of an event that helps us to think critically about US national culture and politics, and how the notion of “community” was imagined or how it shifted after 9/11. We will discuss how national identity, patriotism, and moral character shaped visions of “American-ess” after 9/11. The course aims to contextualize this event in a longer history of Arab/Muslim/Americans’ relations to the U.S. and U.S. foreign policy. It also aims at reflecting on similar events in U.S. history and how such events could be seen as historical structures that have had long lasting ramifications for people at home as well as abroad. Finally, the course aims to discuss how people from outside the U.S. view such events and what this tells us about how people abroad view “America” and the role of the U.S. on the global stage. The course will discuss the implication and impact of 9/11 on people living in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine and the region at large, and how the event has produced as another structural turning point in the histories of regions and peoples in the U.S. and abroad. |
| Women & Men In Ancnt Medit (HIST ) | 0788 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: History |
| Prerequisites: None |
| Helen of Troy, Sappho, Pericles' lover Aspasia, and Cleopatra, Achilles, Pericles himself, Plato, and Alexander the Great. These are names familiar to many of us, but to what extent was these individuals' gender an element of their achievement and fame? This course attempts to answer this question by examining the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations from the perspective of male and female. We shall proceed by topic, focusing on legal status and citizenship, marriage, the family, the citizen life course, public roles, education, sexuality, religion, popular attitudes, and the views and conceptualizations of ancient social and political theory. Throughout we shall isolate and discuss factors determining or conditioning the peculiar features of the gender roles before us and especially those that seemed to have prompted departures from the prevailing norms. Readings will include a historical narrative, a reader of excerpts from primary sources arranged by topic, and a selection of Athenian comedies and tragedies. the course material will be illustrated by films. |
| Women In Religion with a focus on Islam (RELGST) | 1620 |
| 2009 - Spring | |
| Prerequisites: None |
| This semester the course will focus on the spiritual and political leadership of Muslim women through history revealing that women played significant roles in Islamic tradition both in spiritual and political arenas, but at the same time that they have systematically been excluded from the mainstream of religious thought and practice and relegated to the margins. Students will study Muslim female spiritual and political leadership, gender dynamics in Islamic tradition, and the interconnectedness of religion and gender relations in Muslim societies. |
| Religion and Culture (Anthropology) | 1580 |
| 2008 - Spring | Subject: Anthropology, Sociology |
| Prerequisites: None |
| The objectives are to understand religion, wherever found, and to understand the anthropological approach in the cross-cultural study of religion. Religious belief, ritual, myth, dogma and religious specialists in industrial and nonindustrial societies are compared. Newly emerged religious movements are analyzed in the context of economic and social change |
| Religions of the World (History; Religious Studies) | 1602 |
| 2008 - spring | |
| Prerequisites: none |
| The course approaches the major enduring religious traditions of the world in a schioalrly and nonsectarian fasion. It examines history, theological concepts, worship practices and scriptures in a format that mixes elements of a seminar, in which student particpation is important, with lecture segments, video screening, and guest presenters. |
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