Anthropology of Islam
| Module title | Anthropology of Islam |
|---|---|
| Module code | ANT2017 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Geoffrey Hughes (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
This module will explore the anthropology of Islam, emphasizing the diversity of the Islamic tradition and how various currents within Islam challenge some of the most cherished assumptions of ‘Western’ social theory. In the first half of the module you will be introduced to a range of textual, historical, sociological and ethnographic approaches to the study of Islam. In the second half of the module you will be presented with a range of case studies looking at how historical and contemporary Muslim societies have struggled with fundamental questions about the human condition, offering alternative conceptions of kinship, gender, economics, space, locality, secularism, and modernity in the process.
Module aims - intentions of the module
You will be introduced to a range of approaches to the study of the Islam, including hermeneutics, ethnography, anthropology, and history, among others. You will then apply these analytical tools to a range of historical cases to explore the diversity of Islamic lifeworlds, with an emphasis on how Islam invites us to rethink fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Through a guided research project, you will develop your own personal approach to the study of Islam and then apply that approach to a particular contemporary or historical Islamic community of your own choosing.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate familiarity with the major contemporary approaches to the study of Islam;
- 2. show a developed understanding of specific issues related to the study of Islam, including definitional matters, the difficulty of defining the boundaries of Islam, and the limits of text-based approaches;
- 3. show a developed understanding of central concerns within contemporary and historical Islamic communities like space, locality, gender, kinship, economics, modernity and secularism.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. apply various theories and methodologies to specific cases;
- 5. show competence in critically assessing claims about Islam;
- 6. think clearly about the social, political, and anthropological implications of Islam.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. communicate effectively in written and oral form;
- 8. engage in cross-cultural translation and comparison;
- 9. conduct research on a topic and organize findings in written form in a compelling manner.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- The Idea of an Anthropology of Islam
- Ethnographic Approaches to the Study of Islam
- Islamic Origin Narratives
- The Hermeneutics of Suspicion
- Islam’s Role in the Origins of ‘Western’ Civilisation
- Islam, Space, and Locality
- Islamic Gender and Kinship
- Islamic Economics
- Islamic Modernity
- Islam, Secularism, and Post-Islamism
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 22 | 11 x 2 hour weekly lecture/seminar (or 1 hour lecture + 1 hour seminar |
| Guided Independent Study | 12 | Research Paper Proposal |
| Guided Independent Study | 56 | Weekly Reading for Seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 20 | Weekly Discussion Posts |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Research Paper |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Paper Proposal | 750 words | 1-9 | Written and Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Paper | 65 | 2,000 words | 1-9 | Written |
| Portfolio of Discussion Posts | 35 | 1,000 words | 1-8 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Paper | Research Paper (2,000 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Portfolio of Discussion Posts | Portfolio of Discussion Posts (1,000 words) | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Abdullah, Zain. 2010. Black Mecca: The African Muslims of Harlem. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Asad, Talal. 2003. Formations of the Secular. Redwood City, CA: Stanford University Press.
Bayat, Asef. 2013. Post-Islamism: The Many Faces of Political Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Crone, Patricia and Michael Cook. 1977. Hagarism: The Making of the Islamic World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Deeb, Lara. 2006. An Enchanted Modern: Gender and Public Piety in Shi’i Lebanon. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Geertz, Clifford. 1968. Islam Observed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Mahmood, Saba. 2004. The Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Maurer, Bill. 2002. “Repressed Futures: Financial Derivatives’ Theological Unconscious.” Economy and Society 31(1): 15-36.
Qutb, Sayyid. 1949. Social Justice in Islam. New York: American Council of Learned Societies.
Said, Edward. 1980 “Islam Through Western Eyes.” The Nation.
Tobin, Sarah. 2016. Everyday Piety: Islam and Economy in Jordan. Ithica, NY: Cornell University Press.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 13/03/2018 |
| Last revision date | 06/05/2022 |
