Page 1

Religious Studies 2V03 - Islam and the Modern World

Instructor: Tinamarie Jones
Office: University Hall, B112
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00 or by appointment
Email: jonestinamarie@yahoo.ca
TAs: Emilie Roy and Justin Neufeld
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This three unit course will examine Islam within the
‘modern’ world, paying particular attention to the issues of perception, identity, and
conflict. The contributions of Islam throughout history will provide a context for our
discussions.
REQUIRED TEXTS
• A History of the Muslim World Since 1260: The Making of a Global Community.
Vernon Egger. New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008.
• All other required readings can be located electronically via JSTOR
EVALUATION
Midterm
20%
Final Exam
20%
Tutorial participation
10%
Short Assignments (5 @10% each)
50%
COURSE GUIDELINES:
• Students are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner
at all times.
• Submit your written work on time. Late papers will lose 5 marks per day,
weekends inclusive.
• Please ensure that all cell phones are turned off prior to entering the classroom.
• Students should familiarize themselves with University guidelines regarding
academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of what
constitutes academic dishonesty and to refrain from it. Ignorance will not be
an excuse and instances of academic dishonesty (i.e. cheating, plagiarism, etc.)
will be heavily penalized. If you are unsure as to what constitutes academic
dishonesty, please consult me or your TA.
• Students registered with the Special Needs office should inform me as soon as
possible in order to facilitate and expedite accommodation.

Page 2
COURSE OUTLINE
January 8
Introduction and Welcome
January 15
What is Islam?
• “Islam and the West in World History” Shahrough Akhavi Third World Quarterly Vol. 24
Number 3 (2003) 545-562
• “The Study of Islamic Culture and Politics: An Overview and Assessment” Mansoor Moaddel
Annual Review of Sociology Vol. 28 (2002) 359-386
January 22
Islam in World History
• Egger, Chapters 1 and 2
• “The Earliest Spanish Christian Views of Islam”. Kenneth Baxter Wolf. Church History Vol. 55
Number 3 (1986) 281-293
January 29
Islam in World History
• Egger, Chapters 3 and 4
• “High Culture and Popular Culture in Medieval Islam”. Boaz Shoshan Studia Islamica Number
73 (1991) 67-107
• ‘There is No Compulsion in Religion’ On Conversion and Apostasy in the Late Ottoman Empire
1839-1856. Selim Deringil Comparative Studies in Society and History Vol. 42 Number 3 (2000)
547-575
February 5
Orientalism – Perspective, Polemic and Persistence
• Egger, Chapters 5 and 6
• “The New Orientalism and the Democracy Debate” Yahya Sadowski Middle East Report Number
183 Political Islam (1993) 14-21
• “Islam and Arabs Through the Eyes of the Encyclopedie: The ‘Other’ as a Case of French Cultural
Self Criticism” Rebecca Joubin International Journal of Middle East Studies Vol. 32 Number 2
(2000) 197-217
February 12 Midterm Exam
February 19 – Spring Break – No class
February 26 Women in Islam --
• “The Politics of Feminism in Islam” Anouar Majid Signs Vol. 23 Number 2 (1998) 321-361
• ‘Comment on Majid’s “The Politics of Feminism in Islam”’ Ann Elizabeth Mayer Signs Vol. 23
Number 2 (1998) 369-377
• “Islam and the New Woman Bint al-Shati (Aishah Abd al Rahman)” Alif: Journal of
Contemporary Poetics Number 19: Gender and Knowledge Contribution of Gender Perspectives
to Intellectual Formations (1999) 203-222
• “Gendering History: Europe and the Middle East” David R. Blanks Alif: Journal of
Contemporary Poetics Number 19: Gender and Knowledge Contribution of Gender Perspectives
to Intellectual Formations (1999)
• “The Newly Veiled Woman: Irigaray, Specularity and the Islamic Veil” Anne-Emmanuelle
Berger Diacritics Vol. 28 Number 1 (1998) 93-119
• “To Veil or Not to Veil? A Case Study of Identity Negotiation Among Muslim Women in Austin,
Texas” Jen’Nan Ghazal Read, John Bartkowski Gender and Society Vol. 14 Number 3 (2000)
395- 417
• “Headscarf Heresy” Merve Kavakci Foreign Policy Number 142 (2004) 66-67
 Page 3
• “Where are the Muslim Feminist Voices? A Question Asked in September 2001” Fawzia Afzal
Khan TDR Vol. 46 Number 1 (2002) 5-9
• “Islamic Feminism and its Discontents: Toward a Resolution of the Debate” Valentine Moghadam
Signs Vol. 27 Number 4 (2002) 1135-1171
March 4
Living in the Aftermath of September 11, 2001
• “‘So That You May Know One Another’: A Muslim American Reflects on Pluralism and Islam”
Ali S. Asani Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Vol. 588, Islam
Enduring Myths and Changing Realities (2003) 40-51
• “Maxime Rodinson on Islamic ‘Fundamentalism’: An Unpublished Interview with Gilbert
Achcar” Gilbert Achcar, Peter Drucker Middle East Report Number 233 Winter (2004) 2-4
• “A Framework for Nonviolence and Peacebuilding in Islam” Mohammed Abu Nimer Journal of
Law and Religion Vol 15 Number 1/2 (2000) 217-265
• “The Future of World Fundamentalisms” Martin E. Marty Proceedings of the American
Philosophical Society Vol 142 Number 3 (1998) 367-377
• “Jihadis in the Hood: Race, Urban Islam and the War on Terror” Hisham Aidi Middle East
Report Number 224 (2002( 36-43
• “Crusades and Jihads: A Long Run Economic Perspective” Annals of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science Vol. 588, Islam Enduring Myths and Changing Realities July (2003)
Alan Heston 112-135
March 11
Islam and Media I – Perceptions and Constructions
• Egger, Chapter 7 and 8
• ‘“Extreme By Definition”: Open Channel Television and Islamic Migrant Producers in Berlin’
Kira Kosnick New German Critique Number 92 (2002) 21-38
• “Conglomeration, New Media and the Cultural Production of the ‘War on Terror’” James
Castonguay Cinema Journal, Vol. 43 Number 4 (2004) 102-108
March 18
Islam and Media II – Voices of Islam
• Egger, Chapter 9
• “CyberResistance: Saudi Opposition Between Globalization and Localization” Mamoun Fandy
Comparative Studies in Society and History Vol. 41 Number 1 (1999) 124-127
• “Print Islam: Mass Media and Ideological Rivalries Among Indonesian Muslims” Robert W.
Hefner Indonesia 64 (1997) 77-103
http://www.lilith-ezine.com/articles/entertainment/Little-Mosque-on-the-Prairie.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/15/news/journal.php
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070109.wlivezarqa0110/BNStory/specialCom
m
ent/
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0117/p07s02-woam.html
http://culturepopped.blogspot.com/2007/01/everybody-loves-ramadan.html
March 25
Huntington’s ‘Clash Theory’ – Hermeneutic Device or Hindrance?
• Egger, Chapter 10
• “The US Media, Huntington and September 11” Ervand Abrahamian Third World Quarterly, Vol.
24 Number 3 (2003) 529-544
April 1
Islam in Canada
• Egger, Chapter 11
• “Canada’s Mythical Religious Mosaic: Some Census Findings” Reginald Bibby Journal for the
Scientific Study of Religion Vol. 39 Number 2 (2000) 235-239

Page 4
April 8
Reflections for the Future
• Egger, Chapter 12
• “Postmodernist Perceptions of Islam: Observing the Observer” Akbar S. Ahmed Asian Survey
Vol 31 Number 3 (199)1 213- 231
• “Islam and Muslims in the Mind of America” Fawaz A. Gerges Annals of the American Academy
of Political and Social Science Vol. 588, Islam Enduring Myths and Changing Realities ( 2003)
73-89
• “Rethinking Islam Today” Mohammed Arkoun Annals of the American Academy of Political
and Social Science Vol. 588, Islam Enduring Myths and Changing Realities (2003) 18-3