Gwybodaeth Modiwlau
Module Identifier
IPM8430
Module Title
ISLAM AND MODERNITY
Academic Year
2009/2010
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Seminars / Tutorials | 10 x 2 Hour Seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | ESSAY one 3,000 word essay | 40% |
| Semester Assessment | ESSAY one 5,000 word essay | 60% |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. Describe and compare the different theoretical approaches to understanding Islam.
2. Critically assess the different theoretical approaches to the notion of Western modernity.
3. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the relationship between Islam and modernity.
4. Discuss the historical and contemporary problems facing the Islamic world and the West.
5. Analyse the extent to which the West has fulfilled/is fulfilling the promotion of secularism and democracy in the Islamic world.
6. Discuss and evaluate the Islamic countries' responses to contemporary global challenges (e.g. secularism, promoting democracy, radicalisation and terrorism).
7. Discuss and evaluate the neo-Orientalist view of Islam in Western media.
8. Demonstrate through written work and seminar discussion an ability to evaluate different theories of Western modernity as they relate to the understanding of Islam.
Aims
The module aims to give students: i) an advanced understanding of Islam as a faith and a political ideology through the key reading of Islamic scholars such as Naima and Ibn Khaldun; ii) a thorough appreciation of the history and development of Western modernity in Muslim societies and; iii) a detailed knowledge of some of the contemporary challenges facing the relationship between the Islamic world and the West in the 21st century. Through examining how modernity progresses in practice, as well as some of the historical processes it has engaged in non-Western contexts, students will be expected to critically assess the theoretical approaches covered in part one of the course, and encouraged to develop their own answers to some of the questions which have been central to theorising on the relationship between Islam and modernity including: Is Islam compatible with the key values and concepts of Western modernity? Can there be a Muslim democracy? Is it possible to be a secular Muslim ?
This module addresses a gap in the department's current provision as there are currently no modules on offer, which focus upon Islamic studies in general, or the relationship between Islam and modernity in particular.
This module addresses a gap in the department's current provision as there are currently no modules on offer, which focus upon Islamic studies in general, or the relationship between Islam and modernity in particular.
Brief description
This module examines some of the key theoretical approaches to the relationship between Islam and modernity and critically examines them in the light of the historical and contemporary relations between the Islamic world and the West. It also introduces some of the important contemporary challenges facing the Western modernity in the context of Islam in the 21st century.
Content
Part One: Conceptual and Theoretical Issues
1. Introduction: Islam and International Relations
2. Islam in historical and sociological context
3. Modernity and the Western experience
4. Islam and post-modernity
5. Islam and "multiple-modernities"
Part Two: Islam and modernity in the 21st century
6. Neo-Orientalism and the media
7. Eurocentrism and Islam
8. Islamism and the West
9. Islamic law and women
10. Modernising Islam?
1. Introduction: Islam and International Relations
2. Islam in historical and sociological context
3. Modernity and the Western experience
4. Islam and post-modernity
5. Islam and "multiple-modernities"
Part Two: Islam and modernity in the 21st century
6. Neo-Orientalism and the media
7. Eurocentrism and Islam
8. Islamism and the West
9. Islamic law and women
10. Modernising Islam?
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | N/A |
| Communication | Students will learn how to present their ideas both verbally and in writing and how to assert themselves to advantage. They will understand the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to the best advantage. They will learn to be clear and direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic, focus and objectives of their argument or discussion. Seminars will be run in groups where oral discussion and presentations will form the main medium of teaching and the emphasis throughout the module will be on student participation and communication. Fellow students will be encouraged to question the paper-giver to critique their approach or to suggest areas for the development of the chosen topic; in turn each will discuss the contributions and ideas of the other. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but within a context of assistance from both the convenor and the fellow students alike. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and to exercise their own initiative, including searching for sources, compiling reading lists, and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their essay and presentation topics. The need to conduct a seminar presentation and to meet an essay deadline will focus students attention on the need to manage their time and opportunity resources well. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources (such as BIDS and OCLC). |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The discussions in particular will help to develop students verbal and presentation skills. Learning about the process of planning an essay and a presentation, framing the parameters of the projects, honing and developing the projects and seeing through to completion will contribute towards their portfolio of transferable skills |
| Problem solving | Independent project work and problem solving will be one of the central goals of the module; the submission of two essays will require that the student develops independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; construct theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Research skills | The submission of two essays will reflect the independent research skills of the student. The need to locate appropriate research resources and write up the results will also facilitate research skills. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of subject specific skills that help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and ideas on the module. These subject specific skills include: Collect and understand a wide range of data relating to the module. Ability to evaluate competing perspectives. Demonstrate subject specific research techniques. Apply a range of methodologies to complex political problems. |
| Team work | Seminars will consist in part of small-group discussion where students will be obliged to discuss as a group the core issues related to seminar topics. Such class room debates and discussions are a vital component of the module. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7