Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences · Political Science and International Relations (English) · Undergraduate
ECTS: 5 T+P+L: 3+0+0 Departmental Elective
Coordinator: Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Fadi ZATARİ
Course Objective
- To increase each student’s confidence in dissecting arguments, and orally presenting ideas in a critical and logical sequence;
- Practicing academic writing skills in defining and supporting a key theory or combination of theories;
- Understanding of the main currents with regard to Islam and politics in a global context.
Course Content
Islam exerts significant influence on politics, culture, and society not only in Muslim majority societies but globally. The course is centred around some of the interconnecting historical and ongoing debates designed to understand the dynamics of Islam in global politics. It will provide knowledge about the diversity and complexity of Muslim politics both within the Muslim majority countries and the West. The role of Islam in global politics will be investigated with its relationship to nationalism, Islamism, democracy, liberalism, radicalism as well as women and gender.
Required Resources
- Textbook:
Mandaville, P. (2014). Islam and politics. Routledge.
Suggested books:
Milton-Edwards, B. (2204). Islam and Politics in the Contemporary World. Polity.
Eickelman, D. F. & Piscatori, J. (2004). Muslim politics. Princeton University Press.
Recommended Resources
Suggested books:
Milton-Edwards, B. (2204). Islam and Politics in the Contemporary World. Polity.
Eickelman, D. F. & Piscatori, J. (2004). Muslim politics. Princeton University Press.
Explanations
The mid-term and final exam will be two-hour written examinations. Candidates will be required to answer two questions, chosen from a list of four.
Rules
Attendance and participation are required. An attendance register will be taken at the start of each lesson. Two periods of lateness will count as one absence. Laptops can be used for taking lecture notes only. All mobile phones must be switched off completely before the lesson begins. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the weekly reading assignment.
Course Learning Outcomes
- - Understanding of the main currents with regard to Islam and politics in a global context
- To obtain a critical awareness of the diverse approaches to the study of Muslim politics and a familiarity with key contributions to the literature
Core Area Distribution
(22) Humanities%100
Teaching Methods
ExpressionQuestion-AnswerDiscussionExercise and PracticeGroup StudySelf study
Assessment & Evaluation
HomeworkOral ExamPerformance Assignment ( Lab / Workshop / Field Work / Seminar / Presentation / Completion Study / ThesisPortfolioTesting (Essay / Tests: True-Falls, multiple-choice, short answer, matching)
ECTS / Workload
| Activity | Quantity | Duration (h) | Total Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Duration (Including Exam Week) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Out of Class Study Period | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Midterm | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Quiz | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Assignment | 11 | 3 | 33 |
| Practice | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Course Schedule
| Week | Subject | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course introductions, syllabus review | Course introductions, syllabus review |
| 2 | Islam and global politics | • Chapter 1 “Introduction: Thinking about Islam and politics in global perspective” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topic: Consider the following terms and discuss why their usage can be problematic: political Islam Muslim/Islamic world |
| 3 | The historic roots of modern concepts | • Chapter 2 “Islam and politics: History and key concepts” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topic: How can we distinguish between Islamic revivalism and Islamic reformism: in terms of defining the problems of the Muslim world? in terms of suggested solutions to said problems? |
| 4 | Islam and the state | Chapter 3 “State formation and the making of Islamism” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topic: What motivated Hassan al-Banna to found the Muslim Brotherhood? Presentation topic: Distinguish between the “Banna-ist” and “Qutb-ist” streams within the MB. Presentation topic: What is the connection between Qutb’s formulation of Jahiliyya and “takfirism”? |
| 5 | Islamism as political strategy | Chapter 4 “Islam in the system: The evolution of Islamism as political strategy” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topic: What effect has generational change exerted on Islamist groups in Egypt and Jordan? How can we explain this variation? Presentation topic: Evaluate and discuss the idea that Turkey can serve as a potential model for how other countries might go about successfully fusing Islam and democracy. |
| 6 | “Islamization” from above | Chapter 5 “Islam as the system: Islamic states and “Islamization” from above” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topic: How has the 1744 alliance between Muhammad Ibn Saud and Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab shaped structures of legitimacy and authority in modern-day Saudi Arabia? Presentation topic: Discuss the motivations and meaning behind Zia ul-Haq’s Islamization? |
| 7 | Islamism in weak and failed states | • Chapter 6 “Islam for lack of a system: Islamism in weak and failed states” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topics: How can we account for popular support for Hamas and Hizbullah? More specifically, how can we account for rises and declines in popular support for Hamas and Hizbullah? Presentation topics: How can we account for the emergence of the Taliban as political unknowns to their stunning success and rapid takeover of most of the country? |
| 8 | Islam and democracy | Chapter 4 “The Democracy Debate: Intractable Paths?” in Islam and Politics in the Contemporary World by Beverly Milton-Edwards. • El Fadl, K. A. (2004). Islam and the Challenge of Democracy: A Boston Review Book. In J. Cohen and D. Chasman (eds.) An Argument for Liberal Democracy from within the Framework of Islamic Values. Princeton: Princeton University Press. • “Can Islam and Democracy Co-Exist?” By Brian Handwerk http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1021_031021_islamicdemocracy.html • Volpi, F. (2004). Pseudo‐democracy in the Muslim world. Third World Quarterly, 25(6), 1061-1078. Presentation topic: Is there a argument for the exceptionalism of the Middle East when it comes to democracy? Presentation topic: Can Islam and Democracy Co-Exist?” Discuss theoretically. Presentation topic: What does Tunisia, post-Arab Spring, tell us about democracy promotion? Presentation topic: Are Middle East states really democratizing, or is authoritarianism merely being liberalized? Discuss with both Arab and non-Arab case examples. |
| 9 | Islam and democracy | Chapter 4 “The Democracy Debate: Intractable Paths?” in Islam and Politics in the Contemporary World by Beverly Milton-Edwards. • El Fadl, K. A. (2004). Islam and the Challenge of Democracy: A Boston Review Book. In J. Cohen and D. Chasman (eds.) An Argument for Liberal Democracy from within the Framework of Islamic Values. Princeton: Princeton University Press. • “Can Islam and Democracy Co-Exist?” By Brian Handwerk http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1021_031021_islamicdemocracy.html • Volpi, F. (2004). Pseudo‐democracy in the Muslim world. Third World Quarterly, 25(6), 1061-1078. Presentation topic: Is there a argument for the exceptionalism of the Middle East when it comes to democracy? Presentation topic: Can Islam and Democracy Co-Exist?” Discuss theoretically. Presentation topic: What does Tunisia, post-Arab Spring, tell us about democracy promotion? Presentation topic: Are Middle East states really democratizing, or is authoritarianism merely being liberalized? Discuss with both Arab and non-Arab case examples. |
| 10 | MIDTERM’s Week (11-18 November) | MIDTERM’s Week (11-18 November) |
| 11 | Islam and the clash of civilizations debate | “The Root of Muslim Rage” by Bernard Lewis from The Atlantic Monthly, Sep. 1990. • “The Muslim World and the West: the roots of conflict” by Ismael Hussein Zadeh http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2501/is_3_27/ai_n15795979/print • “Understanding the Roots of Muslim Rage” by Muqtedar Khan http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0110/S00044.htm • PEW Report: “The great divide: How Westerners and Muslims view each other” http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=253 first 26 pgs • “The Coming Clash of Civilizations” by Samuel Huntington • “It’s the Policy, Stupid: Political Islam and U.S. Foreign Policy” by John L. Esposito • “Why is the legacy of confrontation so strong?” by Rami G. Khouri http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=21062&lan=en&sid=0&sp=1&isNew=0 Presentation topics: Does oil alone explain US involvement in the ME? Presentation topics: Are the roots of the conflict between the “Mulish world” and the “West” of political or ideological nature? Presentation topic: The controversial thesis of a “clash of civilizations” dominating 21st century global politics has been supported or rejected by many scholars of the Middle East, including Bernard Lewis and Edward Said. Please briefly define this argument and then explain how the history of the Middle East does or does not support it. |
| 12 | Islam and the clash of civilizations debate | “The Root of Muslim Rage” by Bernard Lewis from The Atlantic Monthly, Sep. 1990. • “The Muslim World and the West: the roots of conflict” by Ismael Hussein Zadeh http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2501/is_3_27/ai_n15795979/print • “Understanding the Roots of Muslim Rage” by Muqtedar Khan http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0110/S00044.htm • PEW Report: “The great divide: How Westerners and Muslims view each other” http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=253 first 26 pgs • “The Coming Clash of Civilizations” by Samuel Huntington • “It’s the Policy, Stupid: Political Islam and U.S. Foreign Policy” by John L. Esposito • “Why is the legacy of confrontation so strong?” by Rami G. Khouri http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=21062&lan=en&sid=0&sp=1&isNew=0 Presentation topics: Does oil alone explain US involvement in the ME? Presentation topics: Are the roots of the conflict between the “Mulish world” and the “West” of political or ideological nature? Presentation topic: The controversial thesis of a “clash of civilizations” dominating 21st century global politics has been supported or rejected by many scholars of the Middle East, including Bernard Lewis and Edward Said. Please briefly define this argument and then explain how the history of the Middle East does or does not support it. |
| 13 | Radical Islamism | • Chapter 7 “Radical Islamism and jihad beyond the nation-state” in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topics: What does jihad actually mean and how have debates about its purpose and permissibility evolved in the modern era? |
| 14 | Post-Islamism | Chapter 8: Towards post-Islamism? Globalization and Muslim politics in Islam and Politics by Peter Mandeville Presentation topics: How has globalization affected the nature of Muslim politics? Presentation topics: What are the prospects for these new Muslim movements, and what can they tell us about the future of Muslim politics more generally? Presentation topics: What, if anything, can we say about the Roy/Kepel and Bayat’s formulation of the “post-Islamist” thesis in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab Uprisings? |
| 15 | Revision week | Revision week |