‘Islamic Studies (IS),’ in the extended sense of the term and with all its various branches and disciplines, is a complex and contested field. This module introduces students to the diverse ways in which Islam and Muslim societies have been approached as a scholarly subject. Through the study and discussion of key texts and approaches students will engage with significant traditional and modern scholarship, will be able to navigate critically through the relevant academic literature, and will be able to argue coherently for their own particular points of view. Approaches to understanding Islam that students encounter may include: Quranic and Tafsir traditions; legal approaches; historical methods; orientalism; feminist approaches; and socio-cultural and political science methods.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the complexity of the field “Islamic Studies”, and the associated debates surrounding appropriate ontology, epistemology and methodology;
Critically engage with traditional and modern approaches to the study of Islam;
Demonstrate an ability to evaluate and assess critically the contemporary interaction of traditional and modern Islamic and western approaches to the study of Muslim societies.
