Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2024 - HUM 360 B900

Special Topics: Great Themes in the Humanistic Tradition (4)

Islam and the Idea of the West

Class Number: 5504

Delivery Method: Blended

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 8 – Apr 12, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Surrey

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An interdisciplinary study of a selected theme that has made a lasting contribution to the humanistic tradition in more than one field of endeavour(e.g. philosophy, politics, literature,economics, religion). This course may be repeated once for credit. Students who have credit for a course with this content under another Humanities course may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

Islam and the Idea of the West 

In this course we explore the complex interaction of Muslim and “Western” cultures and communities from the expansion of Islam in Europe to the colonial expansion of western powers to Muslim majority societies to the era of Muslim migration to Europe.  We examine the role that Islam has played in the emergence of the idea of the “West” and of Europe as a coherent cultural and political entity (and, conversely, Europe and the “West” in the predominant understanding of Islam and the Islamic world as such).  

We start our exploration from the descriptions of the first encounters between Muslims and Islam and the populations of Europe in the medieval Spanish and Byzantine epics, subsequent European and Muslim chronicles of the Arab conquests in the seventh to ninth centuries, the accounts and memories of the Ottoman expansion to Europe and of the cohabitation of Christians, Muslims and Jews in Europe. We explore the coexistence of, and conflict between Muslims and Christians in Europe and, more broadly, the West as it has been reflected in popular, literary, visual and artistic culture from their first encounter to the present day. 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

At the end of the course, students will be able to: 

Understand and analyze the social and cultural construction of Islam and the “West” 
Discuss critically the relationship between Islam and the “West” 
Demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of authors, texts and other cultural products exploring the relationship between Islam and the “West” as concepts and their societal manifestations. 
use sources effectively, and craft sustained, persuasive, logical and well-structured arguments in developing a thesis, or structuring a longer or short paper.

Grading

  • Participation  20%
  • Weekly Course Diary Records 30%
  • One 2000-word Essay 30%
  • Final Exam 20%

NOTES:

This course counts towards a certificate in Religious Studies.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

The material we will be using encompasses medieval, early modern and contemporary literary texts, material culture, written, spoken word and visual records of oral traditions, films, and TV series.

REQUIRED READING:

Spyros A. Sofos and Roza Tsagarousianou (2013). Islam in Europe: Public Spaces and Civic Networks. Palgrave Macmillan. (Access online through SFU Library https://sfu-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/usv8m3/01SFUL_ALMA51196266790003611)

Pietro Rossi (2015). The Boundaries of Europe: From the Fall of the Ancient World to the Age of Decolonisation. De Gruyter Akademie Forschung. (Open access at https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110420722/html) 

Michel Houellebecq (2016). Submission: A Novel. Picador.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html