RELST 2247

Islam in Asia

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2015-2016.

Sixty percent of the world's Muslim population lives in Asia, and a quarter of Asia's population adheres to Islam. Whether as majorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Indonesia, or as minorities in India, China, Thailand, or the Philippines, Asia's Muslims express and experience piety in diverse ways. This course introduces such multiple "realities" of Islam in Asia as historical, cultural and political phenomena. Focusing on the area between Central and Southeast Asia, and encompassing most of South Asia and present-day China, the course will address thematic issues and pursue geographical comparisons. Key themes include religious devotion, the arts, Islamic law, gender, the Caliphate, jihad, and sectarianism No previous knowledge of Islam is required as the course reviews the fundamentals of Islam as a religious system as well as a historical phenomenon.

When Offered Fall.

Breadth Requirement (GHB)
Distribution Category (HA-AS)

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