Department of History
Iraj
Bashiri
1043 Heller Hall
Telephone: 624-3314
e-mail: bashi001@umn.edu
web: irajbashiri.com
Office hours: M, 11:15-12:00; F, 1:15-2:00
or by appointment
Teaching Assistant:
SYLLABUS
Islam and the West
GLOS 3643;
HIST 3546; RELS 3714
Spring Semester, 2016
Conceptual Frame:
This course focuses on
the cultural and intellectual trends that have defined the fundamental
differences between Islam and the West. It examines the development of the
historical, philosophical, and intellectual mindset of both spheres and points
out factors that have contributed and continue to contribute to tension, anxiety,
and hatred between the peoples of the Middle East and Europe and the United
States.
Objectives:
· Acquaint the students with the fundamental differences between Islam and Western cultures
· Equip students with the means for a better understanding of international events
· Teach students to distinguish different trends and accept them for what they are
· Discuss factors that create tension, anxiety, and hatred among peoples and nations
· Examine aspects of Islamic and Western cultures that inspire respect and emulation
Class Sessions:
January
20 Introduction
to the course; course content, materials to be covered, office hours, tests,
oral report, book report, paper, participation, attendance, grades.
Assignment: Shahid, pp. 3-29; Bashiri (2016a), pp. 3-12.
E-reserve URL: https://reserves.lib.umn.edu/
22 Pre-Islamic Arabia
Assignment: Bashiri (2016a), pp.
12-21
25 Prophet Muhammad and the Rise of Islam
Assignment: Farah, pp. 125-150;
Esposito, pp. 84-93 (Schools of Law to Muslim and Family Law)
27 The Pillars of the Islamic Faith
Assignment: Farah, pp. 174- 195
29 Sunni and Shi'ite Sects
Assignment: Esposito, pp. 68-84
(Religious Life to Schools of Law); 93-100 (Muslim Family Law to Popular
Religion: Sufism).
February
1 Schools of Islamic Law
Assignment: Bashiri, Terminology
Related to Islam; Schimmel, pp. 98-186
3 Islamic
Mysticism
5 Oral Reports Group I
8 Oral Reports Group I
10 Oral Reports
Group I
Assignment: Bashiri, Attar's
Seven Valleys of Love; Rogers, pp. 73-80; 107-136.
12 "Society of the Just"
"The Sufi Way"
Study Guide I posted
Assignment: Hunter, pp. 3-28; 51-76;
191-203
15 Islam in Europe is discussed
17
Open
19 Test 1
Assignment: Bashiri (2016), pp.
61-73.
22 The Indo-European Background of Iranian
peoples
Assignment: Bashiri (2016), pp.
15-49; Bashiri, The
Role of Farr in Firdowsi's Shahname
24 Discussion of the role of Farr as the mainstay of Iranian
government
Assignment: Grimal, pp. 97-110;
Bashiri (2016), pp. 5-12.
26 The Greco-Roman and Iranian accounts of
creation
Assignment: Bashiri, "The
Ahuric Order and the Platonic Form"; Bashiri
(2014), pp. 6-53.
29 The Presocratics;
Popular Shi'ite Theology
Assignment: Bashiri (2014) pp.
54-79
March
2 Islamic intellectual heritage: al-Kindi to Ibn Sina
Assignment: Bashiri (2014), pp.
80-97; Khalili, pp. 35-48, 223-251, 241-251
4 Islamic intellectual heritage: East Meets West
7 Oral Reports II
9 Oral Reports II
11 Oral Reports
II
Assignment: Bashiri (2014),
pp. 98-123
14-18 Spring Break
21 Islamic intellectual heritage:
Suhrawardi to Mulla Sadra Shirazi
Assignment: The Republic of Plato
23 "The Republic of Plato"
Assignment: Utopia (Pt II)
25 Discussion of More's Utopia
Study Guide II posted
Assignment: Animal Farm
28
Discussion of Orwell's "Animal Farm"
30 Animal Farm
documentary
April
1 Open
4 Test
2
Assignment: Landen, pp. 174-177;
253-257.
6 Discovery of Oil in the Middle East;
Assignment: Landen, pp. 3-49;
Mansfield, pp. 167-219
8 The Middle East in World War I
Assignment: Bashiri, Jamal al-Din
al-Afghani; Ayubi, pp. 158-162; Sullivan, pp. 162-167.
11 The Rise of Muslim Brotherhood
Assignment: Abrahamian, pp. 267-325
13 Soviet and American Activities in Iran
Assignment: Bashiri, Afghanistan:
An Overview
15 Communist Movement in Afghanistan; Rise
and fall of the Taliban
Assignment: Ismael (1982), pp. 1-41;
Bashiri, Muslims and
Communists Vie for Power in Tajikistan
18
Communism in the Muslim republics of the former
Soviet Union
Assignment: Bashiri (2016a), pp.
127-137.
20 Oral Reports III
22 Oral Reports III
25 Oral Reports
III
Assignment: Bashiri (2016a), pp.
141-148.
27 Roots of Terror; "The Battle of
Algiers"
29 Radical Islam
Assignment: Bashiri
(2016a), pp. 173-188
Book Report is due
May
2 The Islamists
Assignment: Bashiri (2016a), pp.
4 Identities in perspective
6 General Discussion;
Evaluate Course
Final Papers due
Final Exam (Test
Three)
The Final Exam will be on Saturday,
May 14, 2016, 8:00-10:00am.
Assignments
There
will be three tests, one book report, one oral report, and one paper.
Attendance and active participation also carry points.
Observation:
note that frequent absences affect both your ability to do well on tests and
your points for participation.
Book Report (2
pages, double-spaced)
Any
book on Islam, the West, or the interactions among Islamic and Western
ideologies is acceptable. If not chosen from the approved
book list, the book for the book report must have the instructor's approval. The book report is due on April 29, 2016. It carries 10 points. Look at Guidelines
for Writing Book Reports for further
information.
Tests
There will be three
tests. The dates for the tests are geared to the completion of the sections of
the course devoted to each main topic. The exams will cover classroom
discussions, reading assignments, and oral reports. There will be no make-up tests. Exceptions will be made for
hardship cases on an individual basis. The instructor should be informed of the
reason for not taking the test in advance. The first test carries 10 points,
test two carries 12 points, and test three 15 points. The tests altogether are
worth 37 points.
Oral Report
Each student participates in the
gathering and delivering of information for one oral report. The topics for
reports are assigned early in the course.
Oral Report Delivery:
You can
deliver your report without or with PowerPoint.
1. Without PowerPoint:
After
delivery, turn the text of the report in to the instructor. It should be about
2 pages double-spaced
2. With PowerPoint:
a)If the PowerPoint presentation is comprehensive--8 to
10 slides with full discussion accompanying each slide, illustrations, etc.,
and bibliography at the end (last slide) that is sufficient.
b)
If
you have 8-10 slides + oral notes--turn in the slides and the full text of the
notes used for each slide.
Oral Reports are delivered on the
day assigned. After the presentation, the text of the report is emailed by the
instructor to students for the next test. Students are responsible for knowing
the contents of all reports given before a test. The oral report is graded for
the quality of its overall contribution to the class, delivery, and impact. The
student must be ready to answer related questions asked by the class or the
instructor. Failure to participate at the time assigned results in the loss of
5 points. Failure to provide final copy of your report for distribution to the
class results in the loss of the rest of the points. The oral report carries 15 points. Look at Guidelines
for Oral Reports for further information.
Note 1: The time limit for oral
presentations is 10 minutes. After presentation, the full report must be
submitted for distribution.
Note 2: If you use PowerPoint for your
presentation, you MUST email it to
me two days before the presentation
date.
Final Paper
The paper
should be 10 pages double-spaced, hard
copy, and presentable. It should deal with aspects of Islam and its interaction
with the cultures of the West. The paper should include an introduction, a
reasonable development of the topic proposed, and a clear indication of
diligent research. Look at Guidelines
for Writing Papers for information on writing the paper. The paper must
be submitted in hard copy and is due
on May 6, 2016. The paper carries 30 points as follows:
Aspects of paper |
# of points |
presentability |
1
|
relevance and originality |
6
|
introduction |
3
|
structure |
4
|
content |
8
|
conclusion |
3
|
footnotes & bibliography
|
5
|
Total
|
30 |
Attendance
Attendance is taken by passing a roster to be legibly signed. Each
absence is worth half a point. Remember to sign the attendance sheet as it
circulates. If you are late, make sure to sign it at the end of class.
Attendance carries 3 points.
Participation
Active participation in discussions carries 5 points.
Grading Scale:
4.0
scale |
Grade
|
%
|
4.0 |
A
|
93-100
|
3.667 |
A-
|
84-92
|
3.333 |
B+
|
76-83
|
3.000 |
B
|
68-75
|
2.667 |
B-
|
59-67
|
2.333 |
C+/S |
49-58
|
2.000 |
C/S |
43-50
|
1.667 |
C-/S |
34-42
|
1.333 |
D+
|
26-33
|
1.0 |
D
|
25
|
Note on Readings:
To
be purchased:
Bashiri, Modern Iranian Philosophy: From Ibn Sina to Mulla Sadra Shirazi, Cognella,
2014. (required)
Bashiri, Ancient Iran: Cosmology, Mythology, History, 2nd edition,
Cognella, 2016 (optional)
Bashiri, Iraj. Modern Iran: Caliphs, Kings, and Jurisprudents, Cognella
Publishers, 2016a. (optional)
The following readings are available on
E-reserve at Wilson Library:
The following readings are available on reserve
at Wilson Library:
The following readings are from the general collection
at Wilson Library:
1. Jihad:
The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia, Yale University Press.
2. Ali,
Tariq (2000). The Clash of
Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity, Verso, 2002.
3. Chambers,
James (1979). The Devil's Horsemen: The Mongol
Invasion of Europe, Oxford University Press.
4. Hiro,
Dilip. (1994 & 1995). Between Marx
and Muhamad: The Changing Face of Central Asia, Harper Collins Publishers.
5. Ismael,
Tareq, and Jacqueline S. Ismael (1985). Government
and Politics in Islam, St. Martin's Press.
6. Lewis,
Bernard (2002). What Went Wrong?,
Oxford UniversityPress.
7. Marx,
Karl and Friedrich Engels. The Communist
Manifesto, with an Introduction by A.J.P. Taylor, Penguin Classics, 1967.
8. Said,
Edward W. (1978). Orientalism, Vintage
Books.