After providing basic information about the Islam’s origin and history, the course intends to focuse on its presence in the contemporary world, as main problem and chance as much of the dialogue as of the conflict between religions and cultures.

1) Islam and us: similarities, differences, differences into the similarities.
2) Muhammad’s life and preaching.
3) Muhammad’s life and preaching, II part: the Medinan period. The origins of the Caliphate.
4) The four ar-rashidun (“rightly guided”) Caliphs. The expansion of Islam. Origins of the conflict between the Sunnis and the Shias.
5 ) Imperial Islam and its relations with the European world. Traumatic modernization and the crisis of Islamic civilization.
6) Islamic religious practice. The Five Pillars
7) Formation and structure of the text of the Qur'an. The Sciences of the Qur'an
8) Islamic theology and philosophy
9) Islamic Law. Fiq and Sha'riah. The Four Schools of Law.
10) Peace and war in Islam.
11) Islam and gender issues. The Muslim woman
12) The problematic relationships between mystical experience and religious legalism. Sufism.
13) Islamic world, between “Orientalism” and Colonialism.
14) Double misunderstanding of the Islamic “Fundamentalism”.
15) Islamic Revival attempts and their Western interpretation
16) Islam and the globalization. Political Islam.
17) Between “springs” and “winters”. Revolution and the democracy in the Islamic world.
18) Migration flows and multiculturalism. Islam among us.

No course

To pass the exam students have to:
a) achieve historical comparative bases for a comprehensive evaluation of religions and of cultural and ethnic relations as anthropological phenomena, and gain awareness of their changes on a social-historic background, with particular reference to Islam. This is accomplished through active participation in the lectures and workshops and through interviews with the professor. (Knowledge and understanding);
b) demonstrate the ability to solve theoretical and practical problems related to the anthropological and social historic dimension of religion and of ethnic-cultural relations on a background of increasing cultural pluralism, even through participation in workshops or study groups or writing a research paper (Applying knowledge and understanding);
c) demonstrate the ability of integrating  independently their knowledge and of making judgements in theoretical or applicative complex situations regarding the problems set out above,  through active participation in debates with the professor and between the students themselves,  particularly in workshops and seminars (Making judgements);
d) demonstrate the ability to communicate the knowledge gained in a clear, simple and scientifically correct way, in specific workshops or writing synthetic papers (Communication skills); 
e) demonstrate the ability to proceed in learning with autonomy and critical thinking, analyzing religion as a cultural phenomenon, without ideological or dogmatic closures and with sensitivity to the aspects of human development that religious phenomena and the relations between different ethnic groups and cultures can achieve (Learning skills)

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Informations about integrative lessons and seminarsi will be given in class at the beginning of the course.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises) and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

The course will consist of lectures, possibly supplemented with audiovisual material. Deepening essays will be optional, as well as any supplementary educational activities.

Attendance

Students must have the normal level in general culture that can be expected at this stage of studies, in particular with regard to the ability to move about historical periods and the ability to express themselves properly and clearly. If students are aware of having historical information gaps, it is strongly recommended to revise summarily the textbook received at the high scool.

In studying the exam textbooks, students have to understand the fundamental topics and learn how to expose them correctly with their own words.  The purely mnemonic study is not appreciated. It is very important to be open to approach controversial topics without prejudice.

Attendance in the class is not compulsory.

To be considered a regularly attending student, the minimum frequency at three quarters of class hours is required. 

Course books

1)    R. Aslan, No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam, Random House, New York 2006.
2)    K. Armstrong, Islam: A Short History, Modern Library, New York 2002.

Assessment

The exam is individual and takes place only orally. Every student can begin the exam with a topic of his choice. The knowledge of all the textbooks will be verified. The purely mnemonic study is not appreciated and does not guarantee passing the exam. The general culture level and the ability to expose correctly and clearly will affect the rating. The ability to carry out relevant personal considerations will be very appreciated.Top mark (30 cum laude) will be achieved by students that, besides not having significant gaps on the textbooks, will demonstrate critical thinking, good argumentative capacity and effectiveness of exposure.

On demand by the student, it is possible during the exam to discuss an optional paper, that must be given to the Professor at least ten days in advance. Writing the paper does not dispense from the completeness of the study and impacts positively on the final mark only if the quality is good, otherwise it will be disregarded.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

The basic learning activity for non-attending students is the individual study of textbooks. It is recommended integrating it with interviews with the Professor, by appointment, in the event of difficulties in understanding textbooks. Email contacts will suffice for the simplest matters.

Attendance

Students must have the normal level in general culture that can be expected at this stage of studies, in particular with regard to the ability to move about historical periods and the ability to express themselves properly and clearly. If students are aware of having historical information gaps, it is strongly recommended to revise summarily the textbook received at the high scool.

In studying the exam textbooks, students have to understand the fundamental topics and learn how to expose them correctly with their own words.  The purely mnemonic study is not appreciated. It is very important to be open to approach controversial topics without prejudice.

It is strongly reccomended to consult the professor for every serious difficulty of understanding the textbooks during the individual study.

Course books

1)    R. Aslan, No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam, Random House, New York 2006.
2)    K. Armstrong, Islam: A Short History, Modern Library, New York 2002.
3)    L. Ahmed, Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate, Yale University Press, New Haven & London 1992.

Assessment

The exam is individual and takes place only orally.Every student can begin the exam with a topic of his choice. The knowledge of all the textbooks will be verified. The purely mnemonic study is not appreciated and does not guarantee passing the exam. The general culture level and the ability to expose correctly and clearly will affect the rating. The ability to carry out relevant personal considerations will be very appreciated.Top mark (30 cum laude) will be achieved by students that, besides not having significant gaps on the textbooks, will demonstrate critical thinking, good argumentative capacity and effectiveness of exposure.

On demand by the student, it is possible during the exam to discuss an optional paper, that must be given to the Professor at least ten days in advance. Writing the paper does not dispense from the completeness of the study and impacts positively on the final mark only if the quality is good, otherwise it will be disregarded.

To be a not attending student never has a negative impact on the final mark.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

The student can request to sit the exam in english with the bibliography above.