Students
ANTH205 – Islam
2014 – S2 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Christopher Houston
Contact via 02 9850 8471
W6A 605
Mondays 3.00pm - 6.00pm (or by appointment)
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| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
ANTH150 or 12cp or admission to GDipArts
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
Islam is a major world religion, and the anthropology of Islam an exciting enterprise that studies the lived experience of Islam and Muslims in a variety of contexts and different places. One unifying theme of the unit is its focus on the production of knowledge about Islam in the present, asking questions about who speaks for and in the name of Islam. This includes a stress on the representation and control of Islam, not just in the West but also in Muslim majority societies as well. Students are able to research a number of vital topics, including: media coverage of Islam; the fascinating debates around the category and form of the Islamic City; the production of Islam in the Museums of Islamic Art (from Istanbul to New York); Muslim cinema; Gender and Islam; the nationalisation of Islam by secular States such as Turkey; and Islam and Music.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
General Assessment Information
Please type all essays. Major essay must be submitted on the due date or before through the gradebook system.
Extensions: any extensions must be requested in writing with valid documentation of their necessity (e.g. medical certificate). Any work that is submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalized at the standard rate of 1 percentage point per day.
Important Note: It is a requirement that all students keep a copy of their written work. In the event of work being lost, or if you have uploaded it but it is not in our records, you must be able to present a second copy. If you do not do so, no consideration can be given and all marks will be forfeited for that piece of work.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 40% | Week 11 |
| Take-Home Exam | 25% | Week 13 |
| Assessments of Core Articles | 15% | 5 assessments over semester |
| Tutorial Participation | 20% | Ongoing |
Essay
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 40%
Students will write one essay for the course, choosing their topic from one of the major themes under discussion. Essay questions will be self-selected, but this selection will be facilitated by tutorial discussion. It is advisable (but not compulsory) that the essay be based on your group presentation. However,students will be required to write and submit their own essays. This essay should be approximately 2500 words.
The essay is due on Friday October 31st.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
Take-Home Exam
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 25%
A take-home exam will be distributed at the Tuesday seminar on 4th November and will be due back in one week by 10am on 11th November, at the seminar. The exam will consist of a combination of short answer questions that link together topics and themes covered in lectures and tutorials throughout the course.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
Assessments of Core Articles
Due: 5 assessments over semester
Weighting: 15%
All students are expected to prepare for – and contribute to – the 8 Tuesday seminars in which fellow students are presenting. Preparation takes the form of a half-page typed assessment of a core article selected for that week. These core articles are generally short and accessible in content. Students are expected to hand in 5 assessments over the course of the semester. Assessment means both briefly connecting the core article to the broader material covered by the course and writing a couple of questions that might be discussed in the seminar discussion.
Assessments of core articles must be handed in on the same day as the seminar.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Tutorial Participation
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%
Tutorial preparation involves a couple of hours of pleasurable (!) reading a week. To facilitate tutorial discussion, you are required to submit a one-page typed answer to the tutorial question for that week (see lecture and tutorial programme below). Secondly, you are required to write one succinct sentence capturing the reading’s overall theme. Answers can only be submitted at the tutorial in which the reading is to be discussed. The tutorial mark will be awarded both on the basis of the written work (10%), as well as on tutorial participation (10%).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Delivery and Resources
Classes
Anth 205 involves a two-hour seminar. Part of this weekly seminar will be used for lectures, part for films and part for the presentation and discussion of students’ seminar papers.
Students are also required to attend one of two weekly tutorials.
Required and Recommended Text and/or Materials
All readings for tutorial and all core articles for the seminar are found in the course reader, which should be purchased from the bookshop. All other listed readings are on three-day loan (books) or e-reserve (journal articles).
Technology Used and Required
iLecture recordings of the class are found through the University’s On-Line Units System.
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Seminar Structure: Each week, the course convener will use the first half of the Wednesday seminar to sketch out and address the key issues under discussion and to situate the seminar readings. In the second half of the seminar we will adopt a more flexible workshop format, in which students will lead discussion through a group presentation or where we will view and interpret a film.
Group Presentation: Over the 13 weeks of the course we will boldly attempt eight group student presentations, each based on a selected set of readings. Depending on enrolment numbers, students will work with three or more partners to organize and deliver a 30 minute presentation. The presentations should be presented jointly and be organized in a single brief power-point format. Power-point presentations should be sent to Chris via email before the seminar, to be posted on ilearn. Students have wide scope to plan how they divide up and summarize the relevant material. The purpose of the presentation is not to torture students but for the presenters to introduce to the class the key themes, puzzles or controversies of the readings. To facilitate the group presentation, groups should both meet among themselves and come and see me the Tuesday before presenting. To facilitate seminar participation and to help nervous student presenters, all other non-presenting students are expected to prepare a half-page assessment of a short core article that addresses the key issues at stake (see assessment). All students are also asked to prepare a couple of questions from the topic for discussion in the seminar.
Tutorial: Tutorial readings are intimately connected to the topics under discussion in the two-hour seminars. Sometimes the material approaches the relevant issue from a contrary direction; sometimes it places the subject in a different context or summarizes key themes. Students are expected to attend all tutorials and to be familiar with the assigned material, as well as participate in small group discussion or larger tutorial activities.
Unit Schedule
Lecture and Tutorial Programme
| Week | Lecture | Tutorial |
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Part One: Critical Concepts: Origins, History and Experiences of Islam The first three weeks of the course will introduce students to the basics of Islam, both as a religion and as a historical tradition. |
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| 1 | Introduction to Islamic History and Islamic Texts | Course Overview and Assessment Details |
| 2 |
Sufism in Islam (Guest Lecturer: Dr. Ian Bedford) Film: Dervishes of Kurdistan |
What are the major features of Sufi Islam? |
| 3 | Excursion to Gallipoli Mosque, Auburn | What are the principal differences between anthropological and textual approaches to Islam? |
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Part Two: Central Themes and Debates The following weeks will be organized around a number of key themes or ‘problematics’, including debates around the representation of Islam (or Orientalism); on political Islam and Kemalism; on Islam and Gender; on the existence and characteristics of an ‘Islamic City’; and on Islam and the Arts (including Islamic music, fiction, cinema and aesthetics). |
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| 4 | [Mis] Representing Islam: Orientalism and its Discontents | Is there such a thing as an ‘Islamic’ society? |
| 5 | Islamophobia and Islamophilia | What should an anthropological analysis of Islamic societies or institutions encompass? |
| 6 | Kemalism, a Global Mode of Politics? | What relationship exists between laicism and nationalism in Kemalism? |
| 7 |
Islamization, Gender and Islamic Feminism Film: Divorce Iranian Style |
What are the principle issues in a feminist interpretation of Islamic prophetic traditions? |
| 8 | Islam and the City | Is it Muslim individuals/groups, or built environments/arrangements of space that make a city ‘Islamic’? |
| 9 | Islam and Music | Does Islam prohibit music as it is sometimes said? |
| 10 | Islam and Fiction | Can a novel be non-ideological? |
| 12 | Islam and Cinema: Iranian Cinema and the Islamic Revolution | According to Dabashi, what constitutes an Islamic cinema aesthetic? |
| 13 | Tying up the Loose Ends of the Anthropology of Islam |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Assessment tasks
- Assessments of Core Articles
- Tutorial Participation
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Take-Home Exam
- Assessments of Core Articles
- Tutorial Participation
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Take-Home Exam
- Assessments of Core Articles
- Tutorial Participation
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Take-Home Exam
- Assessments of Core Articles
- Tutorial Participation
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Take-Home Exam
- Assessments of Core Articles
- Tutorial Participation
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Apply the concerns of various anthropological perspectives and analyses to contemporary debates in and about Islam .
- Organize a verbal presentation in groups, and provide constructive input into the intellectual issues canvassed in the presentations of other groups.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Take-Home Exam
- Assessments of Core Articles
- Tutorial Participation
Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of a number of significant historical developments and their continuing relevance for Islamic societies, as well as in understanding the everyday lives of Muslims.
- Discern and discuss the tensions and correspondences between political Islam, its representation in writing or film, and political processes in the ethnographers’ own society.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Take-Home Exam