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MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE - Fall, 2003 AFS/AMS//WREL
3028/5028 - 3 credits The United States and
Islam Instructor: James E. Jones, D.Min. Chair/Associate Professor, World
Religions Prerequisites: None Class Meeting: Mon, 7-9pm Location:
Brownson 203 Course web page: http://blackboard.mville.edu
under “World Religions” Courses Assignment submission: class, email Word attachment, digital drop box, and
Instructor’s office
A. Course Description: Al-Islam, a traditional monotheistic
religion, has had a difficult interface with the modern, pluralistic culture of the United
States. This course explores how this situation came to be. Particular emphasis will be placed on: early western ideas about
Islam; immigration; African American Islam; Middle East
politics; the media and the impact of the September11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
United States social and foreign policies toward Muslims and Islamic countries are also
examined. Islam is not a new faith on this continent. It dates from at least the
16th century. Currently, Muslims number more than a billion worldwide and approximately
3-7 million in the United States. B. Method of instruction: The class will be conducted weekly in an interactive seminar format.
Thus, it is critical that
students attend all classes and keep up with the reading
as assigned. Discussions will be based on the assigned readings,
audio-visual materials, student generated questions and brief presentations by students
and the instructor. As this is an upper division
and graduate seminar it is essential that students come to class
prepared. C. Course Objectives: By the end of the course students should be able to- 1.
Describe
the socio-political situation when Islam was introduced and how the faith and practice Islam impacted that
situation. 2.
Discuss how historic
western views of Islam affect current attitudes toward Islam in the United
States. 3.
Understand the impact
of Islam on the African American Community 4.
Describe how Muslim
American identity is impacted by US culture 5.
Analyze how the media
has impacted current United States policy towards Muslims and Islamic
countries. D. Reading materials: Required
Texts: The Qur'an 5th ed.
Trans. A. Yusuf Ali, Elmhurst NY: Tarike Tarsile Qur’an, 2000. Schimmel,
Annemarie. Islam: An Introduction. Albany:
SUNY, 1992. Lewis, Bernard Islam
and the West. New York: Oxford,1994. Nyang, Sulayman S. Islam in the United States of America.
Chicago: Kazi, 1999. Dannin, Robert. Black
Pilgrimage to Islam. New York: Oxford, 2002. Markham, Ian, Ibrahim Abu Rabi’ eds. 11 September:
Religious Perspectives
on the Causes and Consequences. Oxford: Oneworld, 2002. Jones,
James E. “Islam and the American Dream: Muslim
American Identity in the 15th /21st Century”. Book
chapter – soon to be published Optional Texts: Al-‘Umari, Akram
Diya. Medinian Society at the Time of the Prophet. 2nd
ed., Herndon VA:IIIT, 1995.
Diouf, Sylviane A. Servants of
Allah: African Muslims enslaved in the Americas. New
York: NYU Press, 1998. Haddad, Yvonne Y., John Esposito, eds. Muslims on the Americanization Path? New York: Oxford, 2000. Additional materials as assigned or
provided by instructor Note: Academic dishonesty will be dealt with
severely – consult the Manhattanville College Student Handbook E. Course Requirements: ‑ Attendance/Participation
Worth 10% of grade - In‑class presentations(2)
Worth 10% of grade - Midterm Exam Worth
20% of grade - Big Quiz
Worth 10% of grade
- Research Paper Worth
50% of grade F. YOUR FEEDBACK/CONCERNS/ADDITIONAL HELP Your
ideas, comments, suggestions, questions, grade challenges, feedback and/or
concerns are welcome. You are encouraged to take advantage of instructor office
hours or to make an appointment for help with coursework or anything else
connected with the course and your progress G. COURSE TOPICS, READINGS AND DATES
(subject to revision) 9/8 Religion,
Abraham, Elephants, 9/11 and Intro to Islam I Reading – The Qur'an , Chapter 105; “Putting the American in
'American Muslim” By MUQTEDAR KHAN (NY Times , Op-ed 9/7/03); “Call
It Evil” by Alan Caruba (CNSNews.com
Commentary from the National Anxiety Center 8/23/03). 9/12 - Add/Drop Deadline 9/15 – Qur’an- Islam’s Center / Medina – Islam’s
Model and Intro to Islam II Reading - The Qur’an, Chapters 96, 112, 107; Schimmel, pp 1-100; Jones’ Preceptorial Study Guide
On Qur’an. Video: “Islam: Empire of Faith – Part 1”, Discussion of Research
paper topic. 9/22 – Islam and
the West I: Africa, Europe and Islam Reading – The Qur’an, Chapter 30; Schimmel, pp 101-126; Lewis pp 3-84. Video: “Islam:
Empire of Faith – Part 2”, Research Paper topic & preliminary thesis statement
due. 9/29 – Islam and
the West II: Africa, Europe and Islam Reading – The Qur’an,
Chapter 49; Schimmel, pp 127-144; Lewis pp 133-154,166-186. “Islam and the
American Dream: Reflections on Muslim American Identity in the 15th
/21st Century By James E. Jones (book chapter). Web-site -www.cair-net.org - Video: “The Bridge” 10/1 – Islam and
the West III Reading: The Qur’an, Chapter 78; Nyang pp 91-101.
Video: “Jerusalem” Counting Muslims in the US - http://www.hfienberg.com/clips/muslims.htm 10/6 – Islam comes
To America: The Atlantic Slave Trade Reading – The Qur’an, Chapter 55; Nyang pp 11-36;
Dannin pp 15-34; Student Presentation #1 – Eileen (www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/), Kelli-Ann
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/index_section7.shtml)
Jeanne-Marie (www.stanford.edu/class/relstud199/), Laura
(answering-islam.org.uk/Bailey/real_slave_master.html). Research Paper title, thesis paragraph
and bibliography due. Email 2
proposed midterm essay questions to jonesj@mville.edu by 10/9. 10/20 – Mid term - Open Notes – no books or hand-outs . 10/27– The
Immigrants – Part I Reading - The Qur’an, Chapter 108; Nyang pp 37-45. Presentation #1- Wafaa (danielpipes.org/, Evan
(www.campus-watch.org/), John (www.adc.org) Research paper Draft due (2 copies)
Each student will be required to carefully proofread another student’s rough
draft and prepare a page of typewritten feedback containing
comments/suggestions for improvement. I will then add my comments 11/3 –The
Immigrants – Part II Reading – The
Qur’an, Chapter 103; Nyang pp 47-67. Presentation #1 - Gianni Kevin
Jasime, Marc. Research paper Edit due 11/10 – Islam and The African American –Part I Reading – The
Qur’an, Chapter 12; Dannin pp 35-187. Presentation #1 - Ramzi,(
www.studiovalentine.com/moors.html),Ibrahim (www.noi.org/), Natalee (www.newafricaradio.com/). Presentation #2 Proposal Due. Video:” Malcolm X” 11/17 – Islam andThe African American –Part II Reading – The
Qur’an, Chapter 65; Dannin pp 189-270. Video: Louis Farrakhan 11/21- Course Withdrawal Deadline 11/24 – September 11, Homeland Security and Muslim
Identity Reading – The
Qur’an, Chapters 113, 114;Markham pp1-52 101-110,248-264. Student
Presentation #2 – Ramzi (usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/muslimlife/), Ibrahim
(ajc.org/), Natalee (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/), Gianni(www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/) Kevin (www.mvp-us.org/)
Jasime (.aclu.org/), Marc.(isna.net) Evan Video: “Looking for Answers.”Final
Research paper due 12/1 - Islam and
the Media/Comtemporay Issues Reading – The
Qur’an, Chapter 110; Schimmel, pp 127-144; Lewis pp 174-186; Nyang
pp103-141. Student Presentation #2 – Wafaa, John, Eileen, Kelli-Ann
Jeanne-Marie, Laura. Video: “Muslims in America: Surviving after September 11.” 12/8 - Big
Quiz Based on factual information from course (no open
notes – bring your memory!
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