"POLS 335A Muslim Political Thought Rahman Fall 2024" by Smita A. Rahman
 

Document Type

Syllabus

Publication Date

Fall 9-1-2024

Course Description

This seminar is an exploration of the tradition of Muslim political thought. We begin with two works from the canon of political philosophy. The first is from Al Farabi, the Muslim philosopher whose work preserved Plato and Aristotle in a period of European neglect, and who put forth the paradigmatic theory of the virtuous city and ruler. The second is taken from one of the great philosophers of history and theorists of political change, Ibn Khaldun. This brief introduction will provide, I hope, a sense of the power of the traditional canon of Muslim political thought. We will then read Albert Hourani’s account of the confrontation and engagement of Arab theorists with a largely European liberalism. Their readings, critiques, adaptations, challenges to, and expansions of, liberalism remain powerful in the shaping of contemporary Muslim political thought. The remainder of the course will be spent in exploring a small part of the renaissance of Islamic philosophy in the twentieth century and beyond. We will read the controversial work of Sayyid Qutb, who has been charged with providing the intellectual roots of modern Islamic fundamentalism and whose populist writing threatened the military dictatorship of Gamel Nasser’s Egypt. We will examine the work of Ayatollah Khomeini whose Islamic Revolution led to the foundation of an Islamic State in Iran. We will conclude with an examination of jihadist rhetoric and strategy, looking at both Al Qaeda and ISIS. We will explore the works of contemporary theorists Roxanne Euben and Saba Mahmood, and then wrap up the semester with Anne Norton’s book “On the Muslim Question”, which explores the contemporary relationship between Islam and the West. Throughout the semester, in addition to our strong textual focus, we will also explore the context and formation of these ideas through podcasts and films.

Student Outcomes

After completing the course students will be able to • Understand the foundations of Muslim Political Thought • Move beyond simple binaries to an understanding of the complex relationship between Islam and the West • Ask and confront challenging and difficult questions about religion and politics • Improve your ability to speak clearly about complex theoretical concepts • Engage in advanced textual analysis and write essays in political theory

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