Islam in the 21st Century: Resources and Challenges

Scott Lucas
Fall 2017
THURSDAYS |  
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m
September 28 - December 7, 2017. PLEASE NOTE THAT CLASS
Course Format: Hybrid
Location: Main Campus
Tuition: $160

This course explores Islam and Muslim societies in the contemporary period. It begins by focusing on the fundamentals of Islam, such as the life of Muhammad, the Qur’an, law, and theology. The topics we will discuss include opportunities for Muslims in the United States, Islamic spirituality (including Sufism), and successful Muslim-majority countries, such as Indonesia. The primary challenges we will address include political authoritarianism, sectarianism, and religious extremism. The objective of this seminar is to provide accurate information about the religion of Islam and to demystify Muslim cultures that frequently are portrayed in the media as violent and irrationally hostile to the West. Seminarians are encouraged to bring their questions regarding Islam and Muslims to this class.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS CLASS WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 28 AND END ON DECEMBER 7!

Required Reading

Allen Roger and Shawkat M. Toorawa, eds. Islam: A Short Guide to the Faith. Eerdmans, 2011. ISBN-10: 080286600X; ISBN-13: 978-0802866004.

Devji, Faisal. Landscapes of the Jihad. Cornell UP, 2017. ISBN-10: 1849047200; ISBN-13: 978-1849047203.

Kahf, Mohja. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel. New York: Carroll and Graf Publishers, 2006. ISBN-10: 0786715197; ISBN-13: 978-0786715190.

Meet Your Instructor

Associate Professor

SCOTT LUCAS is an associate professor of Islamic Studies at the UA whose research explores Islam’s legal, theological, and spiritual traditions in the premodern period. He has been working with Arabic manuscripts from Yemen written by scholars in the Zaydi Shi’i tradition. He is also studying two famous Qur’an commentaries from the Sunni tradition and published a two-volume translation of selections from an early encyclopedic Qur’an commentary.

Location

POETRY CENTER
Dorothy Rubel Room
1508 E Helen
Tucson, AZ 85721
United States

Located on the SE corner of Helen Street and Vine Avenue, one block north of Speedway and three blocks west of Campbell Ave.

Street map image of Poetry Center

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