Religion
The Religion Department is committed to the rigorous exploration of the growth and development of religious traditions, their historical and contemporary influence in shaping cultures and societies, and their wide-ranging roles in shaping changing global contexts.
Courses
ISLAM
RELI2305S001 4 points.
This course is designed as an introduction to the Islamic religion, both in its pre-modern and modern manifestations. The semester begins with a survey of the central elements that unite a diverse community of Muslim peoples from a variety of geographical and cultural backgrounds. This includes a look at the Prophet and the Qur'an and the ways in which both were actualized in the development of ritual, jurisprudence, theology, and sufism/mysticism. The course then shifts to the modern period, examining the impact of colonization and the rise of liberal secularism on the Muslim world. The tension between traditional Sunni and Shi'i systems of authority and movements for 'modernization' and/or 'reform' feature prominently in these readings. Topics range from intellectual attempts at societal/religious reform (e.g. Islamic Revivalism, Modernism, Progressivism) and political re-interpretations of traditional Islamic motifs (e.g. Third-Worldism and Jihadist discourse) to efforts at accommodating scientific and technological innovations (e.g. evolution, bioethics ). The class ends by examining the efforts of American and European Muslim communities to carve out distinct spheres of identity in the larger global Muslim community ( umma) through expressions of popular culture (e.g. Hip-Hop).
| Course Number | Section/Call Number | Session | Times/Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELI2305S001 | 001/10214 | Session A |
Mo 01:00 PM–04:10 PM We 01:00 PM–04:10 PM |
|
| Instructor | Points | Enrollment | Method of Instruction | |
|
Najam Haider |
4 |
Closed for Online Registration (no Adds or Drops) |
In-Person | |
ISLAM
RELI2305S002 4 points.
This course is designed as an introduction to the Islamic religion, both in its pre-modern and modern manifestations. The semester begins with a survey of the central elements that unite a diverse community of Muslim peoples from a variety of geographical and cultural backgrounds. This includes a look at the Prophet and the Qur'an and the ways in which both were actualized in the development of ritual, jurisprudence, theology, and sufism/mysticism. The course then shifts to the modern period, examining the impact of colonization and the rise of liberal secularism on the Muslim world. The tension between traditional Sunni and Shi'i systems of authority and movements for 'modernization' and/or 'reform' feature prominently in these readings. Topics range from intellectual attempts at societal/religious reform (e.g. Islamic Revivalism, Modernism, Progressivism) and political re-interpretations of traditional Islamic motifs (e.g. Third-Worldism and Jihadist discourse) to efforts at accommodating scientific and technological innovations (e.g. evolution, bioethics ). The class ends by examining the efforts of American and European Muslim communities to carve out distinct spheres of identity in the larger global Muslim community ( umma) through expressions of popular culture (e.g. Hip-Hop).
| Course Number | Section/Call Number | Session | Times/Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELI2305S002 | 002/10215 | Session B |
Mo 01:00 PM–04:10 PM We 01:00 PM–04:10 PM |
|
| Instructor | Points | Enrollment | Method of Instruction | |
|
Najam Haider |
4 |
Registration Block (no Adds) (self-man. Wait List) |
In-Person | |
Curating Islam in NYC
RELI4001X001 4 points.
This course focuses on the ways in which museums conceptualize, contextualize, curate and display Islamic art. In the process, it interrogates the degree to which the orientalist past and the secular present shapes our understanding of the Muslim world. Students will not just engage with material objects from Muslim societies but also consider the choices museums make about their display and presentation. These choices, in turn, speak to the role of museums in defining a specific understanding of the “sacred.” Finally, students will learn to thoughtfully and critically pose questions about the roles that museums as public institutions play in sharping public and private understandings of Islam.
The course begins with a general discussion of material objects in the study of religion. This is followed by a broad survey of Islamic Art which both describes and critiques the category as it has been framed in the Academy. Students then visit a number of museums to learn about the style and content of their Islamic collections. The course concludes by engaging a different kind of curation, namely oral histories in the Brooklyn Museum.
| Course Number | Section/Call Number | Session | Times/Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELI4001X001 | 001/00026 | Session A |
Mo 09:00 AM–12:10 PM We 09:00 AM–12:10 PM |
|
| Instructor | Points | Enrollment | Method of Instruction | |
|
Najam Haider |
4 |
Closed for Online Registration (no Adds or Drops) |
||
Curating Islam in NYC
RELI4001X002 4 points.
This course focuses on the ways in which museums conceptualize, contextualize, curate and display Islamic art. In the process, it interrogates the degree to which the orientalist past and the secular present shapes our understanding of the Muslim world. Students will not just engage with material objects from Muslim societies but also consider the choices museums make about their display and presentation. These choices, in turn, speak to the role of museums in defining a specific understanding of the “sacred.” Finally, students will learn to thoughtfully and critically pose questions about the roles that museums as public institutions play in sharping public and private understandings of Islam.
The course begins with a general discussion of material objects in the study of religion. This is followed by a broad survey of Islamic Art which both describes and critiques the category as it has been framed in the Academy. Students then visit a number of museums to learn about the style and content of their Islamic collections. The course concludes by engaging a different kind of curation, namely oral histories in the Brooklyn Museum.
| Course Number | Section/Call Number | Session | Times/Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RELI4001X002 | 002/00065 | Session A |
Mo 09:00 AM–12:10 PM We 09:00 AM–12:10 PM |
|
| Instructor | Points | Enrollment | Method of Instruction | |
|
Najam Haider |
4 |
Closed for Online Registration (no Adds or Drops) |
||