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History 377Islamic Radicalism and Revolution: Religious Movements in the Modern Middle EastRudi MattheeFall 2009TuTh 3:30-4:45 Sharp Lab 109
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This course will explore the contexts, dynamics, structures, and ideologies of a number of Islamic movements that have arisen since 1700 in the Middle East portion (including India and West Africa) of the Islamic world. Rather than attempting to be all-inclusive, it intends to provide a historical framework for a better understanding of the modern expression of Islamic “fundamentalism,”—and, by extension, of the recent manifestations of terrorism-- on the basis of a number of examples in the past as well as in the present.
As all Islamic "fundamentalist" movements invoke the "ideal" society of early Islam, the course will begin with a summary overview of those elements within the Islamic tradition that are important for an understanding of reform and revival movements. The notion of "decline," to which these movements tend to be a self-conscious response, will be examined both as part of the customary western perception of Islam and as part of the Muslim self-view.
We will begin our historical survey by considering a number of such movements in the 18th century that coincided with the beginnings of European political intrusion but did not necessarily occur in response to it. Looking at jihad movements in Arabia, Sumatra, and West Africa, we will attempt to detect common features--related to overall political, socioeconomic and religious trends--as well as unique traits, rooted in a specific context.
A similar attempt will be undertaken in the exploration of 19th and early 20th-century reformist Islam, which occurred as western imperialism gained momentum, secular nationalism emerged as a political credo, and the material backwardness of the Middle East became painfully apparent. We will look at a number of responses to these developments, ranging from the reform attempts by Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Mohammad `Abduh, via the formulation of the ideology of pan-Islamism, to the missionary movement of the Muslim Brotherhood.
We will then examine the expressions of Islamic “revivalism” as they have manifested themselves since 1967, the year of the crushing Arab defeat by Israel. Studying the ideologues of this latest wave, Mawdudi, Sayyid Qutb, and `Ali Shari`ati, we will gain an understanding of their discourse, the symbols they invoke and the goal to which they aspire, and thus of their popular appeal. The focus of our attention in examining the social basis and political context of the current manifestation of radicalism will be the Iranian Islamic Revolution and the Egyptian experience of the 1980sand 1990s.
The final part of the course will be devote to an exploration of the direct causes of current manifestations of Islamic radicalism, especially during and following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, with a focus on Hamas in Palestine-Israel, and the al-Qa’eda movement led by Osama bin Laden.
Required readings
Olivier Roy, Globalized Islam: The Search for a New Ummah. New York: Columbia UP, 2004.
Michael Bonner, Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2006.
Nicolas Pelham, A New Muslim order: The Shia and the Middle East Sectarian Crisis. London-New York: I.B. Tauris, 2008.
Neil Farquhar, The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday. New York: Public Affairs, 2009.
Reserve readings (at the reserve desk and on-line, #7431)
Research tools: (all in the reference section of the library)
The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Excellent resource on all aspects of Islam and Middle Eastern history.
Encyclopaedia Iranica. Only up to the letter j.
The Encyclopedia of Religion.
Exams and Papers
1) Midterms: There will be take-home midterm exams on Oct. 6—due on Oct.1 3, and Oct. 15—due on Oct. 22.
2) Final Examination: There will be a two-hour in-class final exam as scheduled for this course. The final will cover the material presented during the entire semester, though the emphasis will be on the modern period.
3) Research paper: A 12-15 page term paper, based on a historical topic of your own choice and relevant to the topic, approved by Prof. Rudi Matthee, is due on or before Dec. 1. You should have a one-page outline of the proposed topic ready by Nov. 3 to present for approval.
4) Class participation: Students are urged to attend all class meetings, are expected to have completed the assigned readings before class, and must be prepared to contribute to discussions of the assigned readings and the material presented in class.
All work must be done on time; no incompletes are given except in cases of major disaster.
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work as your own. It is a form of dishonesty--a form of cheating, in fact—and as such one of the new deadly sins (the old ones have either been forgotten or are so flagrantly violated that no one seems to care anymore) and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Plagiarism is not limited to using someone else’s exact words; using someone else’s ideas without attribution is also a form of plagiarism. The good news is that plagiarism is easily avoided by clearly citing your sources. If you do, you can safely avoid even the hint of improper usage of someone else’s work.
Grades in the course will be based on the following:
1. Midterm examination (20%)
2. Final examination (30%)
3. Term paper (40%)
4. Class attendance (10%)
and participation
For printable syllabus in Word Format.