Download Should we teach Islam as a religion or as a civilisation?

Should we teach Islam as a
religion or as a civilisation?
Robert Gleave
(University of Exeter)
Is this the same question as,
“Islam and religion or a
civilisation?”?
If the questions are the same, then the
teacher is a oure transmitter of knowledge
If the questions are the different, then
whether Islam is a religion or not, we can
teach it as one.
What is the greatest threat to the quality of
Islamic Studies teaching in UK Higher
Education?
Modularisation
What is the greatest opportunity for the
quality of Islamic Studies teaching in UK
Higher Education?
Modularisation
Introduction to Islam Modules/Units in UKHE
Introduction to the Study of Islam
Islam
Introduction to Islam and the Muslims World
Introducing Islam
Introduction to Islamic Studies
Muslims: their religious beliefs and practices
Introduction to Islamic Studies
How has teaching the introduction to Islam
not changed?
The reading lists
(Some) aims and objectives and the ILOs
It is still integrated into a curriculum of
Islamic Studies
The standard format of topics
Pre-Islamic Arabia
Shi’ism
The Qur’an
Modern Islam
Muhammad
Lucky Dip?
Theology
Law
The Five Pillars
Tasawwuf
Women/Gender
/Sexuality
Jihad and
political Islam
Islam in the UK
This is an introductory course for students who
have little or no previous knowledge of Islam
and that area.
... This module includes a consideration of the
formative stage of Islam with specific reference
to its scriptures and their personification by the
Prophet.
Students should complete this module with at
least an awareness of the most basic vocabulary
of the Islamic religious tradition
How has teaching the introduction to Islam
changed?
From a focus on belief/doctrine to a study of
practice/culture
From a focus on commonalities to a focus on
distinctiveness and diversity
From a pretended “objective” standpoint to
an overt emphasis on “non-academic”
outcomes
From an uncritical acceptance of the category
of “religion”, to a critical interrogation of
“religion” as a category for Islam.
From a focus on belief/doctrine to a study of
practice/culture
special emphasis will be placed on analysing how
these doctrines influence and govern everyday
social practice of Muslims...
The complex relationships between culture,
customs and faith-based beliefs will be explored...
Demonstrate an appreciation of the diversity of
practice/belief within the Islamic tradition
From a focus on commonalities to a focus on
distinctiveness and diversity
To develop a broad understanding of the diversity
and unity of the Islamic religion
be aware of the heterogeneity of the Islamic
traditions and appreciate their denominational,
cultural and ethnic diversity
Understand something of the diversity of Islamic
views and practices
From a pretended “objective” standpoint to an
overt emphasis on “non-academic” outcomes
can show critical empathy with a variety of
different forms and aspects of Islam
to help students become aware of and begin to
abandon cultural stereotypes about what
constitutes “Islam”
be able to see ‘Islam’ as a religious, political, and
social construct and to understand how this
construct has been emerged, developed and
changed according to the various historical
contexts;
From an uncritical acceptance of the category of
“religion”, to a critical interrogation of “religion” as
a category for Islam.
Discuss - and problematise - what is meant by
'religion': is religion a matter of belief, tradition,
ethics, law, or a combination of all these things
to help students become aware of and begin to
abandon cultural stereotypes about what
constitutes “religion”
To understand the uniqueness of Islam as a “way of
life” rather than a religion.
Conclusions: Question
The relationship between module descriptors and
class room experience is tangential...
We need IS modules which are strong within a
particular disciplinary context – not lowest
common denominator?
Why are there no (or few) Intro to Islam modules
outside of RS and AS?
Our module syllabi often reflect not what is cutting
edge in the field, but what is expected from a
module introducing the students to Islam