State and Faith in the Middle East

Catalog description

This course will examine how states used religion as a means of legitimacy and law as well as staged a desperate battle against religious forces from the Ottoman period until the present day. Islam will be the focus of the course, as a variety of fundamentalist/revivalist movements, the politicalization of religion, and secularization efforts are examined throughout the Middle East. The areas which are covered include the Ottoman state, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, and the secularist movements in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Fulfills Core Requirements: Diversity (DIV) and Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS). Fulfills History requirement: History of Religion.