Professor: Nergis Canefe
Office Location: Ross 654
E-mail: ncanefe@yorku.ca
Office Hours: W 9.30-11.30
Telephone: 416 736 2100 ext. 88843

YORK UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
POLS 4075/5000W 3.0
Fall 2004-05

ISLAM AND MODERNITY: ENCOUNTERS

Course Description:

This is a fourth year and graduate degree combined course on the issue of encounters and interfaces between Islam and Modernity. It is designed as a survey course whereby students actively participate in the debates via classroom presentations and staged controversies.

The course is designed to engage students in the contemporary understandings of Islam from within the discourses of both comparative politics and political theory. The selection of readings discussed in the class addresses the background of the assumed ‘encounter’ between Islam and Judeo-Christian traditions, pays attention to the way Islamic civilization, culture and society are framed in comparative politics and looks for possible alternatives to overcome the limitations of these definitions and perceptions. The debates during the course also tackle the issue of ‘fundamentalism’ and its related off-shots such as clash and siege metaphors, holy war narratives, monolithic versus hybrid conventions of political community, and finally, the interaction between Islamic social and political movements and global politics.

Students taking this course are expected to develop an informed understanding of both contemporary forms of Islamic movements and ideologies, and, their dynamic inter-relations with things that are not necessarily or only religion or region related.

*Pre-requisites / Co-Requisites: Familiarity with Middle Eastern and North African history and politics, political philosophy and comparative debates on ideology and social movements. Preference will be given to students who have taken courses from Prof. Butrovic (Humanities), Prof. Rahnema (Political Science, Atkinson) or any other course on Islamic culture and civilization offered at York University.

Degree Credit Exclusions (DCE): NA

Course Requirements, evaluation and due dates:

 All registered students are expected to attend to the weekly-held 3 hour classes regularly.

Assignments: There are two take-home essays (1500 words) to be submitted during the term time. These will be exercises on a chosen thinker(s) and his/her contributions to the contemporary debate on human rights. Students will be given a set of questions/concerns in advance in order to provide guidance for their analysis. Students are expected to submit an outline, identify critical issues and present a debate in their essays. Each essay will constitute 25% of their total course grade.

There will be a formal final exam. However, preparatory questions for the final exam will be distributed at the last day of the classes. The final will constitute 40 % of the total grade for the course. The remaining 10 % will be allocated for regular and active attendance. Active attendance is measured by in-class presentations by students and direct participation in classroom discussions.

 Where to hand in assignments

Note: the Department drop box is only to be used for late papers .

Essays will be handed in class at an assigned date and time, or else during the office hours immediately after the class.

Late penalty

1 point grade per day of the total assignment grade will be taken out for the first 3 days. Afterwords, the assignment will only be graded at a 50 percent rate until 2 weeks past its due time. Past that date, the assignment will not be graded.

Note: It is not possible to accept papers and grade them in the last two weeks of classes.

Important: Students who encounter extenuating circumstances during the term which may interfere with the successful completion of exams or other course assignments should discuss the matter with their tutorial leader or course instructor as soon as possible. Students with physical, psychiatric or learning disabilities may request reasonable accommodations in teaching style or evaluation methods, as outlined in Appendix A the Senate Policy on Students with Special Needs. They should advise the programme director at the earliest opportunity, so that appropriate arrangements may be with the assistance of the Office for Persons with Disabilities, the Counseling Development Centre or the Learning Disabilities Program.

Departmental E-mail list: All Political Science majors should subscribe to the Departmental E-mail list that posts important announcements, job opportunities, special events, career information and scholarships and awards. To subscribe, follow the instructions on the Department website at www.arts.yorku.ca/politics, click on Undergraduate Studies, and follow the instructions on the pop-up menu.