IJC 105 Islam and Muslim Communities in Canada

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The presence of Islam in Canada may seem a new phenomenon to some observers. However, the history of Islam and Muslims in Canada dates back to the mid-19th century. Today, Muslims constitute roughly 3.2% of the total Canadian population and are the second-largest religious group in the country after Christianity. Why does Islam matter in Canada? When and how did it arrive here? How can we study Muslim communities in Canada? What values, practices, traditions, and tensions exist within its histories and social dynamics? Through a series of lectures, interactive learning activities and fieldwork, students explore these and similar questions in this course. They examine how Muslim communities live and practice Islam in the Canadian context. Students learn about and discuss a range of topics, including the histories, beliefs and practices of diverse Canadian Muslim communities, their religious and cultural identities, questions of their communal organization, religious authority, gender dynamics, youth culture, political and civic engagement, media representation, discrimination, and contributions to Canadian society.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. 1. identify, distinguish and explain the core beliefs, practices, values, multiple narratives, representations, and manifestations of Islam across Canada, both in history and the contemporary scene.
   2. analyze, interpret, explain and critique arguments, assumptions, concepts and main theories related to the practice of Islam in Canada or the study of Canadian Muslims.
   3. critically evaluate the production and reception of scholarship on Canadian Muslim communities and the country’s popular representations of Muslim communities.
   4. explain and analyze, by drawing on scholarly texts, Muslims’ experiences of living in Canada, both past and present.
   5. design and carry out a research project on an aspect of contemporary Islam in Canada through a given disciplinary approach.
   6. support solid arguments about issues related to Islam and Muslim communities in Canada (e.g., Islamophobia, discrimination, social integration, safety in public, stereotyping in the media, self-representation, etc.) in both written and oral forms, using appropriate theoretical and empirical literature from across the social sciences and humanities.
   7. evaluate critically their own principles and values as they relate to their personal and professional growth and reflect upon responsible engagements in the increasingly diverse society of Canada.
   8. format citations and bibliographic entries and use standard style conventions for scholarly writing.

PREREQUISTIES

None

Dr. Nadira Mustapha holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from McGill University, where her research focused on Islamic law, legal theory, and Muslim minorities in North America. Her experience as an educator, researcher, and curriculum specialist spans over two decades. Dr. Mustapha combines scholarly depth with practical teaching expertise. She has conducted research on Islamophobia, Muslim identity, and legal pluralism in Canada.