IAM 206 Muslim Civilization and Sciences
Islam is one of the most important members of the family of world religions, with 1.8 billion adherents. This course allows students to explore Islam as a civilization, its historical development, challenging familiar, and, at times, distorted, vision of Islam in the West through a close look at and analysis of the genesis, precepts, and history of Islam, with a particular focus on modern debates concerning Muslim civilization. Topics of learning and discussion include the emergence and expansion of Muslim civilization, the history of Islam with its manifestations across time and space, Islamic sciences or scientific discoveries and inventions of Muslim scientists, derivations, development and transmissions of Islamic sciences, fundamental beliefs and practices of Muslims, and their influence in defining Muslim civilization, the transformations of aspects of Muslim civilization with the impact of modernization, colonialism, and globalization.
Learning Outcomes
Identify, reflect upon, and critique their and others’ assumptions about Islam and Muslim civilization.
Evaluate and judge the strengths and weaknesses of various sources of information about Islam and Muslim civilization.
Analyze how factors such as history, culture, gender, and economics influence the expression of Islam and the development of Muslim civilization over time and in a variety of geographic regions of the world, and how such factors influence and inform the approaches, views and theories of individuals writing about Islam.
Explain the significance of the Islamic scientific movements, articulate some of the scientific innovations of Muslim scientists, and explain their importance.
Discuss how notions of science in the medieval and modern Islamic world converge and diverge with the modern Western idea of science.
Formulate cogent arguments related to Muslim civilization and science supported by theoretical literature and reliable information or evidence.
Propose and defend solutions to issues encountered in Muslim civilization that draw upon the histories, cultures, and religious assumptions present in this civilization and communicate the results effectively in writing or orally.
Compose and design works that creatively engage with forms of expression that have typified many facets of Muslim civilization, whether through artistic design, poetry, calligraphy, architecture or otherwise.
Identify and explain interaction points between non-Muslim (e.g., Greek, Indian, Egyptian, Roman, Chinese) and Muslim civilizations.
Evaluate their own and their peers’ learning needs through reflection on action and reflection in action.