Muslim as well as Western scholars sometimes refer to the relationship of Islam to the West as a "war of cultures" or a "clash of civilizations." By focusing on the aims and motivations of current Islamic movements, this course will examine these claims and offer an introduction to Islam as a moral tradition. The course will begin by surveying prominent interpretations of Islam by Western scholars and juxtaposing them with Muslim accounts of Islam. We will then look more closely at ways in which religious Muslims draw on the Islamic tradition in defining (and discussing) what a good life and a moral society might be. We will explore the social conditions under which the authority of the Islamic tradition remains strong and under which interpretations of the Islamic tradition change. Finally we will explore the place of Islam in contemporary societies, including the Middle East, Europe and the US, and seek to develop more nuanced answers to the question of the relationship between Islam and the West. Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: class participation, midterm, final, and short paper. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected:19).

Hour: HENKEL