Programme

After a short historical and methodological introduction, students will be introduced to the most relevant themes and trends of the Islamic debate from the end of the 19th century until today. Topics covered include: Islam and modernity; the Reformist Movement (salafiyya); Islam and Nationalism; Political Islam in its declinations; Islamic Feminism. Part of the course will be dedicated to the Orientalist Representations and Distorsions of Contemporary Islam and Muslims.
Eventually, students will be invited to read primary texts, among those available, according to their languages knowledge.

Core Documentation

C. Texts:

1. M. Campanini, Il pensiero islamico contemporaneo, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2016.
2. EW Said, Covering Islam. Come i media e gli esperti determinano la nostra visione del resto del mondo, Massa: Transeuropa, 2012.
3. One of the following (see teaching mode) :

- Sayyid Qutb, La battaglia tra Islam e capitalismo, Venezia: Marcianum Press, 2016;
- Sayyid Qutb, Milestones, disponibile a https://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Milestones%20Special%20Edition.pdf
- Sadik al-Azm, La tragedia del diavolo. Fede, ragione e potere nel mondo arabo, Roma: LUISS Press, 2016,
- Ruhollah Khomeyni, Il governo islamico, Il cerchio, 2006.
- Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, Islam e storia, Torino: Bollati Boringhieri
- Tariq Ramadan, Islam e libertà , Torino: Einaudi, 2008
- T. Ramadan, Essere musulmano europeo, Troina (EN): Città Aperta, 2002
- T. Ramadan, Il riformismo islamico. Un secolo di rinnovamento musulmano, Troina (EN): Città Aperta, 2004.
- T. Ramadan, Islam and the Arab Awakening, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
- Hasan Hanafi, La teologia islamica della liberazione, Milano: Jaca Book, 2018.
- Abdou Filali-Ansary, Reformer l'Islam, Paris: La Découverte, 2004
- Mehran Kamrava (ed), The New Voices of Islam, London: IB Tauris, 2006,
- Mohammed ‘Abid El-Jabri, La ragione araba, Milano: Feltrinelli, 1995,
- Fatema Mernissi, Islam e democrazia, Firenze: Giunti, 2002
- F. Mernissi, L’harem e l’Occidente, Firenze: Giunti, 2006
- F. Mernissi, Le donne del profeta. La condizione femminile nell'Islam, Genova: ECIG, 1992.
- Amina Wadud, Il Corano e la donna. Rileggere il testo sacro da una prospettiva di genere, Cantalupa (TO): Effata’, 2012
- Amina Wadud, Inside the Gender Jihad. Women’s Reform In Islam, Oxford: Oneworld, 2006.
- ‘Ali ‘Abd el-Raziq, Islam and the Foundations of Political Power, Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2012 (1925). Disponibile a: http://ecommons.aku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=uk_ismc_series_intranslation
- Muhammad ‘Abduh, Trattato sull’unicità divina, Bologna: il ponte, 2003.
- Asef Bayat, Making Islam Democratic, Stanford: Stanford UP, 2007
- Khaled Abou El-Fadl, Islam and the Challenge of Democracy, Princeton: Princeton UP, 2004
- Khaled Abou El-Fadl, The Great Theft, NY: Harper, 2007
- Farid Esack, Qur’an: Liberation and Pluralism, Oxford: Oneworld, 1996;
- Mohammad A. Lahbabi, Il personalismo musulmano, Milano: Jaca Book, 2017.
- Hamid Dabashi, Islamic Liberation Theology: Resisting the Empire, London & NY: Rouledge, 2008.
- Jawdat Said, Vie islamiche alla nonviolenza, Zikkaron, 2017

Students can propose books not included above.

IMPORTANT: Students without prior knowledge of Islam, MUST read also:

- L. Declich, L’Islam in 20 parole, Roma-Bari: Laterza, 2016;
- P. G. Donini, Il mondo islamico. Breve storia dal ‘500 ad oggi, Roma-Bari: Laterza, ultima edizione.
- Anna Bozzo, L’Islam questo sconosciuto, dispensa didattica (disponibile in pdf);
- C. Endress, Introduzione alla storia del mondo musulmano, Capp. 1-3-6 (dispensa disponibile in pdf).

or an an introductory textbook to Islam to choose among:

A. Bausani, Islam, Rizzoli, ultima edizione;

or

- G. Filoramo (a cura di), Islam, Laterza, ultima edizione.

or

- Carole Hillenbrand, Islam. Una nuova introduzione storica, Torino: Einaudi, 2016.

Reference Bibliography

Suggested introduction to Islam, for beginners, are: - A. Bausani, Islam, Rizzoli, ultima edizione; or - G. Filoramo (a cura di), Islam, Laterza, ultima edizione. or Carole Hillenbrand, Islam. Una nuova introduzione storica, Torino: Einaudi, 2016.

Type of delivery of the course

The course is composed of traditional lectures and seminars, during which debate will be fostered. In the second parte of the course, student will give in-class presentations, on one or more books chosen from those available.

Attendance

See above

Type of evaluation

In the final part of the course, attending students will do an in-class presentation, on one or more books at C3, or other to be agreed with the Lecturer. Non attending students will prepare a 1000/1200 words written review, and submit it at least one week prior to the exam. In brief, the review will have the following structure: 1/3 introducing the author and his/her work; 1/3 description of the book; 1/3 analysis. The presentation or review will male 1/3 of the final grade, while 2/3 will depend on the final oral exam.