uwloo

Studies in Islam (SI)

17 courses in Waterloo’s course catalog for 2021–22 (Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022), from UW Open Data. ucalendar asks programs not to read that year’s calendar, so this stands in for it. Original: ucalendar.uwaterloo.ca/2122/COURSE/course-SI.html

SI 121R Islam in the World

An introduction to the caliphates, cities, and cultures of Islam, through film and selected texts, including the experience of Islam in Canada as revealed through its writers. This course provides a foundation for Studies in Islam, establishing a context for multidisciplinary approaches to a wide variety of topics.

LEC · Course ID 013340On ucalendarSI 121R today

SI 131R Arab Culture

Integrating elements of Arab history, geography, language, literature (prose and poetry), art, music, theatre, cinema, politics, press, humour, dance, fashion, and food, this course explores varied expressions of Arab culture. Students will also study the phenomenon of Orientalism and the impact of European colonialism upon the Arabs.

Antireq: ARTS 190 taken spring 2016

LEC · Course ID 015277On ucalendarSI 131R today

SI 132R Introduction to Modern Arab and Muslim Drama

The course explores contemporary Arab and Muslim drama in English (1940s-present) from multiple perspectives, including literary, social, economic, and political.

LEC · Course ID 015014On ucalendarSI 132R today

SI 221R Islam, the West, and the Modern World

This course examines conceptions of East-West divide and confrontation as well as topics of interest, both geo-political and religious, that influence the relationships of Muslims and the Western world. The focus is on the history of Muslims in the West and the challenges of integration of Muslim communities in pluralistic, secular societies.

Prereq: Level at least 1B

LEC · Course ID 014398On ucalendarSI 221R today

SI 230R Islamic Visual Culture: Art, Architecture, and Aesthetics

This course explores Islamic visual culture by focusing on three main design elements in Islamic art and architecture: calligraphy, arabesque, and geometry. The course emphasizes the aesthetic, visual, and cultural importance of ornamentation in Islamic art and examines its manifestation in the work of contemporary Muslim artists.

LEC · Course ID 014874On ucalendarSI 230R today

SI 231R Calligraphy to Conceptual Art: Text as an Image in Islamic and East Asian Visual Arts

Exploring the history of Islamic and East Asian calligraphic arts and the study of Eastern and Western artists, this course examines multiple ways in which writing and other forms of visible language are incorporated into visual arts. Through studio projects, students explore conceptual approaches to text-based image making.

Prereq: Level at least 2A. Antireq: FINE 204 (STU 001) taken winter 2014 or SI 375R (LEC 001) taken winter 2014

LEC · Course ID 014876On ucalendarSI 231R today

SI 232R Decorative Arts in Islamic and East Asian Visual Cultures

From elaborate geometric patterns to sinuous dragon motifs, ornamentation is one of the most essential artistic modes in Islamic and East Asian cultures. This course examines the aesthetic, visual, and cultural importance of design elements in decorative works of the past and of contemporary artists.

LEC · Course ID 016100On ucalendarSI 232R today

SI 233R Contemporary Muslim and East Asian Visual Arts in Diaspora

This course investigates the notion of living between cultures brought about by the act of migration. Applying theories of cultural translation to the realm of visual arts, it focuses on Muslim and East Asian contemporary artists in diaspora.

LEC · Course ID 016099On ucalendarSI 233R today

SI 240R Migration, Diaspora, and Exile in Muslim Narratives

This course examines Muslim narratives written in the diaspora, such as from North America or the United Kingdom. It investigates the diversity of Islamic culture and expression in diasporic contexts, exploring an array of experiences and issues written from various sociocultural locations.

LEC · Course ID 015145On ucalendarSI 240R today

SI 241R Sacred Spaces and Human Geographies in Muslim Literary Expressions

Using the Muslim dimension as a central theme, this course explores the social, cultural, and political implications to be found in a range of postcolonial literatures from Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. Students investigate issues such as identities, nationalism and politics, cultural memory, and sacred space and place.

LEC · Course ID 015146On ucalendarSI 241R today

SI 242R Arabic Literature in Translation

This course is designed to examine major themes, schools, and genres in Arabic literature, covering the classical, postclassical, and modern eras. Students will read and analyze selected representative texts. The course will be delivered in English with assigned texts in English translation.

LEC · Course ID 016085On ucalendarSI 242R today

SI 250R The History of Islamic Civilization from Late Antiquity to 1300

This course surveys the diverse history of Islamic societies from the seventh to the thirteenth century. The primary focus is on the central Islamic lands from Egypt to Iran. In addition to the standard narrative, the course also examines salient aspects of Islamic civilization on a thematic basis. [Note: SI 121R recommended.]

LEC · Course ID 015147On ucalendarSI 250R today

SI 251R The History of Islamic Civilization from 1300-1800: The Islamic Gunpowder Empires

This course studies in comparative fashion the rise, consolidation, and decline of the three major Islamic empires of the early modern period (c. 1300-1800): the Ottomans in Anatolia, the Balkans, and the Middle East; the Safavids in Iran; and the Mughals in India. [Note: SI 121R recommended.]

LEC · Course ID 015148On ucalendarSI 251R today

SI 315R Islam, Women, and the Modern World

This course examines the lives and contributions of Muslim women in history - past and present - and political, social, and cultural influences that have affected the lives of Muslim women around the world. Challenging stereotypes of Muslim women and using religious, historical, and literary images, the course focuses on contributions of Muslim women as religious leaders, scholars, and politicians.

Prereq: Level at least 2A

LEC · Course ID 014399On ucalendarSI 315R today

SI 375R Special Topics in Islamic and Arab Cultures

This course allows for in-depth study of selected topics in Islam, Islamic cultures, or Arab cultures. [Note: This is a repeatable course, subject to different content; it may be completed a total of three times.]

LEC · Course ID 014139On ucalendarSI 375R today

SI 390R Understanding Islam

This course brings together the diverse strands that constitute the student's learning and experience in required as well as elective courses of Studies in Islam. Exploring Islam in a variety of contexts, the approach is interdisciplinary and integrative. [Note: In addition to the three prerequisite courses, a student must have completed at least four Studies in Islam elective courses. Students who do not meet the prerequisites may take the course with department consent.]

SEM · Course ID 013354On ucalendarSI 390R today

SI 450R Reading and Interpreting the Qur'an (in translation)

This course serves as a comprehensive introduction to the sacred text of Islam. Students engage the Qur'an using a wide array of interpretive approaches, from traditional forms of exegesis to new trends in the academic study of the Qur'an.

Prereq: SI 121R or RS 216; Level at least 3A

SEM · Course ID 015353On ucalendarSI 450R today