Anthropology 411B/611B (section 01): The Anthropology of Islam and Muslim Cultures Monday and Wednesday: 2:30-3:45. 3:45 Spring 2014 AB 109

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1 Professor: E. Stiles, PhD Office: AB 502 Office Hours: Monday: 9:30-10:30, W: 9:30-10:30 and 1:00-2:00 or by appointment ( is the best way to reach me) Phone: Anthropology 411B/611B (section 01): The Anthropology of Islam and Muslim Cultures Monday and Wednesday: 2:30-3:45 3:45 Spring 2014 AB 109 Course Description: This course is an overview of anthropological research on Islam and cultures of the Muslim world. We will read materials from the mid-20 th to 21 st century, and we will consider the question of how anthropologists have studied Islam and Muslim communities and whether we have something we can call the anthropology of Islam. In addition, a major goal of the course is to introduce students to various manifestations of the Islamic tradition and the diversity and complexity of Muslim cultures around the world. We will learn about Muslim cultures and communities in sub- Saharan Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Europe. ANTH 611B: This course is also available for graduate credit. In addition to fulfilling the requirements for undergraduates, students taking the course for graduate credit will write a term paper, pages in length, on a topic of their choice. Graduate students may also be assigned additional reading at the discretion of the professor. Core Objectives CO 10 Diversity & Equity: Students will develop a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate attentiveness to and analysis of diversity and equity. This course aims to present students with one component of religious and cultural diversity, namely, Islam and Muslim cultures. As such, this discipline takes students beyond the generic interpretation of Islam, from an anthropological perspective, engaging them with Islamic history and its variations. CO 11 Global Contexts: Students will apply and evaluate modes of academic inquiry, creative expression, or results of research to problems in historical and contemporary global contexts. Students will articulate connections among local, national, and international contexts and evaluate the ways that historical and contemporary global influences affect their current situations. This course exposes students to Islam and Muslim cultures from an anthropological perspective providing them with a global and comparative view. This approach goes beyond the misconception of Islam and Muslim stemming from the Middle East, 1

2 situating these topics in different geographical and cultural scenarios, showing the impacts, influence and variation of this system of beliefs and how both secular and devout Muslims engage in today s world. SLOS Students understand basic concepts, key terms, and historical events in the Islamic tradition. Students demonstrate familiarity with the diversity and complexity of Muslim cultures around the world (CO10) Students compare and analyze how Muslims in different cultural contexts relate to universal and local aspects of the Islamic tradition Students will understand how anthropologists have contributed to a understanding of Islam and Muslim cultures, and will know the key anthropologists working in this field. Required Books and Readings Flueckiger, Joyce Burkhalter (2006) In Amma s Healing Room: Gender and Vernacular Islam in South India. Indiana University Press. ( Flueckiger in syllabus) Bowen, John R. (2013) A New Anthropology of Islam. Cambridge University Press. ( NAI in syllabus) Bowen, John R. (1993) Muslims through Discourse. Princeton University Press. ( Bowen in syllabus) Geertz, Clifford (1971) Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia. University of Chicago Press. ( Geertz in syllabus) Mahmood, Saba (2005) The Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject. Princeton University Press. ( Mahmood in syllabus) Electronic Reserve: There will be several articles on electronic reserve through the ARES system on the Knowledge Center website. The articles are designated E-Reserve in the syllabus. Course Requirements and Grading: 10% Class Attendance and Participation 5% Presentation of Readings 5% Quiz 25% Midterm: take-home essay exam 25% Final Exam: in-class essay exam (cumulative) 30% Research Paper Project (some of the points for the project will come from the writing process; we will discuss this in class) Class format. This class will include lecture and discussion. I will lecture on some class days, but you should also always be prepared for lively discussion particularly when we are discussing the ethnographies in the second half of the semester. 2

3 Reading: Please note that you must complete all assigned readings before class; even if we do not discuss some of the readings, you will be held responsible for them. o As befits a 400-level class, the reading for the course is fairly heavy you can expect to be doing at least 100 pages per week, so make sure that you plan enough time to complete all the assignments. Attendance, participation, and preparation are very important. Information will be presented in lectures and discussions that is not covered in the readings. Because of this, please make sure that you attend class regularly. o Please note that I do not make my notes available for students. If you miss a class, make arrangements to get notes from a classmate. Presentations: Each student will prepare one presentation on an article or a chapter. Presentations involve presenting the main points of one of the reading, and preparing 2 discussion questions for the class. Presentation should not take more than 10 minutes. (5 points) Quiz: There will be one short quiz testing you on terminology and a map relevant to class topics. (5 points) Midterm Exam: the midterm exam will consist of take-home essay questions. Final Exam: the final exam will be an in-class essay exam. It will be cumulative. Research Paper: The paper should be 7-10 pages on a topic of your choice that is relevant to the class. You will be required to do outside reading. Please see me to get approval for your final topic before you begin researching. I will give you further guidelines as the semester progresses, but please note that this is a multistep process, and to get full credit, you need to do all the preliminaries. Graduate Term Paper: Graduate students will be required to write a 15 page term paper on a topic of their choice, relevant to the class and based on outside readings. Class Policies I am happy to make accommodations for students with recognized disabilities; please see me early in the semester to discuss your needs. Cell phones must be turned off or silenced during class. Laptops: you may use laptops for notes. However, if laptops prove distracting, I will limit their use. Late essays will not be accepted. Make-up exams are NOT permitted without a certified medical excuse. Academic Standards and Ethics Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in an automatic F for the course and student will be reported to UNR s student affairs office. All papers will be automatically checked for plagiarism. The UNR catalog outlines university policy concerning academic ethics and integrity; I advise all students to read it. If you are unclear about what constitutes academic dishonesty, please see me. Academic Dishonesty includes cheating on exams, plagiarism on papers, and signing the role sheet for another student. None of these will be tolerated and any can result in a 3

4 failing grade for the course and the implementation of other university disciplinary procedures. Special Needs or Disabilities or Other Problems: The department of anthropology is committed to equal opportunities in education for all students, including those with physical or learning disabilities. If you have a disability for which you will need to request accommodations, please contact me or the Disability Resource Center (Thompson Building, Suite 100, tel ) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations. In addition, students who anticipate other problems involving work or family that might affect attendance or completion of any of the other requirements of the course are strongly encouraged to discuss them with me at the beginning of the semester. Academic Success Services: Your student fees cover usage of the Math Center ( or Tutoring Center ( or and University Writing Center ( or These centers support your classroom learning; it is your responsibility to take advantage of their services. Keep in mind that seeking help outside of class is the sign of a responsible and successful student. Statement on Audio and Video Recording: Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may be given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments during class may be recorded. I also ask that you turn off all cell phones and electronic devices before coming to class. You can use your laptop and ipads as long as they are for taking notes or making a quick consultation on an issue we are discussing in class. Student Absences: By NSHE policy in Title 4 Chapter 20 A, Section 3, paragraph 1, CH20%20- %20General%20Policies%20Regulating%20Students%20and%20Student%20Governme nt.pdf, there are no official absences from any university class. It is the personal responsibility of the student to consult with the instructor regarding absence from class. In the event that a student misses a class because of an official university function or event or because of serious personal issues, the Office of the Vice President for Student Services may, at its discretion, send an explanation to affected faculty. The instructor shall make the final determination on whether the missed work can be done at a time other than during the regularly scheduled class period. Religious Holy Days: It is the policy of NSHE (Title 4 Chapter 20 A, Section 3, paragraph2, ook/t4-ch20%20- %20General%20Policies%20Regulating%20Students%20and%20Student%20Governme 4

5 nt.pdf to be sensitive to the religious obligations of its students. Any student missing classes, quizzes, examinations, or any other class or lab work because of observance of religious holy days should, whenever possible, be given an opportunity during that semester to make up the missed work. The make-up will apply to the religious holy day absence only. It shall be the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor in advance in writing, if the student intends to participate in a religious holy day which does not fall on state holidays or periods of class recess. This policy shall not apply in the event that administering the assignment at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the institution which could not reasonably have been avoided. Schedule of Topics and Readings Date Unit and Topic Reading complete before class meeting Jan 22 Introduction to course I. THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF ISLAM Jan 27 Overview: The Islamic Tradition NAI: Chapter 1 Geertz: preface and Ch 1 Jan 29 Overview: The Islamic Tradition E-Reserve: el-zein Geertz: Ch 2 Feb 3 The Anthropology of Islam or Islamic Anthropology? Geertz: Ch 3-4 Feb 5 The Anthropology of Islam or Islamic E-Reserve: Asad and Starrett Anthropology? Feb 10 FILM: TBA NAI: Chapter 2 Feb 12 Learning E-Reserve: Hirschkind Feb 17 NO CLASS Feb 19 Worship NAI: Chapter 3 QUIZ E-Reserve: Deeb Feb 24 Sacrifice NAI: Chapter 4 and 5 Healing Feb 26 Pious Organizing NAI: Chapter 6 E-Reserve: Rozehnal Mar 3 Judging NAI: Chapter 7 E-Reserve: Stiles Mar 5 Library Workshop! Paper topics due! Suggest reading ahead 5

6 Mar 10 Mar 12 **Meet in MIKC 114** Migrating and Adapting GUEST LECTURE: Dr. Rogozen-Soltar Mobilizing TAKE HOME EXAM due NAI: Chapter 8 E-Reserve: Rogozen-Soltar NAI: Chapter 9 E-Reserve: Fernando March March 24 SPRING BREAK II. ETHNOGRAPHIES OF MUSLIM CULTURES Muslims through Discourse Bowen, Chs 1-2 GRADS: Ch 1-3 Mar 26 Guest Lecture! TBA Mar 31 Muslims through Discourse Bowen, Ch 4-5 Apr 2 Muslims through Discourse Annotated Bibliography Due! Bowen, Chs 6-7 GRADS: Chs 6-8 Apr 7 FILM: TBA Bowen, Ch 9, 11 GRADS: Ch 8-11 Apr 9 Muslims through Discourse Bowen, Chs 12, 13, optional 14 GRADS: Ch Apr 14 Politics of Piety E-Reserve: Abu-Lughod Mahmood, Chs 1 Apr 16 Politics of Piety Mahmood Ch 2-3 Apr 21 FILM: TBA Mahmood Ch 4 Apr 23 Politics of Piety Mahmood Ch 5 and (skim Intro Flueckiger) Apr 28 PAPER WORKSHOP DRAFT PAPERS DUE Fleuckiger, Ch 1 Apr 30 Amma s Healing Room Flueckiger, Ch 2-3 (but presentations for 1-3; Ian, Hayleigh and Carolina) May 5 Amma s Healing Room Flueckiger, Ch 4-6 (presentations Alex, Arianna); epilogue optional May 7 Prep Day: NO CLASS! May 9 May 14 FINAL PAPERS DUE by 3 PM FINAL EXAM 12:30-2:30 PM 6

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