Students will be presented with a general outline of the history of Islam from the seventh century to the present day. The course also examines the development of the central institutions of Islam in the context of that history. Special attention will be paid to particular developments and institutions such as: the emergence of Islam; the Qur'an and basic Islamic teachings; Islamic Jurisprudence; and political institutions (e.g. the Caliphate), which have influenced the modern political debate in Muslim communities in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

In this course, students will develop or extend their knowledge and understanding of:

1. significant dates and events in Islamic history;

2. the ways in which Muslims have interacted over time with other Muslims, on the one hand, and non-Muslims, on the other;

3. critical debates about, and schools of thought on, the meaning of key elements of the faith, such as the Qur'an and Prophet, pilgrimage, Islamic law, and the caliphate; and

4. the interaction between doctrine and context in the understanding of Islam as a faith and a social force. 

3,000 word essay (50%),

End of semester examination -  (40%) and

Tutorial assessment based on attendance, reading and performance (10%).

One x 2 hour lecture and one one-hour tutorial per week

12 units from Arts or Asian Studies or permission of coordinator.

AREL2162 Islam: History and Institutions and AREL2815 Trends in Modern Islamic Thought and ASIA2162 Islam: History & Institutions.

Esposito, J.L., Islam: The Straight Path, New York: Oxford University Press, 3rd Ed., 2004

Makris, G.P., Islam in the Middle East: a Living Tradition, London: Blackwell Publishing, 2007

Rahman, F., Islam, Chicago & London, The University of Chicago Press, (2nd ed), 1979.

Sonn, T., A Brief History of Islam, Oxford: Blackwell, 2005.

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This course is considered compatible with Security Studies, Asian Religions, Asian Politics and International Relations, and Contemporary Asian Societies fields of study.

From 2012, this course will probably be offered as a first year course.