0000398 - history of the islamic world

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOME

The course addresses the history of culture in the Arab-Islamic world, with a particular focus on the Arab Caliphate, through the analysis of the relationship between state and religion and the construction of Islamic cultures and forms of identity, both in court circles and among the urban ulama. The theme of Caliphate culture is addressed through a series of contexts, including Sunni and Shiite societies, both sedentary and nomadic peoples, spanning from the late antique Middle East to medieval Africa and to the Islamic states that arose in the Persian sphere as far as Central Asia. The course aims to analyze changes in culture and in the relationship between ulama and rulers.

At the end of the course, students must demonstrate knowledge of the main forms of Islamic identity deriving from legal and religious orientations and from previous cultural substrates, and have the ability to critically address changes in Islamic literature, science, and cultural practices, particularly as regards the relationship between state and religion.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Students must display basic knowledge of the sciences, literature, law, and religious and imperial traditions of the Islamic countries, and be able to combine this knowledge, during assessment, with a critical approach to social concepts and practices related to the Islamic religion and the political forms of the region.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Independent judgment:

Students must acquire the skills necessary to address topics and issues related to Arab-Islamic culture and, above all, to use historical sources and scientific literature in a personal, analytical, and critical manner.

Communication skills:

At the end of the course, students develop a language suitable for expressing concepts of religious, linguistic, and literary studies related to the Islamic world and can explain the concepts they have learned. Students will also acquire concepts, themes, and problems linked to transcultural, interreligious, and global studies. Reading sessions in class (literary sources and historical texts) strengthen their knowledge of the literary, historical, and cultural heritage of Islamic societies.

Learning skills:

Students become familiar with a variety of theories and approaches and learn how to collect data from both material and documentary historical sources, enabling them to orient themselves and keep up to date through research activities and specialized seminars offered by other research centers.