HIST 277 Modern Islamic Thought

Major Requirement: History of Africa/Middle East

This course offers a broad overview of important intellectual movements and orientations in the modern and contemporary Islamic world since the 19th century. It examines the views of Muslim thinkers as they have faced numerous challenges and upheavals that emerged in the modern world. We will place these thinkers in the context of their socio-political settings and analyze their interpretations as they have struggled to preserve, adapt, or redefine Islamic ideas in the face of changed conditions. Some of the intellectual traditions we will investigate include: Islamic modernist thought, progressive Islam, Islamic fundamentalism, jihadist thought, Islamic feminism, and Islam in America.