MWF 10 am and 12 noon, Good 202 and 222
Course grading will be based on the following criteria:
* Two formal papers (1 rewrite allowed) 40%
* Midterm Exam (in-class) 25%
* Final Exam (analytical paper) 20%
* Class participation (includes reaction papers & attendance) 15%
The class will work this way:
For most of the semester, Monday and Wednesday of every week, I will
provide background on the readings that you are assigned for Friday. Most
Fridays, we will discuss the readings for the entire class period. Readings
may be found in your purchased books or on the P drive.
Weekly Reading Reaction Questions. Starting with the third
week, every week on discussion day, you should turn in a one-page (handwritten
is fine) reaction paper to the readings due that day. There will be a total
of ten for the semester. I will check these off, but they will not be returned.
For each weekly paper that you DO NOT turn in, three points will be taken from
your final course grade. The purpose of these questions is to ensure that you
read and to help me understand whether you are “getting” the source
materials.
Papers should not summarize the source material, but respond to it from your
own point of view: what did you find surprising, interesting, unusual or significant
in the readings? Was there something you particularly liked or disliked? Points
of comparison or agreement with previous readings? Very high quality answers
will increase your participation grade.
Formal analysis papers. Most weeks starting with week 3 I
will give you a question related to the readings due on Friday to help you prepare
for class. You must turn in two formal four to five-page papers this semester
in answer to these questions: one before and one after Spring Break. If you
choose to do the essay question for that week, the paper is due the Wednesday
after discussion at the beginning of class. You will have the opportunity to
re-write one of these papers, and the new grade will be averaged in with the
old one. When you rewrite a paper, submit the original with the rewrite.
Formal papers should be typed and in a formal essay format (that is, they should
have a thesis and an argument), and be thoroughly proofread. Late papers will
be penalized one letter grade per day. Rewrites are due one week after their
return.See my "Tips for
Good Essays" for helpful hints.
Exams. The midterm exam of the class will be an objective test designed to make sure students have the necessary background and vocabulary to continue in the course. It will ask questions like "What are the five pillars of Islam?" and "What are ahadith and what is their purpose?" The final exam of the class will be an essay of a length to be announced, written outside of class and turned in on the day of the final exam. In this essay, students will be asked to answer a synthetic question designed to involve materials from the entire semester. Potential topics for the final exam include: similarities and differences between medieval Christianity and medieval Islam; ideas about learning, knowledge, and their place in society; attitudes toward science and its relationship to religion; and other topics as developed during the semester.
Class participation will be essential to a good grade; it includes attendance. Prepare the Friday readings and bring them with you every week. Come to class ready to talk and respond to your classmates. Students are allowed three unexcused absences per semester; more will adversely affect your grade. Students who miss more than eight classes without explanation will receive a grade of F for the class without possibility of withdrawal.
Required texts: You must buy these four books from the bookstore:
* Dawood, ed.. The Koran (The Koran is also available
online at http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/,
although I encourage you to buy a hard copy).
* Gabrieli, Arab Historians of the Crusades
* Lewis, The Arabs in History
* A Bible will also be useful; the Revised Standard
Version is best for our discussion, but any translation will be acceptable.
There is a web version: http://bible.gospelcom.net/
Web resources:
Islamic Studies Home Page: http://faculty.juniata.edu/tuten/islamic/islamichome.html
History Dept. Links Page: http://departments.juniata.edu/history/history_links.html
Academic Integrity: All students are expected to observe the
Juniata College policy on Academic Integrity for all class
periods, assignments, tests and papers. This includes all policies
involving cheating, plagiarism, and conduct. Any questions
about these policies should be addressed to me (please ask if you don't
know!). The complete policy may be found at
http://www.juniata.edu/catalog/policy/pathfinder/acadhonesty.html
Week Two: Judeo-Christian Textual Traditions
Jan. 20 Thinking about the Bible
Jan. 22 Discussion: BIBLE: Matthew and Mark
Jan. 24 Discussion: BIBLE: Luke and John
Week 3: Islamic Textual Traditions (Lewis, ch. 1) [weekly reaction papers begin
this week]
Jan. 27 The Jahiliyyah and Muhammad
Jan. 29 Islamic Textual Traditions
Jan. 30 Discussion:
• BIBLE: Genesis 35-50
• QUR'AN, surah 12: Joseph
Week Four: Expansion (Lewis, ch. 2)
Feb. 3 Muhammad's Legacy
Feb. 5 Expansion and Conquest, 632-700 CE
Feb. 7 Discussion:
• P drive, Selections from Life of Muhammad
• BIBLE, Daniel 2; review gospels
Week Five: Development (Lewis, ch. 3)
Feb. 10 Unity and Fragmentation in Europe, 500-900 CE
Feb. 12 The Pillars of Islam, Sufism and Sainthood, 800-1200 CE
Feb. 14 Discussion:
• P drive, hadith on fasting; excerpts from Life of St. Benedict; Legends
of 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
Week Six: Insiders and Outsiders (Lewis, ch. 4-5) (no formal paper question
this week)
Feb. 17 The break of the Christian church, 800-1050 CE
Feb. 19 The Shi'i and the mawali, 680- CE
Feb. 21 Review and discussion
Week Seven: Muslim Spain (Lewis, ch. 6-7) (no reaction or formal paper this
week)
Feb. 24 The Conquest of Spain and the New Dynasties
Feb. 26 Midterm Exam
Feb. 28 The Franks, the Vikings and the Magyars
March 1-9: Spring Break
Week Eight: Cosmology
March 10 What is a cosmology?
March 12 Cosmology, east and west
March 14 Discussion:
• QUR'AN, Surah 2, the Cow, verses 1-93
• BIBLE, Genesis 1-3-3
Week Nine: Spanish and Occitan Poetry (Lewis, ch. 8)
March 17 The Hispano-Arabic Poets
March 19 The Troubadours
March 21 Discussion:
• P drive, Selections from the poetry of some Troubadours; Selections
from some Hispano-Arabic Poets
Week Ten: Universities and the meaning of Education
March 24 Universities in the East
March 26 Universities in the West
March 28 Discussion:
• P drive, Selection from Sa'di, Reflections on Education; Selection from
the Manuale Scholarium
Week Eleven: Medicine (no reaction paper this week)
March 31 Medicine in the East
April 2 History Day: No class
April 4 Medicine in the West
Week Twelve: Medicine
April 7 Discussion: (reaction paper due on Monday this week)
• P drive, Selections from Ibn-Sina (Avicenna), Poem on Medicine; Selection
from the Lacnunga; Selection from Maimonides, Treatise on Poisons
April 9 Holy War and its Problems
April 11 First Crusade (film)
Week Thirteen: the Crusades (Lewis, ch. 9)
April 14 Discussion: (reaction paper due on Monday this week)
• P drive, Selections from Joinville's Life of St. Louis
Selections from the Life of Saladin; Gabrieli, 87-113
April 16 Jews in the East and West
April 18 Good Friday; no class
Week Fourteen: Propaganda, Interaction, Prejudice
April 21 The Easterners Meet the Westerners
April 23 The West Tells About the East
April 25 Discussion: Usama: Gabrieli, pp. 73-84
April 28 Islam and Christianity: influences and relationships
last update: 1/17/03