REL 371.001

Religion, Politics, and Culture of the Middle East

T, R | 2:00-3:15 pm

MA 210

View Online Syllabus

Whereas religion has, in places, seemingly declined as a political force, religious factors are dominant in personal behavior and political activity in the Middle East. For example, some commentators ask whether Islamic countries are a “state of Muslims” or a “Muslim state.” As such, these countries seem faced with a difficult decision: Do they attempt to balance a particular view of modernity with their own traditions or do they return to what some perceive as a lost theological/religious-political ideal?

Steven L. Jacobs

  • Office hours: 

    Tuesday & Thursday, 12:45-1:45 & By Appointment

  • (205) 348-5271
  • sjacobs@ua.edu
Crystal Mosque in Terengganu, Malaysia

Readings

Sorenson, David
An Introduction to the Modern Middle East
Westview Press, 2013
0813349222

Lee, Robert D.
Religion & Politics In The Middle East
Westview Press, 2010
0813344204

McCants, William
The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State
Picador, 2016
1250112648

Books are available at the SUPe Store and online through vendors such as amazon.com.