: This seminar explores the complexity and history of Shariʿa Law in Islam. It examines the formation of a variety of schools of Shariʿa from very early Islamic history until today and the way Muslim jurists have maintained the relevance of Shariʿa to their respective societies and times. It covers the theory and application, purpose, sources (e.g., Qurʾan, Muhammad, customs), hermeneutical tools (e.g., reason, public good, doubt) and the Shariʿa laws themselves.

The Islamic religious tradition from its beginnings in seventh century Arabia through the present day, with particular emphasis on the formative period (A.D. 600–1000) and on modern efforts at reinterpretation. Topics include Muhammad and the Qur’an, prophetic tradition, sacred Law, ritual, sectarianism, mysticism, dogmatic theology and popular practices. Emphasis on the ways Muslims in different times and places have constructed and reconstructed the tradition for themselves.

A thematic survey of Jewish history and thought from the 16th century to the present, examining Jews as a minority in modern Europe and in global diaspora. We analyze changing dynamics of integration and exclusion of Jews in various societies as well as diverse forms of Jewish religion, culture and identity among Sephardic, Ashkenazic and Mizrahi Jews. Readings include major philosophic, mystical and political works in addition to primary sources on the lives of Jewish women and men, families and communities, and messianic and popular movements.

This course is an introduction to various approaches that have characterized the modern and postmodern critical study of religion. The course explores the development of the field, addressing fundamental theoretical and methodological issues as well as their implications. The first part of the course focuses on the interdisciplinary nature of religious studies, examining approaches found in disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, psychology and phenomenology. The second part examines the application of these approaches to the study of particular religious phenomena.

The Hebrew scriptures (Tanakh/Old Testament). A survey of the Hebrew Bible and its historical and cultural context. Critical reading and discussion of its narrative and legal components as well as an introduction to the prophetic corpus and selections from the wisdom literature.

An exploration of the religious texts and practices of major traditions (Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, Jewish, Christian, Islamic) as well as those of smaller, more localized communities. Diverse forms of classical and contemporary religious experience and expression are analyzed through texts, rituals and films as well as through fieldwork.

Same as AFR 360. This seminar focuses on Toni Morrison’s literary production. In reading her novels, essays, lectures and interviews, we pay particular attention to three things: her interest in the epic anxieties of American identities; her interest in form, language and theory; and her study of love.

Same as ENG 323. This seminar focuses on Toni Morrison’s literary production. In reading her novels, essays, lectures and interviews, we pay particular attention to three things: her interest in the epic anxieties of American identities; her interest in form, language, and theory; and her study of love.

In this course we examine contemporary African-American families from both a sociocultural and socioeconomic perspective. We explore the issues facing African-American families as a consequence of the intersecting of race, class and gender categories of America. The aim of this course is to broaden the student’s knowledge of the internal dynamics and diversity of African-American family life and to foster a greater understanding of the internal strengths as well as the vulnerabilities of the many varieties of African-American families.

Same as AFR 170. An introduction to the themes, issues and questions that shaped the literature of African Americans during its period of origin. Texts include poetry, prose and works of fiction. Writers include Harriet Jacobs, Frances Harper, Charles Chesnutt, Frederick Douglass, Phillis Wheatley.