Spring 2010

SOC 336G • Gender Politics in the Islamic World

Course Description

This course examines concepts of gender politics as mediated by the cultural particularity of Muslim societies. An analysis of classical legal Islamic thoughts and contemporary legal perspectives are offered to further understand the construction of citizenship and rights throughout history. We analyze legal themes relating to scripture, tradition, theological interpretations, philosophy and literature. We also focus on contemporary politics regarding women's citizenship, rights and participation in a number of cultural contexts in order to highlight contemporary issues such as religious, kinship and political structures. Finally, we explore Muslim women's claim to their rights and how this claim has been advanced by international organizations and trends.

back