The cultures and societies of the Middle East have been deeply influential in shaping European and western values. In spite of this, the region and its peoples are often misunderstood and represented. Middle Eastern, Jewish and Islamic Civilizations is the study of the historical origins as well as contemporary culture of a wide range of societies of the region, providing students with an insight into the contemporary Middle East and to the challenges of diversity and multiculturalism in an increasingly globalized world.
Religion plays a significant role in diverse cultural, social and political contexts. Religious world-views, values and symbols play a critical role in shaping cultural norms, traditions and practices. This is the case both in religiously plural contexts, as well as those dominated by particular traditions. The contours of religion are evident not only in the artefacts that transmit a culture’s heritage (such as architecture, visual arts, illuminated manuscripts, literature, etc.), but also in contemporary debates about the evolving identities of societies in a world characterized by religious pluralism.
Students on this course will be engaged with contemporary debates about, for example, the nature and impact of political religion, religion and modernity, religion and gender, religion and violence, religion and human rights, and ethics in politics.
