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Introductory Courses in Middle Eastern Religion Two Model Syllabi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2016

Frederick M. Denny*
Affiliation:
Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia

Extract

Judging from the programs of the MESA meetings over the past several years and the contributions to the Bulletin and IJMES the preponderance of research and teaching thus far in our history in the religious studies field has been in connection with Islam. That is not surprising, given the dominance of Islam in the Middle East. The syllabi received by the Headquarters and Secretariat dealing with religion for the ongoing syllabus project all treated Islam exclusively.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Middle East Studies Association of North America 1975

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References

1 The writer wishes to thank, on behalf of MESA, the following colleagues for making their materials available: Professors Isma’il Faruqi, William A. Graham, Nicholas Heer, James Kritzeck, William Shepard, Marilyn R. Waldman and Earle H. Waugh. The task of editing and compiling was a pleasant one, because of the high quality of the materials submitted. The writer assumes full responsibility, however, for the manner in which he has employed his colleagues’ techniques and ideas.

2 In connection with this kind of concern, see the excellent discussion and proposals in McDonough, Sheila’s recent article, “On Teaching Islam to Undergraduates,” Humaniora Islamica I (1973), pp. 261277.Google Scholar

1 Sheila McDonough, in the article cited above, writes: “This relative lack of popularity of Islamic studies seems to be the case regardless of the teacher …. Western students may find Islam too much like their own traditions and insufficiently provocative. The residue of centuries of hatred of Islam is still present in Western culture, and students may carry scarcely conscious prejudices.” p. 262.