Religion and Politics in the Middle East

Code:

164173

ECTS:

7.0

Lecturers in charge:

izv. prof. dr. sc. Boris Havel

Lecturers:

izv. prof. dr. sc. Boris Havel - Seminar

Take exam:

Studomat

1. KOMPONENTA

• Lectures 30
• Seminar 30

* Load is given in academic hour (1 academic hour = 45 minutes)

DESCRIPTION:

A main purpose of the course is to equip students with skills to approach study of the Middle East with methods of research focused on distinctive cultural, social and political features of the Orient.

This graduate course is focused on politics, religion and history of the Middle East, and the sources for their study. Inasmuch as most students attending this course have never studied Middle East, course starts with introduction to basic information about it. (No previous knowledge about Middle East is expected from students enrolling to this course).

There are several aspects in which Middle East differs from Europe and the West. One of those aspects is significant role of religion and irrational thinking in defining political positions and creating political programs. Another is role of history - particularly if history is perceived as containing divine revelation - in finding political patterns and parallels in modernity. Religion and the past are among the main sources of identity and loyalty in many Middle Eastern societies. Transmission of their importance into politics is not an unexpected phenomenon, and yet it has often been overlooked and neglected in many European and Western analyses of the Middle East. This has been done partially due to want of methodological tools to examine it. In that context, importance of an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach ad hoc designed for study of Oriental societies cannot be overrated. This course has been designed to investigate correlation of different academic disciplines in Oriental studies, primarily Political Science, Theology, History, Linguistics and Law. For the purpose of following those processes, sample historical and current events will be discussed.

Students will also be introduced to some basic Hebrew and Arabic terms, necessary to understand current Middle Eastern Processes. Emphasis is on terminology relevant for studying politics of the Middle East, which cannot be translated into English without due explanation, such as Hitnahalut, Asabiyah, Caliphate, Fitnah, etc.

Invoking religion, and even history as a theological concept, in creating politics, is not unknown in the West. However, it has not been a dominant feature of Western politics for decades or even centuries. To study politics in the current Middle East, one ought to recognize its particularities, i.e. when it is similar and when it differs from Western politics, policymaking and legislation. Shift from a typical Western-oriented pattern of thinking, towards examination determined by features of the object of analysis is necessary to achieve such a goal. In the process, the student will gain insight into specific features and premises of different civilizations, which compels diverse approach in the study of various civilizations. The course will also raise awareness of Occidental-centeredness which often taints Western analyses of non-Western countries, societies, political cultures, religions and civilizations.

LITERATURE:

1. Bernard Lewis; What Went Wrong?; Oxford University Press (2002), str. (object Object)

1. SEMESTER

Izborni GS-1 - Regular studij - University graduate programme of Journalism
Izborni SDN 1-1 - Regular studij - University graduate programme of Journalism
Izborni GS-1 - Regular studij - University graduate programme of Political Science
Usmjerenje KOMPARATIVNA POLITIKA dp 1. semestar - Regular studij - University graduate programme of Political Science
Izborni predmeti DPNS 1. semestar - Regular studij - University graduate programme of Political Science, track National Security
Izborni predmeti DPNS 1. semestar - Part-time studij - University graduate programme of Political Science, track National Security
Izborni GS-1 - Regular studij - University undergraduate programme of Journalism
Izborni GS-1 - Regular studij - University undergraduate programme of Political Science

3. SEMESTER

Izborni SDN 2-1 - Regular studij - University graduate programme of Journalism

izv. prof. dr. sc. Boris Havel:

izv. prof. dr. sc. Boris Havel: