Anthropology of Islam

This course explores how anthropologists have approached the study of Islam, intervening in debates about power, agency, and identity. Reading recent ethnographies of Muslim societies, we will examine the legacies of colonialism, the past and future of feminist politics, and the limits of multicultural and multiracial democracy. A major aim of the course is to provide students with resources for thinking critically about the history and politics of modern Muslim societies, with a particular focus on issues of law and ethics, gender and sexuality, and minority politics.