INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC LAW & JURISPRUDENCE

POLISCI 323

Examines the multifaceted nature of political Islam in the contemporary world. Starting with the basic tenants of Islam, and key concepts and theoretical understandings of the relationships between Islam and politics, the course builds on the approaches developed in the first part of the course examining how Islam has influenced politics differently in various parts of the world including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Students will familiarize themselves with theoretical debates about the roles of Islam in politics; analyze the impact of Islam on politics in the contemporary world; and gain empirical knowledge about how Islam functions differently in various countries.

LEGALST 407

Examines fundamental questions about the nature and content of law, addressing both analytic and normative jurisprudence. Questions in analytic jurisprudence include: What does it mean for something to be the law? Why are some things a matter of law, while others are not? What is the relationship between law and morality? Is the law exhausted by the meaning of words in constitutions and statutes? Questions of normative jurisprudence concern the proper content of law, such as, what should the law permit, prohibit, and promote? These questions are examined by looking at a number of topics that are at issue in U.S. (and other nations') laws. These will include interpreting criminal law statutes, policies promoting public welfare, and the justifications for property, especially intellectual property rights.

AFRICAN/ASIAN/RELIGST 370

The emergence and development of Islam; schism; theology; asceticism; speculative and popular mysticism; literatures in diverse Islamic languages. Not open to students with credit for LCA 370 prior to Fall 2019.

LEGALST 213

Introduction to the dynamic relationship between law and the humanities, examining how legal systems both shape and are shaped by cultural, historical, and philosophical contexts. Through the study of literature, philosophy, history, pop culture, religious studies, and the arts, critically engage with the fundamental question of what law is and reframe legal concepts such as justice, rights, authority, and morality. Engage in the discussion of representative works of the discipline, different methodologies, and the ideas of key thinkers to highlight the humanistic dimensions of law. By analyzing court cases, historical sources, fiction, films, and philosophical writings, develop a deeper understanding of how law functions, how it tells stories, and how law is not only as a set of rules but a cultural and moral artifact.

ASIAN/RELIGST 206

An introduction to the Qur'an, the sacred scripture of the Islamic religious tradition, focused on Muslim approaches to reading the text, its themes and history, and its use as a source of law, theology, aesthetics, politics, and practices of piety.