Islam in America



History 498 Islam in America

Senior Capstone Seminar

Fall 2002

Instructor: Dr. Scott S. Reese

Meeting Time: W 3-5:30

Room: LA 317

Office: BS 208

Office Hours: 8-10 TTH, 1-2 W or by appointment

Office Tel. 523-9049

Email: Scott.Reese@nau.edu

Rather than being a new faith in the western hemisphere Islam is a religion with deep roots in the Americas dating to at least the 1500s. This senior seminar will explore the presence of Muslims and the Islamic faith in the Americas from its beginnings as a result of the Atlantic slave trade to the present. In particular we will explore the historical presence and importance of various Muslim groups in the U.S.; the attitude and relationship of the U.S. government towards the Muslim world and; the increasing importance of the American Muslim community which as the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. Evaluation will be based primarily on weekly discussions of assigned readings, several short writing assignments as well as a longer research length paper (15-20 pages).

This class will be run using a seminar format with discussions based on the assigned readings and student generated questions. The instructor may also provide a number of short “mini-lectures” on selected topics as necessary. As a senior seminar the reading requirements are extensive. As a small, upper division, course it is essential that everyone come to class having read the material and prepared for discussion.

Required Texts:

Jane Smith, Islam in America, Columbia University Press (2000)

Sylvaine Diouf, Servants of Allah New York University Press (1999)

Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience, Indiana University Press (1997)

Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Ballantine Books (1988)

Edward Said, Covering Islam Random House /Vintage Books (1996)

Melani McAlister, Epic Encounters: Culture, Media, and U.S. Interests in the Middle East, 1945-2000 University of California Press (2002)

The above books are Required Readings for all students in the course and are available at the NAU Bookstore. Other weekly readings are listed within the body of the syllabus. These include mostly secondary readings intended to add depth to many of the topics covered. As such, they will form an integral part of class discussions and students will be expected to arrive for class meetings having read and digested the material and be ready for discussion.

Optional – John Esposito The Straight Path – A concise overview of the Islamic faith.

Assignments:

Reviews of Assigned Reading (700-1000 words each):

Each participant will be required to write two (2) reviews of the weekly reading assignments to be submitted on the day of the discussion of that topic. Reviews should briefly summarize the author’s argument, comment on the sources used to complete the study, and assess the work’s overall worth (i.e. do you buy what they’re selling?). Each review will be 700-1000 words in length. You may chose to write your review for any 2 given weeks however, one must be turned in during weeks 1-5 and the other between weeks 6-11. [attach style sheet]

Research Prospectus

Each participant must submit a prospectus of their term paper (500-700 words in length plus a bibliography).

Rough Draft

Participants will submit a rough draft of their paper for peer review. Students are expected to make substantial improvements from the draft to the final paper. If no improvements are made between the rough draft and the final paper, students can expect to receive a lower grade on the final paper than on the draft.

Peer Edit

Each participant will be assigned to carefully proofread a classmate’s rough draft and prepare one-page of written comments/suggestions on the paper that gives the author useful information for improving the final draft.

Final Paper

Participants will research, write, and rewrite a 15-20 page research paper based on a topic of their choosing relating to either Islam in American society or America’s interactions with the Muslim world. Students should read the following carefully for advice on grammar, writing, and footnoting: Jules R. Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History, Eighth Edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2001 available on-line at INSERT ADDRESS. Papers riddled with grammatical weaknesses, improperly cited quotes and references, passive voice, etc. will receive a failing grade. Though I will read and comment on all the rough drafts, it is not the responsibility of the instructor to note and correct these mistakes.

Presentation of findings

Students will make a brief presentation on their paper and will field questions from the class on the topic, sources, methodology, and the conclusions.

Participation/Attendance and Weekly Summaries

Since this course meets only once a week it is essential to always be here. Missing more than 1 class period will have a serious impact on your participation grade. However, simply “showing up” is not sufficient for perfect participation grade. As a discussion oriented course participation is also graded. You are required to show up to each class period having read the material and ready to engage it in a meaningful manner.

In order to help insure that you complete the readings but also to assist you in approaching them critically, each student will be required to bring a five (5) point summary of the main arguments of that week’s readings to every class meeting. Each point need be no more than 1-2 sentences but needs to illustrate what you think are the principle foci of the readings. At least one of these points should be a critical question you have regarding the readings.

These will be turned in to the instructor at the end of class. Failure to do so will result in the deduction of 1 point from your participation grade for each summary not turned in (e.g. if you miss one week your potential participation grade will drop from 20 to 19 automatically. Keep in mind, however, this is not the only determining factor of your participation grade.) Questions will only be accepted by the instructor at the time of the class meeting (i.e. you may not turn in your card before or after class.) A separate sheet detailing what you need to look for in different readings will be forthcoming.

If you must miss class for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to obtain that day’s notes and any other pertinent information from one of your classmates. If circumstances dictate (e.g. family or medical emergency) that you must miss more than a single class, it is also your responsibility to discuss this situation with the instructor. The instructor reserves the right to request documentation for any absences over one.

Grading Distribution:

Assignment % of final grade

Seminar Participation 20

Reviews 10 (ea.)

Research Prospectus 10

Peer Edit 15

Final Paper 25

Oral Presentation 10

A standard grading scale will be in use

90%+= A; 80-89% =B; 70-79%=C; 60-69%=D; below 60%=F

Plagiarism: See attached sheet regarding academic conduct and misconduct.

Weekly topics and reading assignments

Wk 1 (Aug. 28) Intro. to Islam

Wk 2 (Sept. 4) Intro. to Islam II

Readings:

Smith, Introduction and chs. 1-3

(Optional-- Esposito, The Straight Path)

Wk 3 (Sept. 11) The earliest Muslims in America – The Atlantic slave trade

Readings:

Sylvaine Dioufe, Servants of Allah entire.

Richard Turner, Islam in the African American Experience ch. 1

“Omar bin Said: The Life and Legend” in African Muslims in Antebellum America: A Sourcebook, Allan D. Austin ed. pp. 464-68 On electronic reserve

“Mohammed Ali Ben Said’s Travels in Africa and Non-African Parts of the World” in African Muslims in Antebellum America: A Sourcebook, Allan D. Austin ed. pp pp655-89 On electronic reserve

Wk 4 (Sept. 18) Converts in America

Readings:

Turner, chs. 2-4

Ahmed I. Abu Shouk, J.O. Hunwick & R.S. O’Fahey, “A Sudanese Missionary to the United States: Sātti Mājid, `Shaykh al-Islam in North America’, and His Encounter with Noble Drew Ali, Prophet of the Moorish Science Temple Movement” in Sudanic Africa 8, 1997, pp. 137-191. On electronic reserve

Mohammad Alexander Russell Webb, “The Spirit of Islam” in Islam in North America: A Sourcebook pp. 34-41. On electronic reserve

Wk 5 (Sept. 25) W.D. Fard, Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam

Readings:

Turner, ch. 5

Gardell, “The Sun of Islam Will Rise in the West: Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam in the Latter Days” in Haddad and Smith Muslim Communities in North America

pp. 15-50 On electronic reserve

Nuruddin, “The Five Percenters: A Teenage Nation of Gods and Earths,” in Haddad and Smith Muslim Communities in North America pp. 109-132 On electronic reserve

Wk 6 (Oct. 2) “By Any Means Necessary” Malcolm X

Prospectus Due

Readings:

Haley, Autobiography of Malcolm X

Wk 7 Visit to Tempe Islamic Cultural Center (Saturday Oct. 11) no regular class meeting.

Wk 8 (Oct. 16) Immigrant stories I –

Readings:

Jane Smith, Islam in America chs. 5-8

Philip Harsham, “Arabs in America: One Arab’s Immigration” in Islam in North America: A Sourcebook pp. 74-76 On electronic reserve

Marc Ferris, “To ‘Achieve the Pleasure of Allah’: Immigrant Muslim Communities in New York City 1893-1991,” in Haddad and Smith Muslim Communities in North America pp.209-230 On electronic reserve

Wk 9 (Oct. 23) Immigrant stories II – Gender Issues

Readings:

Barbara Aswad, “Attitudes of Immigrant Women and Men in the Dearborn Area Toward Women’s Employment and Welfare” in Haddad and Smith Muslim Communities in North America pp.501-519 On electronic reserve

Film—“Under One Sky”

Wk 10 (Oct. 30) The public image –images of Muslims in the media

Readings:

Edward Said, Covering Islam,

Film: Orientalism

Wk 11 (Nov. 6) U.S. Policy and the Middle East

Readings:

McAllistar, Epic Encounters entire.

James Risen, “Secrets of History: The CIA in Iran – A Special report; How a Plot Convulsed Iran in ’53 (and in ’79)” The New York Times, Sunday April 16, 2000. On electronic reserve

Wk 12 (Nov. 13) Contemporary movements

Readings:

Gisela Webb, “Tradition and Innovation in Contemporary American Islamic Spirituality: The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship” in Muslim Communities in North America pp. 75-108. On electronic reserve

Nirzar Hamzeh and R. Hrair Dekmejian, “A Sufi Response to Political Islamism: Al-Ahbāsh of Lebanon,” in International Journal of Middle East Studies 28, 2, May 1996 pp. 217-229 On electronic reserve

Michael A. Köszegi, “The Sufi Order in the West: Sufism’s Encounter with the New Age” in Islam in North America: A Sourcebook Michael A. Köszegi and J. Gordon Melton eds. pp.211-222 On electronic reserve

Wk 13 (Nov. 20) Presentations

Wk 14 (Nov. 27) Presentations

Wk 15 (Dec. 4) Presentations

Reading Week (Dec. 11): Complete Drafts Due.

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