CEUS U394 0673 DeWeese

Islam in the Soviet Union and Successor States

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About the Instructor

This course will survey the historical background and contemporary status of Islam and nationalities of Islamic heritage in countries that were until recently part of the USSR, with an emphasis upon the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. The focus will be on understanding the distinctive pressures experienced and exerted by Islam, as a religion and as a social and cultural system, in the Soviet context, with attention to patterns of religious life and their adaptations in the Soviet era.

Readings: Required readings will be made available in class or on reserve at the Main Library.

Requirements: For undergraduates, two exams (midterm and final), given on the dates listed in the course outline, and one brief (5 pages) book review, will count equally toward the final grade. Graduate students will take both exams, but will write, instead of the book review, a paper (20-25 pages) based on outside readings and research, on a topic to be determined in consultation with the instructor.

Days and Time: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:15-12:30.