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79226-01 - Seminar: The Venture of Islam: Great Narratives on the Formative Period of Islam (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Maurus Reinkowski (maurus.reinkowski@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | During the formative period of Islam (roughly the first four centuries following the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632), not only did the Islamic sphere of influence expand dramatically (from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Asia), but the defining normative and intellectual traditions within the Islamic world were also developed and codified. In contrast to earlier idiosyncratic attempts at explanation, such as those by Marshall Hodgson in “The Venture of Islam” (Volume 1, 1975) or Patricia Crone & Michael Cook in "Hagarism. The Making of the Islamic World" (1977) -- who were rather isolated in the academic landscape -- a broad body of literature on fundamental interpretations of the early Islamic world has now developed, which we will read excerpts from and discuss comparatively. |
| Learning objectives | Students will -- have acquired a basic understanding of the earliest period of Islam; -- be familiar with the main points of the relevant literature; -- be able to identify and contextualize fundamental interpretive approaches to the early history of Islam. |
| Bibliography | Will be announced well in advance of the seminar's start. |
| Comments | Maximum number of participants: 20 students. |
| Admission requirements | Very good reading skills in English texts and ability to participate in academic exchange in English. |
| Course application | Register: Required; Withdraw: Required. |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 10.15-12.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Sitzungsraum S 181 |
Dates
| Modules |
Modul: Antike / monotheistische / aussereuropäische Religionen (Bachelor's degree subject: Study of Religion) Modul: Religion, Narration und Medien (Master's degree subject: Science of Religion) Modul: Spezialisierung «Geschichte und Polititsche Bildung» (Master's Studies: Subject-Specific Teaching and Learning) Modul: Transfer: Europa interdisziplinär (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Module: Advanced Near & Middle Eastern Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Module: Extension Social Sciences (Master's degree subject: Political Science – Inequality, Power, Conflict) Module: Extension Social Sciences BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Module: Foundational Texts: Exegetical and Hermeneutical Perspectives (Master's Studies: Interreligious Studies) Module: Topics in Near & Middle Eastern Studies (Master's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Wahlbereich Master Geschichte: Empfehlungen (Master's degree subject: History) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | -- Regular attendance and thorough preparation of the texts to be read together; -- giving a presentation during the semester. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |