| Semester | fall semester 2021 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers |
Serdar Kandil (serdar.kandil@unibas.ch)
Vivien Nürnberg (vivien.nuernberg@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | More than half a century since the arrival of the first so-called labour migrants from Turkey, the question if and how Islam and Muslims belong to Europe is debated more than ever. Public interest in the issue of migration is strongly linked to the debate on Islam, around which disputes about Europe's identity and future are being waged. At the same time, Western European countries have in various ways been in the process of incorporating their growing religious pluralisation. In this context, the heterogeneous composition of the group which has long been generically glossed as "Turks", "foreigners" or "Muslims" poses a challenge for the state, but also opens up new opportunities in its attempts to form a European Islam. An interesting case is constituted by Alevis, whose religious identity and location with regard to Islam, on the one hand, and positioning towards European societies, on the other, are negotiated in incorporation processes. This seminar will critically explore the debates and theories on the incorporation of Islam in Europe, in conjunction with recognition processes of Alevism. These are framed by a discussion on the context of structural racism (orientalism, Islamophobia) in which these developments take place. Students will also be introduced to the findings from the seminar leaders' research on the topic. Topics covered over the course of the week include: - Migration from Turkey: guestworkers, foreigners, Muslims - Public debates on minarets and headscarves - Discourses on anti-multiculturalism and "integration" - the official/legal incorporation of Islam - Alevism, its construction and institutionalisation in Europe - Islamophobia, racism, the idea of Europe |
| Learning objectives | - familiarity with political and historical processes of migration (esp. from Turkey) and religious incorporation and their conceptualisation in existing literature - ability to critically interrogate both academic and political treatment of the issue - a critical understanding of incorporation processes and the ability to place these in the context of nationalism, racism and postcolonialism - a critical understanding of the role and responsibility of academia in the study of Muslims in Europe - the ability to communicate this understanding confidently and persuasively, in written and spoken word |
| Comments | Students enrolling in this course should ideally be in an advanced stage of their bachelor degrees. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Politik, Entwicklung und soziale Ungleichheit (Bachelor's degree subject: Sociology) Modul: Themen der Nahoststudien (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | - careful preparation of the set readings - active participation during the course - 1000 - 1,500 words reflection paper at the end of the course |
| 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 Soziologie |