REL 363 - Islam in America

Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR (students beginning prior to Fall 2024): Meets general academic requirements HU and DE.
Meets Explore Core requirement (students beginning Fall 2024 and later): MV and RP
Meets requirement: W
American Muslims come from a wide diversity of backgrounds and cultures, most of which have historically been marginalized. From enslaved people brought to America against their will to immigrants from South Asia seeking a better life to African Americans joining Nation of Islam to Ilhan Omar insisting on her right to wear a hijab in the US House of Representatives, Muslims have and continue to be an essential part of American life. In this course we will explore the historical contexts and current realities of Muslim communities in the United States. Questions to consider will include: How have traditional Islamic and Muslim doctrines and practices converged with American ideals of pluralism and secularism? Is there a distinctive “American Islam”? How have Muslim cultures and Islam enriched and transformed the broader American culture?