Notes regarding credits...

This course consists of 40 hours of instruction. However, students may earn 45 hours by attending supplemental sessions and completing additional coursework. Please check with your home university to find out whether you need 40 or 45 hours to earn course equivalents.

Note: A placement exam will be required when you arrive on site.

High Advanced

This course is designed for students who have completed or tested out of a minimum of five semesters (or seven quarters) of college-level Spanish. However, students must take a placement exam to determine the course level into which they will be able to enroll.

Description

This class will provide a basic, yet fundamental, perspective of different aspects of Spanish-Muslim relationships.

The first part of the class will be a general introduction to the basic concepts of Islam and Muslim society.

The second part of the course will include the following:
A. Extensive historical background of the Spanish-Muslim relationship
B. Current topics include:
1. The Euro-Mediterranean Conference, recently held in Barcelona
2. Immigration in Spain to the March 11th attack

The course will conclude with the analysis and discussion of several editorials that are related to the themes touched in class.

Content

I. Introduction to the religion and practice of Islam.
1. Islamic law schools. Other Islamic sources that complement Islamic law. Heterodox Islamic groups (Sunnis, Shiites).
2. General concepts of Arabic-Muslim origin.
3. Islam. Religious reform in the brink of the contemporary era.
4. Islam today.

II. Spain and the Muslim world.
1. Historical background.
2. Spain: from transition to the Iraq war.
3. Spain up to March 11th.
4. The European Union and the Islamic world.
5. Immigration and integration.
6. Spain, from perspective of the “Other”: official institutions, the media, civil society.
7. Islamic organizations in Spain
8. The Euro-Mediterranean Conference, Barcelona
9. Cultural integration projects (Fundación de las Tres Culturas, El Legado Andalusí, Universidad Euro-Árabe, etc.).
10. Alliance of civilizations

Activities

1. Analysis and discussion of Spanish editorials and media about the Islamic world.
2. Class presentation, related to the topics included in the syllabus.
3. If time permits, there will be a trip to the religious centers and sites that are most representative of the Hispanic-muslim culture of the city (mosques, Universidad Euro-Arabe headquarters, Andalusí headquarters).

Evaluation

Final exam (50%)
Presentations (20%)
Attendance, participation, classroom and homework assignments (30%)