REL 390 Love and Ecstasy

A medieval Muslim poet wrote, “I profess the religion of love, wherever its caravan turns along the way / that is the way, the path I keep.” This course examines this “path of love,” a tradition that arose early in the history of Islam and came to influence Muslims around the world, in every period of history. The followers of this path focused – and continue to focus – on building a relationship with God based on love and sought a personal, experiential encounter with the “divine.” The course will examine the social, political, and poetic effects of love – on social protest, music, philosophy, gender, and sexuality, with a particular focus on the historical world of the Middle East and Asia.

Credits

4 sh

Course Types

Middle Eastern Studies elective, IGS-Middle East elective, Asian Studies elective, and WGSS elective

Course Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate familiarity with some major currents in Islamic philosophy and poetry.
2. Students will examine the relationship between intellectual currents and specific social formations.
3. Students will trace epistemological debates among Muslims over the correct way of knowing and worshiping God.
4. Students will analyze the impact of the forces of Modernity and Colonialism on Muslim understandings of knowledge and society.