Università Roma Tre

The course aims at exploring the History of the Islamic world in its genesis with a special focus on it historical origin, in order to provide the students with:

a. A methodological introduction to the history of Islam and the Muslim majority countries, aiming at a critical approach, aware of the dangers of prejudices and misrepresentations. Hence, students will be introduced to the question of Orientalism, and its persistence until today, then the question of periodization of History from an Islamic viewpoint, looking in a diachronic way, at eras of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Region where Islam was born and developed in the first instance.
b. Basic elements of Islamic studies: creed, texts, pillars, umma, jihad, Law (shari'ah). Moreover, students will study the notions of: authority, Shi'a and Sunna, Caliphate and Imamate; Dhimma; Everyday Islam.
c. Outline of politico-institutional History of Islam from the Unity of the Caliphate until the fragmentation and the Ottoman Empire, highlighting the plurality of experiences of the Islamic States.
d. An Introduction to the basic themes of Modern and Contemporary History of Muslim Majority Countries, with a special focus on Middle East and North Africa.

For those attending the course:

- Lectures' Notes.
- Lorenzo Declich, Islam in 20 parole, Bari-Roma: Laterza 2016.
- Pier Giovanni Donini, Il mondo islamico. Breve storia dal Cinquecento a oggi, Bari-Roma: Economica Laterza, 2015 (o altre edizioni).
- Short articles available in pdf from https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/122G5xn30mQ13pp4l2xlMA3ShjkbQgbAR, including:
- Anna Bozzo, L’Islàm questo sconosciuto.
- EW Said, Orientalismo, “Introduzione”.
- G. Endress, Introduzione alla storia del mondo musulmano, Capp. 1-3-6.

Those non attending must read one of the following:

- Carole Hillenbrand, Islam. Una nuova introduzione storica, Torino: Einaudi, 2016.
- G. Filoramo (a cura di), Islam, Roma-Bari: Laterza, ultima edizione.

We will also consult this translation of the Qur'an:
Il Corano, traduzione e cura di A. Bausani, Milano, BUR.