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Islam and Politics (ISLM90008)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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July
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This subject will explore the origins of ‘political Islam’ or ‘Islamism’- a backlash against the economic, political and cultural dominance of the ‘West’. It will survey the gamut of Islamist organisations in the Middle East, South and South East Asia against the backdrop of an increasingly shrinking world. This subject begins with the study of Islamic responses to European imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It then focuses on the growth of Islamic movements and their response to contending ideologies, including secular nationalism and socialism. This subject will conclude by considering the impact of the Arab Uprisings and the rise of the Islamic State.

Intended learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this subject should:



  • have gained a critical understanding of Islamic radicalism, in its different manifestations globally, and the political and conceptual forces that extend or hamper its scope;
  • be able to place political Islam within the context of a shrinking world and offer students a nuanced appreciation of relations between the West and the Muslim world;
  • have a deeper understanding of the basic ideological tenets and historical roots of Islamic radicalism and the global context within which it has emerged;
  • have an appreciation of the diversity within Islam in relation to the above; and
  • have a deeper appreciation and improved ability to analyse the literature on Islam and politics.

Generic skills

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

  • have a deeper understanding of the basic ideological tenets and historical roots of Islamic radicalism and the global context within which it has emerged;
  • have an appreciation of the diversity within Islam in relation to the above;
  • have a deeper appreciation and improved ability to analyse the literature on Islam and politics –.. with reference to ‘..clash of civilisations’;
  • have improved oral skills by participating in seminars; and
  • have improved writing skills by producing a well-researched paper.

Last updated: 3 November 2022