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Middle Eastern Wars: Jihad & Resistance (HIST90027)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2024

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Overview

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The basic meaning of the word Jihad is 'effort', one to achieve a positive goal. The effort can be personal and spiritual, to achieve piety and moral integrity, or collective and physical participation in warfare to protect or advance a moral and Islamic society. This subject studies the second of those manifestations, but with a vital awareness of the importance of the first. It explores the religious political and social context of warfare in the Middle East and North Africa between the local population and various European and 'western' enemies, and in particular the ways in which wars were conducted. Using primary sources, it will examine concepts of honour and sacrifice, warfare and the notion of 'just' war. It will begin with a background in the early Islamic period, but concentrating on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in order to examine concepts of pre-colonial resistance, wars of liberation and the clash of civilisations that is proposed to explain present-day conflict. Students will be asked to place the primary sources in a contemporary theoretical perspective and so develop an understanding of the ways in which warfare between Muslims and Europeans has changed during the colonial and postcolonial periods.

Intended learning outcomes

Students who complete this subject should be able to:



  • understand the relationships between religious and political motivation in military conflict;
  • identify the influences of culture, political organisation and geographic and economic circumstances on the form of conflict; and
  • understand the relationship between theory based in a received conception of the past and practice.

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Admission into or selection of one of the following:

  • History specialisation (formal) in the GD-ARTS Graduate Diploma in Arts
  • History specialisation (formal) in the GDA-ARTS Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced)
  • History specialisation (formal) in the GCA-ARTS Graduate Certificate in Arts (Advanced)

OR

Fourth-year Honours in History (or in a relevant program)

OR

A relevant coursework Masters program

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

A class paper

  • 2000 words
During the teaching period40%

A research essay

  • 3000 words
During the examination period60%
Hurdle requirement: 1. Attendance hurdle requirement: This subject has a minimum requirement of 80% attendance at tutorials, seminars, or workshops. Throughout the teaching periodN/A
Hurdle requirement: 2. Late Penalty and Assessment hurdle requirement: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at five per cent (5%) of the possible marks available for the assessment task per day or part thereof. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass the subject. Each submitted assessment must be complete, constitute a genuine attempt to address the requirements of the task and will not be accepted after 20 University business days from the original assessment due date without written approval. Throughout the semesterN/A

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Dates & times

Not available in 2024

Time commitment details

170 hours

What do these dates mean

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Last updated: 31 January 2024

Further information

Last updated: 31 January 2024