The course explores the non-Islamic or %E2%80%98minority%E2%80%99 religions of the Middle East and their relations with Islam. It investigates how Islam classifies the various %E2%80%98minority%E2%80%99 religions it has encountered. To do so, it discusses the %E2%80%98Covenant of %E2%80%98Umar%E2%80%99 which set the framework for how non-Muslim communities were to be accommodated within Islam. In part, this was a practical and pragmatic response, since these formed the bulk of the population of the Middle East until the eighth century. The classification of the %E2%80%98minority%E2%80%99 religions was governed by the principle of whether a religion was deemed to be ahl-al-kitab (Peoples of the Book). By virtue of sharing the same lineage of patriarchal fathers as Islam, the %E2%80%98Abrahamic%E2%80%99 religions, notably Judaism and Christianity, were considered to be ahl-al-kitab and were thus considered to be dhimmi or %E2%80%98protected%E2%80%99, a status which allowed them certain social rights. The privileges that were given to Christians and Jews were not automatically extended to other religious communities in the Middle East. Zoroastrians and Mandaeans were not always considered to be dhimmi; ambiguities surrounding their status have not been resolved, but are still undergoing debate today. Other religious communities, such as the Alevis, Druzes, Baha%E2%80%99is and Yezidis, which are offshoots of Islam, are explicitly denied the status of dhimmi. Since Mohammed is deemed to be the final messenger of God, these Islamic %E2%80%98interpretations%E2%80%99 are considered to be heretical and hence fall beyond protection, as seen by ISIS%E2%80%99 recent treatment of Yezidis in northern Iraq. Each of the %E2%80%98minority%E2%80%99 religions will form a module, wherein the attributes of faith [ritual and belief] are identified and their current socio-political situation is investigated.

Course leader
Dr Erica Hunter

Target group
Current students, professionals + leisure learners

Course aim
On successful completion of the course, a student should be able to demonstrate the ability to: Understand the historic topography of 'non-Muslim' faiths and its application in the Middle East todayAssess the relationship between Islam, and the various non-Muslim communities of the Middle East, and the various ways in which this is manifestedRealise issues pertaining to 'minority' religions in the Middle East that have emerged in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: with the rise of the Islamic Republic of Iran and ISIS

Credits info
7.5 ECTS Please note that summer courses are not accredited by SOAS.Students are usually able to obtain credits from their home institution and typically our courses receive 3 credits in the US system and 7.5 ECTS in the European system. If you intend to claim credits from your home institution, please check the requirements with them before you enrol. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can, however please be aware that the decision to award credits rests with your home institution.Assessment will be optional and will vary for each course. Participants will be provided with a certificate of attendance and transcripts will be available on request.

Fee info
GBP 1400: TuitionA tuition fee of 1400 will be charged per 3-week programme. This figure does not include accommodation fees.Application feeA one-off, non-refundable application fee of 60 will be charged to cover administration costs. Please visit the SOAS online store to make your application fee payment.DiscountsAn early bird discount of 10% is available if fees are paid by 31 March 2015.15% discount for SOAS Alumni.20% discount for current SOAS students.Other discounts are available for partner institutions and groups, please contact us for further information.



Scholarships
SOAS, University of London offers a limited number of scholarships for participation in academic courses which are part of sessions 2 and 3 of the SOAS Academic Summer School 2015 programme. These scholarships are in the form of partial fee waivers to cur

SOAS, University of London
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City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.soas.ac.uk/summerschool/subjects/
E-mail: summerschool@soas.ac.uk
Phone: +44 2078984205