THE ISLAMIC CITY (ES3017)

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Surveys the history of urban form in the predominantly Muslim cities of the Middle East and North Africa. Students will study the relationship between urban morphology and society, practices of sacred space, and the interplay of power, belief, and architectural form. Also covered are the politics behind the forms now seen as the defining features of Islamic building and the question of the image in Islamic building. On a contemporary note, students will explore the symbolic politics of the Muslim built heritage and examine the extreme conditions facing many Middle Eastern urban populations today. Includes a Study Trip. Please note that an additional fee will be charged for this course.

Code: 
ES3017
Name: 
THE ISLAMIC CITY
Discipline: 
ES (European and Mediterranean Cultures)
Type: 
Regular
Level: 
Undergraduate
Credits: 
4
Can be taken twice for credit?: 
No
Pre-requisites: 
None
Co-requisites: 
None
Equivalencies: 
THE ISLAMIC CITY (HI3017)

Learning Outcomes

  1. Use primary sources (documents, buildings, artefacts, coins) to understand historical change as reflected in urban development.
  2. Read secondary texts relative to the development of citied life in the Middle East and North Africa.
  3. Develop knowledge of the cultural and political impact of a largely urban society.
  4. Acquire an appreciation of the evolution of historiography and an awareness of the complexities facing historians as they work on the emergence of cities in Islam
  5. Get experience in reading analytic academic material through preparation for formal written exams;
  6. Reinforce creative skills in writing or visual media through working on a personal or group project on place, space and Islam in the city.

Archived Syllabi