The study of Muslims in South Asia—in India, but also in Bangladesh and Pakistan—is crucial for understanding contemporary Islam in our global world. South Asian Muslims are also active in the Arabian Gulf region and in Western Europe and North America, especially in the UK. In this course, we take “Islam in South Asia” as a case study for examining both Global Islam and religion and modernity more broadly. Our key questions include: How have Muslims in South Asia grappled with colonialism, the rise of science and technology, secular liberalism and globalization, and environmental as well as planetary issues? How have Muslims navigated the question of religious pluralism? What are the specific challenges facing South Asian Muslims in terms of gender equality and sexual liberation? The course readings shed ample light on these questions and will also facilitate discussions of numerous Muslim spaces and institutions in South Asia. The course also highlights cultural and aesthetic dimensions of South Asian Islam in addition to theology, jurisprudence, and Sufism.
Find out more about this course and others offered through the UF Department of Religion HERE