The International Studies Seminar is the capstone class for International Studies Minors. Its purpose, as a capstone, is to synthesize study skills and knowledge about international studies that students have learned during their college careers. Since the capstone has a seminar format, there will not be any lectures. Instead, students will learn by discussing reading assignments, on-campus speeches, and movies with each other and their professors. THE CLASS WILL ONLY BE AS GOOD AS THE STUDENTS. YOU HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL ON-CAMPUS EVENTS, READ AND ANALYZE ALL ASSIGNED BOOKS AND ARTICLES, AND COME TO CLASS PREPARED TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION.
The unifying theme of the course is an investigation of state, identity, and modernity in Middle East and South Asia. To provide background, the course begins with an introduction to cross-cultural understanding and the early history of Islam. Using this background, we will try to understand how this religion has adapted to the modern world. One topic will be Islamic identity as it has collided with other identities in the region of South Asia. This discussion provides background to the movie Bombay. The next issue taken up will be how Islam has and will continue to adapt to the global movement for democracy. Many argue that Islam is a faith that cannot incorporate a democratic mode of governance, while Islamic reformers are finding rich evidence that it can!
The class will be “capped off” with a research project on your area of interest in international studies.
1. Complete assigned readings, attend on-campus events, and participate in class discussion (25%, Botteron and Skaff).
2. Write 1 critique of John Esposito’s book and talk (20%, Skaff)
3. Write a reflective paper on your experiences as an International Studies Minor (5%, Skaff)
4. Write a long research paper (40%, Skaff)
5. Give a 5-10 minute research presentation to the class (10%, Botteron)
1. The class participation grade will be based on attendance and contribution to discussions. You will receive a grade for each class session. Numerical grades will be awarded according to the following standards:
90-100 Student demonstrates understanding of readings or on-campus events by making thoughtful and insightful comments.
80-89 Student shows that he/she has completed reading assignments or attended on-campus events.
70-79 Student participates in discussion without giving evidence of having understood the reading or on-campus event.
60-69 Student attends class without speaking.
0 Student has an unexcused absence or sleeps in class.
2. Absences will not be excused unless you can document a serious illness, family emergency, varsity athletic event, military duty, or religious observance. Those who were sick must give me a doctor’s note. Since Etter Health Center does not issue written excuses, those who have been to Etter should send a note or email permitting me to call the health center to confirm the illness. For a family emergency, I require a phone call from a parent or guardian or a death notice. Athletes should provide a note from a coach. Military duty requires notification from the Dean’s office. The university’s policy on religious observances is the following: “At the beginning of each academic session (fall, spring, summer), the student will be required (in writing) to provide his/her faculty with the dates of scheduled religious observances.”
3. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. According to the Undergraduate Catalog, plagiarism is the “unacknowledged use of another writer’s own words or specific facts or propositions or materials in your own writing.” (p. 49) When you write a paper always enclose another author’s words within quotation marks and cite the source. Cases of plagiarism will be dealt with according to the policies described in the catalog (pp. 48-50). Flagrant cases will result in a grade of “F” for the course. To prevent plagiarism, all papers must be submitted electronically to Turnitin.com.
4. Letter grades used in the Shippensburg University grading system will be assigned to the following numerical scores:A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 70-76
D 60-69
F Below 60
Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures. Yarmouth, ME: Nicholas Brealey/Intercultural Press, 2001.
Tucker, Judith. Gender and Islamic History. Washington: American Historical Association, 1994.
Bacchetta, Paola. “Sacred Space in Conflict in India: The Babri Masjid Affair.” Growth & Change. Spring2000, Vol. 31 Issue 2: 255-85.
Demerath, N. J. “The Pitfalls of Pluralism: Talibanization and Saffronization of India.” Harvard International Review. Winter 2004: 16-19.
Kakar, Sudhir. “THE TIME OF KALI: VIOLENCE BETWEEN RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN INDIA.” Social Research. Fall 2000, Vol. 67, Issue 3.
Rubin, Barnett R. “Road to Ruin: Afghanistan's Booming Opium Industry.”
Wirsing, Robert G. and Debolina Mukherjee. “The saffron surge in Indian politics: Hindu nationalism and the future of secularism.” Asian Affairs: An American Review. Fall95, Vol. 22 Issue 3: 181-207.
Th 9/2: Introductions (Botteron and Skaff)
Th 9/9: Cross-cultural Understanding (Botteron and Skaff)
Reading: Storti, pp. 1-115
Research Paper Assigned
Th 9/16: Early Islamic History and Religion (Skaff)
Reading: Esposito, pp. 1-67
Th 9/23: Islam and Identity Politics in South Asia (Botteron)
Reading: To be announced.
Research Proposal Due: oral presentation and hard copy
T 9/28: Special Event: John Esposito, “What Everybody Needs to Know about Islam,”
Memorial Auditorium, 7:30 pm
Th 9/30: Discussion of John Esposito’s Talk (Skaff)
Reading: Esposito, pp. 68-157
Critique paper assigned
Th 10/7: Judith Tucker Talk (Botteron)
Th 10/14: Film: The Closed Doors (Botteron)
Critique paper due
Th 10/21: Film: Bombay (Botteron)
Th 10/28: Film: Promises (Skaff)
Th 11/4: Film: Kandahar (Skaff)
Reading: Rubin, "Road to Ruin"
Th 11/11 (7-9:30 pm): Film in Orndorff Theater: Control Room (Skaff)
Th 11/18: Contemporary Islam and Terrorism (Skaff)
Reading: Esposito, pp. 158-252
Reflective Paper Assigned
Research Update Due: oral presentation and hard copy
Th 11/25 THANKSGIVING BREAK
Th 12/2: International Job Searches (Dan Hylton of Career Development)
Islam from the Perspective of International Studies: Islam and Democracy (Botteron)
Reading: To be announced.
Reflective Paper Due
Th 12/9: Research Presentations (Botteron and Skaff)
Th 12/16: Research paper due at 6:30 at DHC 221 (Skaff)