Contemporary Islamic Studies at University of Aberdeen

1
Contemporary Islamic Studies at University of
Aberdeen?

• Dr Gabriele Marranci
• Religious Studies

2
Dr Ataullah Siddiquis Report

• On 10th April 2007, Dr Siddiqui submitted to Bill
  Rammell MP, (Minister of State for Lifelong
  Learning, Further and Higher Education) a report
  titled Islam at University in England Meeting
  the Needs and Investigating the future.
• The report provided some material for discussion
  of what Islamic studies may be today, post
  9/11.
• The report shows the deep crisis of traditional
  Islamic Studies in the UK.

3
England

• In England we can trace at least 19 institutions
  (including Universities, Institutes, and Centres)
  offering at undergraduate and postgraduate
  level programs on Islamic Studies (see Appendix
  H).
• Some Universities have departments focusing on
  Middle East Studies, such as Cambridge, Durham
  University, The University of Leeds, The
  University of Manchester, The University of
  Nottingham, SOAS, The University of Oxford.
• Some universities have two departments focusing
  on Islamic related topics one that is more
  political and based in Politics and IR or middle
  east studies, and another in Divinity and
  Religious Studies.
• The majority of the English universities teach
  Islamic Studies within departments of Divinity
  and Religious Studies.

4
England

• The most comprehensive university offering
  courses and research in the field of Islamic
  studies is SOAS, in London.
• Islamic studies in England is very variegate, and
  with few exceptions, focused on traditional 1960s
  Middle East Studies or, in the case of Divinity
  and Religious Studies, Islamic history and
  theology (fiqh, sharia, Quranic studies).
• Recently (in particular in the aftermath of
  9/11), some new courses on Islam in Britain or
  Muslims in Britain have been developed (a
  majority at the level of MA).
• For instance University of Birmingham, SOAS.

5
Scotland

• Despite the historical connections as well as the
  actual economical links that Scotland had, and
  has, with the Muslim world, the study of Islam
  and Muslims is very much less developed.
• University of Edinburgh
• Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Edinburgh
  Institute for the Study of the Arab World and
  Islam.
• The university has other courses concerning Islam
  in different departments (such as history of Art
  and RS).
• University of Glasgow
• Theology and Religious Studies
• Centre for the Study of Islam (3 members of
  staff )

6
Scotland

• University of St Andrews
• Institute for Iranian Studies (only PG)
• Institute of Middle East, Central Asia and
  Caucasus Studies (MECACS) (only PG)
• Few courses on Islam available (UG and
  supervision) in anthropology, history and
  politics.
• University of Stirling
• School of Languages, Cultures and Religions
• 1 course (10 credits) Islam as a Way of Life

7
University of Aberdeen

• There is great potential for The University of
  Aberdeen to develop through the curriculum reform
  a unique approach to the study of Islam and
  Muslims.
• I call this approach Contemporary Islamic
  Studies.
• We cannot compete with The University of
  Edinburgh on topics such as Middle East or
  traditional Islamic studies.
• Or with the Centre for the Study of Islam for
  theological approaches.

8
Contemporary Islamic Studies

• My visit to the National Centre of Excellence for
  Islamic Studies Australia.
• Melbourne University, Griffith University,
  University of Western Sydney (UWS).
• UWS develop a new approach to the study of
  Muslims which brings together Muslims and
  non-Muslims and offers UG courses aimed to
  develop specific skills for journalists,
  politicians and so on.
• Strong focus on PG and research.

9
Contemporary Islamic Studies

• Based on a social scientific approach to Muslim
  culture and issues worldwide.
• Offering an understanding of contemporary global
  challenges.
• Global flows of ideas and knowledge.
• Economic networks and Muslims.
• Flows of people through migration.
• The global development of the Muslim diaspora.
• Global revivalism and the emergence of religious
  centres.
• Religious practice and politics.
• Global networks of reformism and Islamic
  movements.
• Muslim countries, groups and conflicts.

10
Contemporary Islamic Studies

• The aim is to develop a program, and possibly a
  centre for advanced research, which connects
  University of Aberdeen to other international
  universities (in Europe, USA, and Asia) that are
  developing similar approaches to the study of the
  Muslim world.
• Contemporary Islamic Studies can be one of those
  New Aberdeen Courses designed to introduce,
  compare and apply to specific problems.

11
What we have, what we need

• We have some members of staff within the College
  of Arts and Social Sciences with the right skills
  to start such a project.
• I have tried more than once to do so.
• Shared vision among the member of staff.
• Difficulties experienced at the level of School
  administration.
• Need to develop the project at College level.
• Need a strategic recruitment of new staff to
  support the fields of Contemporary Islamic
  Studies.
• Example in the case of a vacancy within the
  school of law, priority being given to select a
  new member of staff who can also contribute to
  courses or supervision in the field of Sharia
  law.

12
What we can miss

• We are among the first 200 universities in the
  world, aiming to be among the first 100 in
  forthcoming years.
• We are the only university which has no visible
  program (not even a minor!) concerning Islamic
  studies or the study of Muslims, despite
  validating the Al-Maktoum Institute.
• There are discussions to start a European centre
  of excellence for Islamic studies in the UK.
• As far as I know, we are not part of that
  discussion.
• By providing an extremely visible and innovative,
  but internationally appreciated, approach such as
  Contemporary Islamic Studies, we cannot only take
  part in that discussion, but possibly be among
  those universities that will lead it.