ENVIRONMENTS AND SOCIETIES OF THE ISLAMICATE COUNTRIES

The course "Environments and Societies of the Islamicate Countries" is part of the Master's Degree in Environmental Humanities and contributes to the learning outcomes of the humanities field. The course focuses on the historical development of human-environment relations in Islamic countries, examining key moments in the history of these societies and their reflection on the natural world. It will analyze how different and changing environments in Islamic countries have shaped and been shaped by human activity, giving rise to original reflections on nature and the place of humans within it.

The course aims to provide students with the necessary tools to discuss a wide range of environmental issues in the history of Muslim thought and societies. This includes methodological tools for conducting independent research, familiarity with the state of the art in the field, and knowledge of key themes related to the environments covered in the course.

This is an elective course offered to students enrolled in the Master's Degree in Environmental Humanities and will be taught in English. No prior preparation is required, although optional introductory texts are recommended and listed in the bibliography.

After some introductory observations, the course will be organized into two parts. The first part will cover some macro-themes of the history of thought on the relationship with the environment in the Islamic context up to the present day, including nature, the place of humanity in creation, Islamic environmental law, and the relationship with animals.
The second part will focus on some geographical, social, and political areas: North Africa, Egypt, Iraq and the Syrian-Lebanese regions, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and Central Asia. For each of these areas, some selected themes of environmental history related to specific modes of human-environment relationship in the Islamic past (oasis cities, pastoral nomadism, colonialism, etc.) and today (Eco-cities, ecocides, activism, etc.) will be addressed, providing an overview of the current context in terms of policies, activism, and cultural aspects.

Introductory Readings:
It is recommended to read one of these three texts to have a basic introduction to the history, institutions, and thought in the Islamic context. The reading is optional and will not be subject to examination. The three texts will be presented in detail in the first lesson.
• Esposito J. L. (2016). Islam: the Straight Path (Fifth edition). Oxford University Press. (general introduction)
• Murata S. & Chittick W. C. (2008/1994). The vision of Islam. I.B. Tauris. (more detailed introduction to doctrine and thought)
• Vercellin G. (1996/1995). Istituzioni del mondo musulmano. Einaudi. (also available in Spanish as Instituciones del mundo musulmán)
• Tottoli, R. (2021). Islam: An advanced introduction Routledge. (Recommended for those who already have a background in religious studies or knowledge of Islamic history and doctrine)
Materials:
Additional materials for each topic covered in class will be made available on Moodle. The materials will be discussed with the class at the beginning of each lesson and will be the subject of examination.

The final exam will consist of a 20-30 minute discussion on the course's topics. A list of six readings, chosen from those indicated during the course and made available on Moodle, must be communicated before the exam. The exam will mainly focus on these readings and, to a lesser extent, on one of the topics discussed in class.

oral

The evaluation criteria are, equally: the understanding of the selected texts, the ability to connect them with each other or within a broader discussion, and the ability to provide a personal interpretation of the chosen themes. The accuracy of the pronunciation of technical terms or names is not taken into consideration.

Conventional classroom lectures, class discussions.

Non-attending students are invited to contact the teacher in advance

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development