Students will be presented with a general outline of the history of Islam from the seventh century to the present day. The course also examines the development of the central institutions of Islam in the context of that history. Special attention will be paid to particular developments and institutions such as: the emergence of Islam; the Qur'an and basic Islamic teachings; Islamic Jurisprudence; and political institutions (e.g. the Caliphate), which have influenced the modern political debate in Muslim communities in the Middle East and beyond.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. critically think about the debates connected to Islam and the Muslim world and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and biases of these arguments;

2. evaluate and utilize a wide variety of sources and collections concerning the study of Islam and the Muslim world; and
3. communicate well-reasoned analysis and to engage the arguments of others, both in writing and verbally.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying remotely, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment. ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms:

written comments (mid-term essay and short response paper)

oral comments

feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus groups etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction and Overview
2	Islam & the West - Orientalism	Tutorial assessment and class presentations ongoing (Up to & including W12)
3	Early Islamic History: Foundations, Religious Traditions, and Sects
4	Muslim Empires: Territorial Expansion, Science, and Art
5	Transnational Islam & Muslims in non-Islamic Spaces
6	Political Islam/Islamism
7	Muslims in the Metaverse, Informal Islam, and Islamic Charity	Critical analysis task due (1000 words)
8	Symbols of Islam & State Narratives
9	Minorities within Islam: Non-Muslims, LGBTQI communities
10	Radicalism and Violence
11	Women in Islam and Islamic Feminism
12	The Future of Islam	Research essay due (3000 words)

Tutorial Registration

Tutorial registration will be made available to students in week one (via WATTLE)

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Tutorial participation (10%)	10 %	1,2,3
Class presentation (20%)	20 %	1,2,3
Critical analysis task (30%)	30 %	1,2,3
Research essay (40%)	40 %	1,2,3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Tutorial participation (10%)

Students are expected to participate in tutorial activities and discussions. They will be assessed on their preparedness for discussion and their contribution. The total mark will cover attendance and participation. In the case of absence, students can make up for their participation by answering tutorial questions provided online.

Assessment Task 2

Class presentation (20%)

Students are expected to prepare a presentation of 10-15 minutes during tutorials. Presentations can be given individually or as a group (of no more than 3 students). The topic must be discussed with the lecturer and should be tied to a given week's theme. Time slots for presentations will be offered through Wattle and will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Assessment Task 3

Critical analysis task (30%)

The critical analysis task for this course tests students’ ability to critically engage with the arguments of a scholarly book or primary text (a list of options will be provided by Week 2). The task will be marked against criteria that include providing a brief overview of the content and context of the text and providing a thoughtful reflection about it. The task is 1000 words and is due at midnight on the Thursday of Week 7. Please note that the word limit may be increased by 10% to accommodate the use of the Harvard, or other in-text, referencing system in which references are placed in the body of the main text.

The essay must be a reflection of a scholarly book or primary text from a reading list (provided on Wattle by Week 2).

• It will count for 30% of the total course assessment and final mark.

• The essay will be assessed against one or more of Learning Outcomes 1-3 and will be assessed on (in descending order of importance):

— Whether and how well an argument is presented;

— Factual accuracy;

— The depth and sophistication of research demonstrated, including engagement with the text in question.

— Whether academic conventions have been followed; and

— The technical quality of the piece.

Assessment Task 4

Research essay (40%)

This will relate to themes covered in the course, and will test students on Learning Outcomes 1-3 depending on the question chosen (a list of questions will be provided by Week 4). The research essay is 3000 words and is due at midnight on the Thursday of Week 12. Please note that the word limit may be increased by 10% to accommodate the use of the Harvard, or other in-text, referencing system in which references are placed in the body of the main text.

The essay must be on a topic selected from the list of essay questions (provided on Wattle by Week 7).

• It should be 3000 words in length.

• It will count for 40% of the total course assessment and final mark.

• The essay will be assessed against one or more of Learning Outcomes 1-3 and will be assessed on (in descending order of importance):

— Whether and how well an argument is presented;

— Factual accuracy;

— The depth and sophistication of research demonstrated, including engagement with the text in question.

— Whether academic conventions have been followed; and

— The technical quality of the piece.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students