Department of History Winter 2022
History 497 Peace and Peace Movements in Islam
Instructor: Juan Cole
Office hrs. 2:30-3:30 Mondays by Zoom
U-M uniquename: jrcole
Course Description:
Peace has been a central concept in Islam from its inception, addressed extensively in the Qur'an and the sayings and doings of the Prophet. Throughout Islamic history, philosophies of peace and conflict resolution have been important parts of this tradition. As in the Bible and in Judaism and Christianity, peace thought and practices have co-existed with ideas about war. With regard to the study of Islam, however, academic scholarship has been one-sided in concentrating on war. This course attempts to address this imbalance through a series of case studies. It surveys ideas of peace the late antique world, in the Qur'an and early Islam, and in medieval Sufism. The course then addresses the age of European empire and Muslim peace movements, from Gandhism to Senegalese Muridism. It concludes by looking at modern Muslim conflict resolution and youth movements. This course will be based on class attendance and participation and participation in a weekly written Discussion at Canvas, which are mandatory, and a research term paper.
Readings
Books at Barnes and Nobles
Juan Cole, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires (New York: Bold Type Books, 2018)
Fred M. Donner, Muhammad and the Believers (Cambridge, MA: Beklknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2010).
Amitabh Pal, "Islam Means Peace": Sources of the Muslim Principle of Islamic Nonviolence Today (Santa Barbara, Ca.: Praeger, 2011)
David Whitten Smith and Elizabeth Geraldine Burr, Understanding World Religions: A Road Map for Justice and Peace (London: Rowman and Littlefield, 2014, 2nd Edition
Jan. 5 Orientation: Peace History
Jan. 12 Peace History and Late Antiquity
Peter van den Dungen, Lawrence S. Wittner, " Peace History: An Introduction," Journal of Peace Research Vol. 40, Issue 4. Date: 20030701 Pages: 363-375.
Smith & Burr, ch. 4, "Christian Worldviews" and Ch. 12, "Just War Theory"
Thomas Renna, The idea of peace in the West, 500-1150," Journal of Medieval History Vol. 6, Issue 2. Date: 1980 Pages: 143-167.
Jan 19 Muhammad at Mecca
Cole, Muhammad, chaps. 1-3
Clive Foss, " The Persians in the Roman Near East (602-630 AD)" Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Third Series, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Jul., 2003), pp. 149-170 .
Jan. 26 Muhammad at Medina
Cole, Muhammad, chaps 4-7
Uzma Rehman, " Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking in Islam: Toward Reconciliation and Complementarity between Western and Muslim Approaches" Islamic Studies Vol. 50, Issue 1. Date: 03/31/2011 Pages: 55-69.
Feb. 2 War and Peace and the Commanders of the Faithful
Cole, Muhammad, Conclusion
Donner, Muhammad & Believers, pp. 144-154
Pal, ch. 2
Daniel J. Sahas, "The Face To Face Encounter Between Patriarch Sophronius Of Jerusalem And The Caliph ῾Umar Ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb: Friends Or Foes?" The Encounter of Eastern Christianity with Early Islam Vol. 5 (2007): 33-44.
Feb. 9 The Umayyad Empire as Multicultural
Donner, Muhammad & Believers, pp. 155-226
John bar Penkaye (d. 690), Summary of World History
Alan M Guenther, " The Christian experience and interpretation of the early Muslilm conquest and rule" Islam & Christian Muslim Relations Vol. 10, Issue 3. Date: 10/01/1999
Feb. 16 Sufism and Harmony
"Persian Literature," Britannica Online.
Pal, "The Sufis," ch. 4
Juan Cole, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and Muslim secularism," Studies in People's History 3, 2 (Dec 2016):138-150.
"Rumi," Britannica Online.
William Chittick, "The Pluralistic Vision of Persian Sufi Poetry," Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations Vol. 14, Issue 4. Date: 2003 Pages: 423-428.
Iranian Poetry 'Bani Adam'
Cyrus Masroori, "An Islamic Language of Toleration: Rumi's Criticism of Religious Persecution," Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 63, No. 2 (JUNE 2010), pp. 243-256
Ahmad Jalali, " Jalaluddin Rumi's religious understanding: A prelude to dialogue in the realm of religious thought" Diogenes Vol. 50, Issue 4. Date: 2003 Pages: 127-134.
Coleman Barks, "Rumi's Poetry: 'All Religions, All This Singing, One Song'"
Ralph Pettman, "In pursuit of world peace: modernism, sacralism and cosmopiety," Global Change, Peace & Security Vol. 22, Issue 2. Date: 6/1/2010 Pages: 197-212.
Feb. 23 Akbar and the Most Great Peace
Fisher, "Mughal Empire" in Canvas under Files.
Rajeev Kinra, "Handling Diversity with Absolute Civility: The Global Historical Legacy of Mughal Sulh-i Kull," The Medieval History Journal Vol. 16, Issue 2. Date: 10/2013 Pages: 251-295.
Smith & Burr, ch. 1 on Hinduism
Parvenu Babli, " The Eclectic Spirit of Sufism in India: An Appraisal" Social Scientist Vol. 42, No. 11/12 (November-December 2014), pp. 39-46
"Jainism," Britannica Online.
Audrey Truschke, "Dangerous Debates: Jain responses to theological challenges at the Mughal court," Modern Asian Studies Vol. 49, Issue 5. Date: 2015-09-07 Pages: 1311-1344.
Mar. 2 Spring Break
Mar. 9 Anti-Imperialism and 20th Century Active Nonviolence
Smith and Burr, Ch. 11
Maria J. Stephan and Erica Chenoweth, " Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict" International Security Vol. 33, Issue 1. Date: 2008 Pages: 7-44.
Hoda M. Zaki, " From Montgomery to Tahrir Square: The Transnational Journeys of Nonviolence and Utopia" Utopian Studies Vol. 26, Issue 1. Date: 2015 Pages: 203-219.
August H. Nimitz, " Violence and/or Nonviolence in the Success of the Civil Rights Movement: The Malcolm X-Martin Luther King, Jr. Nexus" New Political Science Vol. 38, Issue 1. Date: 20/16/1/2/ Pages: 1-22.
Mar. 16 Sufism in Senegal
Bisma Shahbaz, " Peace Profile: Amadu Bamba and Nonviolence," Peace Review Vol. 28, Issue 4. Date: 10/1/2016 Pages: 508-515.
David Robinson, "Beyond Resistance and Collaboration: Amadu Bamba and the Murids of Senegal," Journal of Religion in Africa Vol. 21, Fasc. 2 (May, 1991), pp. 149-171
Cheikh Anta Babou, "Contesting Space, Shaping Places: Making Room for the Muridiyya in Colonial Senegal, 1912-45," The Journal of African History Vol. 46, Issue 3. Date: 20051101 Pages: 405-426.
Allen F. Roberts and Mary Nooter Roberts, "A Saint in the City Sufi Arts of Urban Senegal," African Arts Vol. 35, No. 4 (Winter, 2002), pp. 52-73+93-96
Beth Buggenhagen, "Fashioning Piety: Women's Dress, Money, and Faith among Senegalese Muslims in New York City" City and Society Volume24, Issue 1 (2012): 84-104.
Eric Ross, "Globalising Touba: Expatriate Disciples in the World City Network," Urban Studies Vol. 48, Issue 14. Date: 02/09/2011 Pages: 2929-2952.
Mar. 23 Gandhi and the Muslims
Lester Kurtz, "The Indian Independence Struggle (1930-1931)" (v. brief overview)
Maria J. Stephan and Erica Chenoweth, " Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict" International Security Vol. 33, Issue 1. Date: 2008 Pages: 7-44.
Smith & Burr, Ch. 11
James L. Rowell, "Abdul Ghaffar Khan: An Islamic Gandhi," Political Theology Vol. 10, Issue 4. Date: 20091211 Pages: 591-606.
S. Bala, " Waging nonviolence: reflections on the history writing of the Pashtun nonviolent movement Khudai Khidmatgar" Peace and Change Vol. 38, Issue 2. Date: 03/23/2013 Pages: 131-154.
Pal, ch. 7
Suman Bharti, Living Patriotism: The Experience of 'Freedom' among the Muslim Women of Colonial Punjab," Pakistan Journal of Women's Studies Vol. 21, Issue 2. Date: 20140701 Pages: 1-25.
Ralph Russell, "The Islam of Urdu Poetry" Midweek Review, April 17, 2004
Mar. 30 Muslims vs. Apartheid in South Africa
Willie J. Harrell, Jr., "'We Shall Crush Apartheid': Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and the Rhetoric of the South African Anti-Apartheid Jeremiad" Ethnicity and Race in a Changing World: A Review Journal Vol. 1, Issue 1. Date: 01/01/2009 Pages: 13-27.
Farid Esack, " Three Islamic Strands in the South African Struggle for Justice" Third World Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 2, Islam & Politics (Apr., 1988), pp. 473-498.
Gerrie Lubbe, "The Soweto Fatwa: A Muslim response to a watershed event in South Africa" Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs Vol. 17, Issue 2. Date: 01/01/1997 Pages: 335-343.
Muhammad Haron, "Christian-Muslim Relations in South Africa (circa 1986-2004): Charting Out a Pluralist Path" Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations Vol. 18, Issue 2. Date: 04/2007 Pages: 257-273.
Na'eem Jeenah, "The national liberation struggle and Islamic feminisms in South Africa," Women's Studies International Forum Vol. 29, Issue 1. Date: 2006 Pages: 27-41.
Apr. 6 Tahrir Square
Jason Brownlee, A New Generation of Autocracy in Egypt," The Brown Journal of World Affairs Vol. 14, No. 1 (FALL / WINTER 2007), pp. 73-85
Hoda M. Zaki, " From Montgomery to Tahrir Square: The Transnational Journeys of Nonviolence and Utopia" Utopian Studies Vol. 26, Issue 1. Date: 2015 Pages: 203-219.
Jade Batstone, "The Use of Strategic Nonviolent Action in the Arab Spring" Peace Review Vol. 26, Issue 1. Date: 01/2014 Pages: 28-37.
Juan Cole, " Egypt's New Left versus the Military Junta" Social Research Vol. 79, Issue 2. Date: 2012 Pages: 487-510.
Maryam Ahmad and James Deshaw Rae, "Women, Islam, and Peacemaking in the Arab Spring," Peace Review Vol. 27, Issue 3. Date: 07/03/2015 Pages: 312-319.
Pal, ch. 9
David Thomas, " Islam and Conflict Resolution: Theories and practices" Islam & Christian Muslim Relations Vol. 11, Issue 2. Date: 07/01/2000
Apr 13 Concluding Discussion
Academic Integrity Policy: History 231 follows the academic integrity guidelines set forth by the College of LSA Academic Integrity site. Students should familiarize themselves with this document, which explains the standards of academic integrity and clarifies the prohibited forms of academic misconduct. Students in History 231 should utilize the Chicago Manual of Style Online [or alternative guides] for all issues of source citation, along with any specific guidelines provided in the course assignments. Clarifying the disciplinary standards of research ethics and source citation is part of the educational mission of this course, and students should consult the faculty instructor and/or GSI regarding any questions. The penalties for deliberate cases of plagiarism and/or other forms of academic misconduct are failing the course. Cases that the instructor judges to be particularly serious, or those in which the student contests the charge of academic misconduct, will be handled by the office of the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education. All cases of deliberate academic misconduct that result in formal sanctions of any kind will be reported to the dean's office, as required by LSA policy, which also ensures due process rights of appeal for students.