Islam in the Contemporary West

Specialisation of: Theology and Religious Studies
Degree: MA in Theology and Religious Studies
Mode of Study: Full-time, part-time
Duration: 1 year
Start date: September, February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 60824
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In the Islam in the Contemporary West specialisation, you will be focusing on the interaction between Muslims and Islam within a minority situation in the West, and the reactions it provokes in the Western societies. You will be studying these relations from different perspectives: legal, political, theological and cultural anthropological. You will be guided in your studies by a teaching staff with extensive knowledge of this subject, both theoretical and practical.


You will for instance be given the opportunity to investigate the increasing orthodoxy among Muslims, including the development of a new branch of Islamic jurisprudence, the fiqh al-aqalliyyât. In the social and political area, you will be studying the degree of organisation of Muslims, as well as the forming of an ‘Islamic’ identity. You will also be considering the legal aspects, such as how Muslims are increasingly trying to find a way to apply parts of the Sharia, for instance the prohibition on the levying of interest and marriage law.

Programme

The programme is interdisciplinary and makes use of philology, history, and the social sciences (especially anthropology, sociology and psychology of religion). It is based on the most recent results of ongoing research into the development of Islam in the West.

Programme structure

  1. General Course
  2. Compulsory Courses
    • Interpreting Islam: contemporary ijtihad in economics and biomedical ethics;
    • Islamic Jurisprudence for Muslims in Europe: The Role of Fatwas;
    • European policies and jurisprudence concerning Muslims and Islam or Piety, Modernity, and Gender in Islam: Anthropological Perspectives.
  3. Additional Courses. The MA requires several additional courses which can be in the field of Islam, Comparative Religion, Philosophy, Sociology or Psychology.
  4. MA thesis

You will in addition be given the opportunity to present and further develop your own interests in various discussions, papers and assignments.

Good knowledge of Islam is required. A good knowledge of Arabic is welcomed.

The e-Prospectus also offers the most up to date course overview.

Prof. Maurits Berger

Maurits Berger

“The image of Islam in the contemporary Western world has become grossly distorted.”

“I have noticed that there is a keen interest in the Muslim world for issues of Islam in the contemporary Western world. The cartoons in Denmark, banning of the headscarf in public places in France, anti-Muslim films in the Netherlands, Islamic schools, and discrimination based on religion – these have all made the headlines in the Muslim world.

In my opinion, however, the image of Islam in the contemporary Western world has become grossly distorted. I often find myself explaining that one needs to first understand the context of Western societies in order to get a view of what role Islam is playing.

And vice versa, of course, for the dialectic between ‘Islam’ and the ‘West’ has effects both ways: Muslims react to how they feel treated by the societies they live in, and their fellow citizens and societies react to the changes and threats they perceive are being created by Muslims.

This interaction is what we study in our master’s programme, which combines a unique set of topics and approaches that deal with these issues. The angles we take are theological, empirical, political, legal and anthropological. For both students and professors this is an academic and intellectual challenge.

We therefore aim at the top level of ambitious (inter)national students who have a good command of English and preferably also Arabic.”

Thesis subjects

What are the thesis’s subjects?

Some recent examples of excellent thesis:

  • Ellen van der Heide, The Function of the Stepped Pools in the Late Second Temple Period (2010)
  • Dominique Bentvelsen, A Critical Edition of the Psalm of Solomon 5, with introduction (2010)
  • Marije Verkerk, Defining the Self: Religious Narratives (2010)
  • Willemijn Rinnooy Kan, Learning to believe in diversity. Religious education as a tool to reverse the decline in social capital in the Netherlands. (2010)
  • Peter Geerlings, Becoming Christian. Background and motives for Iranians in the Netherlands leaving Islam (2010)
  • Dave R. Prins, The Role of Religion and Ritual in Community. Rebuilding Post-Natural Disaster (2010)
  • Lydia C. Bakker, Perceptions of Child’s Disability in Moroccan Context: Peligious Perspectives (2010)
  • Carola Dahmen, Moving Impairments in the New Testament (2010)