ENG 300 15 - Britainistan: Literacy and Religious Narratives of British Muslims

(1.0 unit)

This course will explore the experiences of the nearly three million Muslims who live in contemporary Britain through the lenses of religion and literature. During the course of the semester we will trace a series of issue that are religious, literary, and - where the two converge - cultural. We will address some of the salient issues that Muslim Britons navigate, including conflicting ideas of tradition and modernity, negotiating gender roles and norms as promoted by religion and cultural expectations, sexuality, and critiques of Islam from within the community. Students will learn about the role of Muslim writers in Britain’s rich literary tradition as they read about the religious and cultural complexities of belonging to a visible minority, religion, and cultures that have often faced hostility in Britain. Also listed as: REL 300 15 . (Group III) Diversity