Short Courses Brochure - Aga Khan University

Short coursesGender and Identity in Muslim ContextsDate Saturday, 5 November 2011LocationSOAS, LondonFee£75 / £60 / £45 (full / early bird / concession)Application deadline 1 November 2011 (early bird fee until 7 October)Muslim Family Law: Theories and PracticesDates Saturday, 5 March 2011LocationFeeApplication deadlineAKU-ISMC, London£75 / £60 / £45 (full / early bird / concession)£300 (CPD)1 March 2011 (early bird fee until 4 February)CPDChallenging stereotypical understandings ofgender roles in Muslim societies, this one-daycourse will highlight the multiple and changingconstructs of these roles and identities bothhistorically and in contemporary contexts.We will consider the entanglements of colonial,national and transnational projects andmovements at different historical moments,which have shaped Muslims and imposed rolesand expectations on them. Specific case studieswill allow us to identify and assess socioeconomic,religious and political circumstancesthat inform gender roles and relations.We will explore a range of topics, such asIslamic feminism, conflict and war, marriage,family law and sexuality, from the Middle Eastto North America. We will also examine thecomplex ways in which religion can be usedboth to restrict women’s roles and to serve as atool for empowerment and independence. Wewill look at ways that Muslims have reacted togender hierarchies: transgressing, reproducingor challenging them, through engagement inscholarship, activism and the creative arts.The course will be taught through acombination of lectures, films and groupdiscussions. It is offered jointly by AKU-ISMCand the Centre for Gender Studies, School ofOriental and African Studies.“It was an honour to be part of such an inspiringcourse that featured world-renowned scholars. Itwas engaging, thought-provoking and an overallworthwhile experience. I highly recommend thiscourse to future students.”Tara Sadooghi Gender and Identity inMuslim Contexts, 2010CPD points 6This one-day course will introduce variousaspects of family law in Muslim legal thought.Family law covers areas of marriage, divorce,inheritance and custody, and has beencentral to Muslim societies. The course willconsider basic terms associated with Islamiclegal traditions and situate them withintheir historical contexts. It will also examinelegal notions regarding spousal and parentalrelationships; explore issues surroundingproperty rights; analyse selected cases of lawreform across the Muslim world; and surveycase studies of Muslim family law, withparticular attention to the practices of Muslimminority groups in Western countries.The course does not require any priorknowledge of Muslim history or its legaltraditions.14 15