Short Courses Brochure - Aga Khan University

Short coursesMediation and Arbitration in MuslimLegal PracticeCPDEngaging with Sharia: History andContemporary IssuesCPDDates Saturday, 21 May 2011Dates Saturdays, 12 and 19 November 2011LocationAKU-ISMC, LondonLocationAKU-ISMC, LondonFee£75 / £60 / £45 (full / early bird / concession)£300 (CPD)Fee£150 / £120 / £90 (full / early bird / concession)£500 (CPD)Application deadline17 May 2011 (early bird fee until 22 April)Application deadline8 November 2011 (early bird fee until 14 October)CPD points 6CPD points 12This one-day course will introduce theconflict resolution mechanisms employed bysome Muslims in resolving family disputes.In particular, the role of religious authoritywill be examined. The course will provide acritical survey of the practical ways in whichAlternative Dispute Resolution is appliedby different Muslim social institutions inthe UK. It will also discuss some challengesand potential risks following sharia courtadjudication.Participants with no prior knowledge ofMuslim legal practice will be provided withbackground reading before the course.What is sharia? How has it evolved? Should itplay any role in society? What are the key legalissues across various Muslim contexts?This thought-provoking, two-day course willbegin by exploring the historical evolutionof Muslim legal traditions, tracing theirdevelopment to the varied Sunni, Shia andKharijite approaches. It will then examinecontemporary debates surrounding the relevanceof sharia today, through an investigation ofpersonal law reforms, human rights and othertopical issues. Finally, we will consider recent,widespread demands for the application of“Islamic law”, as well as the challenges posedby sharia for Muslim communities in the West.The course will probe these issues in a reflectivecontext, informed by history and current socialand political developments.“I have been living and working in the MiddleEast and found the short course ‘Engagingwith Sharia’ immensely valuable. It helpedme understand the range of issues surroundingsharia’s civil application and political misuse inmodern contexts and provided me with a goodfoundation from which to continue directedreadings and to examine the ways sharia is oftenmisrepresented in the western media.”Robert Graham Engaging with Sharia, 201016 17