Workshop and Teacher Resource on Political Islam

Teacher Workshop

Saturday, March 23, 2019 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM EDT
Off-Campus Location, Georgetown University, Intercultural Center, CCAS Boardroom

The topic of political and social engagement of Islam in post-colonial societies is
always difficult to teach in Modern World History and other courses such as Comparative
Government. This workshop will help us address some of the most pressing questions we
face in teaching. The terminology used to discuss it ranges from Islamic fundamentalism to
the more neutral “Islamism,” referring to Islam as a political ideology. This range of terms
highlights the fact that the discourse is shaped both in the West and among Muslims. Do we
refer to movements that advocate for governance based on principles of shari’ah represent
as representing a traditionalist stance? Or are they rather a thoroughly modern
phenomenon? The subject has been further clouded by the appearance of non-state actors
such as Al-Qaedah and ISIS in recent decades. Moreover, discussions about what constitutes
political Islam have been driven by popular media and US policy, which have tended to
over-emphasize the association of political Islam with violence. Most of all, these
discussions often obscure the fact that such movements are not monolithic, and play
various roles in Muslim societies.
In response to educators’ requests for more information and classroom resources to
meet the academic standards, CCAS has produced a teaching unit based on primary sources
reflecting the history of the various Islamic movements and their changing roles, in
colonized and post-colonial independent societies. This workshop will feature expert
speakers on Islamic movements, and a panel of educators will introduce the curriculum
unit, which participants will receive along with many other resources.