2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Area Studies: Middle East and Africa
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Fuga Kimura
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.A504
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In the first half of the quarter, this course aims to provide an understanding of the basic religious and political ideology of Muslims, who are expected to reach 2.2 billion people (26.4% of the world's total population) by 2030, and in the second half of the quarter to understand the diversity of the Middle Eastern and Islamic world, which stretches from Southeast Asia to North Africa, with a focus on the Middle East, from the perspectives of sects, ethnic groups, and regional history.
Course description and aims
(1) To be able to gain a deeper historical understanding of the religious thought of the majority sect of Islam (Sunni sect) through comparison with the existence of other sects, based on knowledge of the religious thought learned in high school world history and ethics classes.
(2) To be able to roughly understand how the diversity of doctrines and sects has influenced differences in religious practice, political ideology, and social structure in contemporary Muslim countries.
(3) To be able to take into consideration the origins and sect of each Muslim person when dealing with them coming to Japan for work, study, etc.
Keywords
Islam, Middle East, immigrant society, multicultural exchange, inbound tourism
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The course will be based on a lecture format using slides, but will also incorporate small group work. In group work, students will discuss a topic set by the instructor and share their findings with the class. In addition, small assignments will be given in class to check students' progress, and extracurricular activities such as field trips to Islamic temples in Tokyo will be organized for students who wish to do so.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Guidance and review of Islamic basics | Reviewing the explanations of Islam in high school world history and ethics classes. |
| Class 2 | Historical Background of Islam: Monotheistic Tradition and Arab Society | Comparing Islam with other religions from a comparative religious perspective. |
| Class 3 | Fundamentals of Islamic Theology and Jurisprudence: Towards a Deeper Understanding of the Six Beliefs and Five Principles | Understanding the differences between Islamic sects and academic structures. |
| Class 4 | Where is the "Middle East"? Rethinking the Concept of the Middle East | Understanding that the geographical concept of the "Middle East" is an analytical concept that was born from a Western-centric worldview in the modern era. |
| Class 5 | The Spread of the Modern Islamicate World: Beyond the Middle East | Comparing and understanding the history and differences of sects and cultures in Muslim-majority countries. |
| Class 6 | Considerations of Muslim Minority Societies: Immigrants, Refugees, and Tourism in Japan and the West | Identifying issues regarding coexistence with Muslims in Europe, the United States, Japan, and other countries where the number of immigrants, refugees, tourists, and labor forces is expected to increase in the future. |
| Class 7 | Review of learning so far and exam | After the exam, students will refer to the sample answers provided and compare them with their own answers for review. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
In order to maximize your learning, students should refer to the relevant sections of the materials distributed in class and reference materials related to each topic introduced in each class, and aim to spend approximately 100 minutes each preparing for and reviewing the class content (including assignments).
Textbook(s)
No textbooks are prescribed as reference materials will be distributed in each class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
References related to each topic will be introduced in each class.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Grading will be based on the results of the final report (60%) and the "small assignment" (40%) submitted after each class.
Related courses
- LAH.A501 ： Area Studies: Europe
- LAH.A502 ： Area Studies: East Asia
- LAH.A503 ： Area Studies: Latin America
- LAH.A505 ： Area Studies: South and Southeast Asia
- LAH.A506 ： Area Studies: North America and Oceania
Prerequisites
There is no prior knowledge or skill that needs to be acquired.
Office hours
Contact before and after classes, or e-mail for an appointment.
Contact information (e-mail address) for the instructor of this course can be found on T2SCHOLA.
If you have any inquiries before registering this course, please contact the Office of Humanities and Social Science Courses.
Other
This course is 500-level course.
Science Tokyo (science and engineering fields) provides a wedge-shaped style education that allows students to continuously take liberal arts courses from a Bachelor’s Program to a Doctoral Program. Students are recommended to take liberal arts courses in ascending order of course level. In the semester right after enrollment in the Master’s Degree Program – i.e., 1Q and 2Q for students who enroll in spring, and 3Q or 4Q for students who enroll in fall – students may register only in 400-level Humanities and Social Science Courses.
Students may take 500-level Humanities and Social Science Courses after studying at least six months after enrollment, i.e., in 3Q and 4Q for students who enroll in spring, and in 1Q and 2Q of the following year for students who enroll in fall.