Islam: religion, culture and a changing society

This course aims to discuss Islam including sensitive topics and to describe the changes taking place in the societies of the Middle East, North Africa, and Arabia. The countries of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Arab world are facing political dilemmas. Many societal reforms are needed in different countries to bring them out of the economic crisis and promote education. In addition to the Islamic religion, these countries are usually associated with terrorism. The Islamic faith is spoken of as a violent religion. MOOC talks about the Islamic faith and shows how Islam is a religion that seeks harmony between nature and man. Islam is also an internally very diverse religion with very different backgrounds.

In the introduction to MOOC we ask:
• Why is talking about Islam a sensitive issue?
• What prejudices must be taken into account when talking about Islam?
• Background knowledge to consider when talking about Islam
• What is the purpose of the course? How to approach Islam as a sensitive issue?
• Introduction to Islam – what and how to talk about Islam?
• Politics, law, and religion: secularity in Islamic societies today – what are the challenges?
• Education and youth in Islamic societies – what does it mean to be young and go to school in Islamic society?
• Protecting the environment in Islamic societies – how does the Islamic faith protect nature?
• Muslim minorities in Islamic society – what does it mean to be a different Muslim than the majority?