Society and Sharia in the Middle East

The course aims at providing students with a basic knowledge of the origins, sources and characteristics of Islamic law, of the process of codification and of the application of Islamic law in selected Middle Eastern countries. Particular attention will be given to the debates on the relation between human and divine sovereignty, to family law and to women's status. The aim is to provide students, also through the analysis of primary sources and by comparing doctrinal positions and case studies, the conceptual, terminological and analytical tools to understand the interplay of historical, socio-political and legal developments in the Middle east, as well as the expectations and difficulties of integration experienced by immigrants from the Middle East.

At the end of the course students will be acquainted with the main characteristics of Islamic law , particularly those concerning matters of personal status, and will understand the socio-political factors that influenced the reception of Islamic law in Middle Eastern national codes and Constitutions as well as its interpretation and enforcement. Through a combination of lectures, seminars by external experts and presentations of specific case studies, students will acquire analytical and communication skills that will prove useful in different professional fields,