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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Constitutional Struggles in the Muslim World by University of Copenhagen

4.8
stars
682 ratings

About the Course

Learn what motivates the restive Muslim youth from Tunis to Tehran, what political positions Islamists from Mali to Chechnya are fighting for, where the seeming obsession with Islamic law comes from, where the secularists have vanished to, and whether it makes sense to speak of an Islamic state. Since 2009 there has been a renewed wave of popular unrest sweeping throughout much of the Muslim world. Secular, but generally repressive and inefficient autocracies have come under pressure or been swept aside entirely. At the same, the various Islamic Republics have not fared much better, but been convulsed by internal unrest, economic and social decline. Throughout the Muslim lands, existing constitutional arrangements are being challenged, often very violently. This course is a survey of the constitutional ideas and institutions that have developed since the mid 19th century throughout predominantly Muslim countries, but its focus will lie on the actors that have dominated this discourse and shaped its outcomes. We will look at the large body of classical writings on the Islamic state only in so far as it is necessary to understand the contemporary debate, but concentrate on the legal and political developments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Three common themes will characterise the course:  We privilege the study of the legal and social reality and seek to highlight where it is at odds with dogmatic stipulations, be they religious or constitutional.  We seek to illustrate the practical tensions posed by limited administrative capabilities and political legitimacy that resulted from the incomplete reception of modern bureaucratic statehood.  We seek to examine how popular dissatisfaction with the practical performance of Muslim governments has fuelled demands for greater accountability under the guise of cultural authenticity.  Ultimately, the course aims to equip participants to better understand Muslim contemporary discourse about the res publica, better contextualise the demands for religious law in public life, and to better ascertain the theoretical and practical feasibility of postulated religious alternatives to the still-dominant secular model of governance....

Top reviews

LP

Nov 21, 2015

This course is really interesting and informative. It gave me a much better understanding for the history and politics behind some of the issues we are all facing today, and really broadened my mind.

NP

Dec 27, 2015

The course was good. But the real situation has been changing drastically. A supplement or extension of course is required to cover the up to date situation about IS activities, syria Iraq etc.

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176 - 200 of 211 Reviews for Constitutional Struggles in the Muslim World

By UMAR T

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Feb 21, 2020

Very Knowledgeable instructor

By kaiser m i

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Oct 25, 2015

This is a wonderful course.

By Dr. R P

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Aug 12, 2020

REALLY FIVE STAR COURSE

By Tamar V

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Sep 19, 2017

Excellent course!

By Gipsi T

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Apr 25, 2016

Excellent course.

By small9

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Jan 4, 2016

Excellent course!

By Ruben B P

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Dec 28, 2015

Excellent course!

By Alexis I Y

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Jan 10, 2016

Excellent class!

By Andrés J C H

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Dec 7, 2017

Amazing course.

By Gonza M G

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Jul 4, 2017

me gusto mucho!

By Mustantik

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Dec 20, 2015

Great course

By Ricardo H P J

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Dec 21, 2016

Excellent!!

By Clemente G O C

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Nov 6, 2016

Excellent!

By ADOLFO C T

•

Apr 22, 2024

increible

By Mahmoud E

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Jan 5, 2019

very good

By Ramon M M

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Sep 12, 2016

Great!

By George R H

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Nov 15, 2015

I

By Marianne

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May 22, 2016

Excellent professor and very interesting topic for whoever is curious to learn about these Muslim Countries! I warmly recommend it and the only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars is that it is too long! There are many sections that can be cut out and some lectures repeat themselves but over all it is intriguing and fulfilling and I think its also very important to understand the background of these states and why they are how they are today.

By WENDY C R

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Apr 17, 2024

Fue muy interesante este curso, poco conocía del mundo musulmán, a sido como un viaje enriquecedor, mucho por conocer y poco tiempo para estudiarlo. Quiero decirle al profesor Ebrahim que fue un placer conocerlo, es admirable su formación académica. Y me agradó su sentido del humor. Hay tantas preguntas que no pude realizar, pero me quedo con su mensaje final, seguir estudiando, continuar avanzando. Saludos desde México.

By Cyrille P

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Jan 17, 2016

Excellent course.

Just a shame, trying to figure out to get always the video notes only in english language and not in my natural language (currently french, detected by Coursera), which is better to understand questions & insure to get the answer. For some videos, only the notes in my natural language are available, which constraint me to translate and probably leads to misunderstandings.

By david e

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Mar 5, 2017

This is an excellent course that provided an overview of the broad scope of history of the Middle East, with an emphasis on insights into the Islamic faith over time and among Middle East cultures. This is must-have information for those who live in the Western Judeo-Christian culture.

By Priyanka M

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Dec 8, 2015

The course so far is quite interesting but it can be made more intense with detailed readings and supply of book and journal material. It can also incorporate a series of reform which were took after arab Spring since, it was the phenomenon in Arab and muslim world.

By Gigi p

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May 12, 2019

Intelligent and informative at a macro level. Effective for those with no historical background to the Middle East (ME). It's a good crash course to understanding why the ME is a liquid place (not stable).

By Кукоев Д А

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Apr 19, 2020

The videos are a waste of time if you are listening to them. The speech is too slow and full of little mistakes and stumbles. Way quicker to just read the decodings below the videos.

By Thomasybruce

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Jan 4, 2016

Exceptionally informative as an introduction to Islamic studies. Could do with tightening up its question and answer format.