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MSU expands Muslim studies initiative

By Meredith Mescher

Photo by G.L. Kohuth Mohammed Ayoob, University Distinguished Professor of international relations at MSU’s James Madison College and the director of the Muslim Studies specialization, lectures to a class. This fall, MSU will offer a new Muslim Studies specialization that places an emphasis on areas that can provide context to Muslim societies.

Last school year MSU launched a Muslim studies specialization and is taking a distinct approach to expanding this area of study.

The goal is to expose students to objective analyses of Muslim societies and polities and different strands of religious and political thinking in the Muslim world, according to Mohammed Ayoob, University Distinguished Professor of international relations at MSU’s James Madison College and the director of the Muslim studies specialization.

Emphasis is placed on areas including “lived experiences” that can provide context to Muslim societies, the big questions facing Muslim societies in the contemporary era, and the cross-regional aspect of Islam throughout the world.
“The study of Islam was important way before Sept. 11,” said David Robinson, a professor of history who specializes in the study of Islam in Africa. “This is the second-most widely practiced religion in the world.”

Consideration about developing Muslim studies began shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Several faculty members who were involved in the initial discussions concluded that this was essential in order to correct resulting distortions about Muslims and Islam. The specialization came about with strong support from President Lou Anna K. Simon during her term as provost, and deans from International Studies and Programs and the colleges of Social Sciences, Arts and Letters and James Madison.

“There was an important gap in our curriculum on such an important subject,” said Norman Graham, associate dean of James Madison College and professor of international relations who helped organize the specialization. “For some time there had been interest in Muslim studies among faculty, but there was no coherence.”

MSU began offering its Muslim studies specialization during the 2004-05 academic year and is in the process of introducing new courses dealing with Muslim societies and polities. Four new faculty positions have been created and, this year, three new hires were added.

“Given the strategic importance of much of the Muslim world in U.S. policy, Muslim societies and states need to be studied long term, as they are likely to impinge on American interests in major ways for years to come,” Ayoob said.

Discussions are currently underway to provide the initiative with an institutional home within International Studies and Programs and external funding is being sought.

“I see this evolving into a major teaching and research enterprise,” Ayoob said. “This could become a major selling point for the university."