History and Societies of the Islamic World

History and Societies of the Islamic World is a research-oriented Master’s programme at the Department of History and Cultural Studies with a focus on history, culture, religion, and the social sciences. It is a consecutive Master’s programme taught entirely in English. Admission to the programme requires a Bachelor’s degree in History and Cultures of the Middle East with a focus on Islamic Studies, or an equivalent degree in a closely related subject. The programme focuses on the history, politics, religions, cultures, knowledge formations, and normativities of Islamic societies from the beginnings of Islam to the present. The regional focus lies on West Asia and North Africa as well as on Europe, with special attention to global perspectives and interconnections. The Master’s programme offers an overview of the current state of research and central debates in the study of the history and societies of the Islamic world and trains students in various research approaches and methodologies. The inter- and transdisciplinary area of the programme provides students with the opportunity to specialise and deepen their professional focus. The principles and techniques of academic work and good scholarly practices are taught, practised, and applied. Unique features of the programme in the German academic context include the regional profile area “Islam in Europe” and a special emphasis on theory and methodology in the study of the Islamic world. Theoretical and methodological topics and approaches include gender dimensions in various contexts as well as constructions of difference and alterity; postcolonial perspectives; critique of racism; knowledge production and power; the interaction of law, religion, and politics; systems of meaning-making; linguistic and social constructions of reality; power asymmetries and dependencies; conceptual history and semantic fields; religion and secularity; heritagisation; popular and consumer culture; urban studies; and insider and outsider perspectives among Muslims and non-Muslims. The strong research orientation of the Master’s programme results in a close linkage between the courses offered and the research priorities of the Institute of Islamic Studies. Through research-based learning, students are encouraged to carry out independent research projects – for example, through guided field research, interview-based research, philological source analysis with a focus on unedited manuscripts, the systematic recording and analysis of current Arabic knowledge production, digital humanities, approaches to material culture, or in globally oriented conceptual studies drawing on multiple types of sources. Additionally, students deepen their knowledge of Arabic through reading courses dealing with Arabic primary sources of various types and genres in the core focal area of the programme. Students in their second or third semester are encouraged to study abroad, choosing among various partner universities. Professional internships are also suitable for a stay abroad and can be included in the programme as part of the trans- and interdisciplinary area. Students also become familiar with international scholars through guest lectures and presentations that supplement the regular courses.