Islamic Studies
The Islamic Studies path applies a Religious Studies framework to the study of Islamic tradition and Muslim practice. It embraces multiple methodologies such as textual studies and philology, ritual studies and performance, ethnographic study and ethics, historical studies and archives, or cultural studies and post-coloniality. It embraces a range of cultural contexts from Asian, African, and Middle Eastern regions as well as in the diaspora, in both Muslim majority and minority contexts.
Faculty strengths include Quran, Sufism, gender and sexuality ethics, contemporary Islam in politics and media, and Muslim-Christian-Jewish relations. Students pursue Islamic Studies with focus on a particular region, era or community. Students also develop competence in a second religious tradition (or a second field of academic inquiry that critiques, reframes, or modifies how Islam is understood and practiced). The Islamic Studies path places high premium on language competency. Emory currently offers introductory to advanced instruction in Arabic, Persian, Hindi-Urdu, and Hebrew; students may study other languages (for example Bahasa, Swahili, or Turkish) through language programs outside of Emory. Language preparation prior to admission is nearly always necessary. The Islamic Studies path will maintain particularly close collaboration with faculty and students in the South Asian Religions path and the Africana Religions path, as well as faculty and students in the Christian Ethics, Theological Studies, and Global Christianity paths.
Path Advisor
Chair, Department of Religion
James Hoesterey
Associate Professor
Winship Distinguished Research Professor of Religion 