GH 101: Islam and the Middle Ages

In "Islam and the Middle Ages" (600-1258) students will learn about the rise of Islam as a world religion. We will discuss the Quran and the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, and then explore the contributions of Muslim thinkers to art, literature, science, mathematics, and politics over the next six centuries in the Near East and North Africa.  We will end with Genghis Khan, who conquered and destroyed the foundations of the Islamic World, but also helped spread Islamic arts and sciences all over Europe and Asia. By re-entering world history away from Europe, we will see the how the roots of the modern world emerged from many directions.

Instructor: Dr. James Gustafson

Please contact Dr. Gustafson if you have questions about this course.