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6AAT3052
6
Spring
15
Colonialism and the emergence of modern nation-states around the world raised challenges for transregional religious communities, and they forced or foreclosed migrations. Ideas of belonging rooted in "nation", territory and “race” impacted religious communities in complex ways, and often posed distinct questions for diasporas and minorities.
This module explores these questions from a global historical perspective and asks:
How did diasporas and minorities respond to these transformations (e.g. Jews in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, or Muslims in parts of Asia and Africa)?
What is a diaspora?
How did colonial forms of knowledge, such as Orientalism, shape political projects and impact transnational religious communities?
How did religious communities criticize, adopt or re-imagine national, colonial and orientalist frameworks? And how did they understand "home" and belonging?
3,500 word essay (100%)
This module aims
to introduce students to multiple ways in which religious and other communities identify as "diasporas", historically and at present
to familiarize them with the academic study of transnationalism, diaspora and belonging
to analyse histories, practices and effects of colonialism and orientalism in a variety of – often interconnected – transregional religious and political contexts
to examine how minorities and diasporas responded, adopted, modified or subverted colonial concepts, such as the "Orient", in intellectual, political and artistic practice.
To engage competently with concepts of transnationalism and diasporas in religious, social, cultural and academic contexts.
To understand key moments in the evolvement of colonial and orientalist forms of knowledge production and politics, as they pertain to religious minorities and diasporas.
To describe and discuss how religious minorities and diasporas respond to the challenges of colonialism and the nation state.
To discuss competently current intellectual, religious and literary approaches that work with post- and decolonial concepts of "connected histories", transnational belonging and diaspora networks.
1 two hour lecture weekly
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.