Βαλκανικό Ισλάμ. Ιστορική και ανθρωπολογική προσέγγιση

The course deals with the presence of Islam in the Balkans from a historical and
anthropological point of view. In chronological terms, it deals with the period from the end
of the 19th century to the final decade of the 20th century. It focuses upon socio-political
developments in the Balkans at the start of the 1990s and on their consequences for Islam in
the Balkans. The course units cover a particular geographical area of the Balkans, which, however, is sufficient to make clear the relational dynamics between Balkan communities and the Muslim populations that live within them. The course uses examples drawn from countries, such as Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kossovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey, which plays an important role in Balkan matters and in particular in the evolution of Islam in the Balkans. Part of the analysis offered by the course concerns the manner in which relations between Muslim and non-Muslim groups are shaped. This analysis rests on the results of anthropological fieldwork and takes account of the local political, regional, European and international context.
Course aims: To familiarise students with the basic concepts of Islam; to understand the variety of Islamic religious tradition; to develop critical thinking and a respect for otherness.