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Netherlands (NLD) Program Links - 1 2897

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Netherlands: Islam, Diaspora Communities, and the EU

Coursework

The interdisciplinary coursework in the Netherlands: Islam, Diaspora Communities and the EU program draws from a variety of subjects including history, anthropology, literature, sociology, theology, and political science. Students attend lectures by prominent academics and researchers and participate in seminars about the current issues surrounding the integration of Muslim diaspora communities in Western Europe. Students also cultivate field study skills and conduct research that culminates in the Independent Study Project.

The following syllabi are from a recent or upcoming semester of this program. Because courses develop and change over time to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, actual course content will vary from term to term.

The syllabi can be useful for students, faculty, and study abroad offices in assessing credit transfer. Read more about credit transfer.

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Thematic Seminar
Islam, Diaspora Communities, and the EU Seminar [Syllabi not yet available - coming soon]
(EURO 3000 / 6 credits / 90 class hours)

Course description:
This interdisciplinary course taught in English introduces students to the current issues and debates surrounding the integration of Muslim diaspora communities into European society. The seminar is divided into five units that focus on gender, youth and radicalization, integration, education, and media. Lectures and discussions generally include:

• The Netherlands and Policies of "Tolerance"
  Van Gogh, Fortuyn, and the resurgence of nationalism; political, religious, and cultural identities; integration policies; Islam and youth education; Mosques and Islamic centers; Islam and the media.
• Islam in a European Context
  Islam as a religion of the diaspora; official representation of the disparate diaspora communities; issues of Muslim identity in a non-Muslim environment; Euro-Islam; laïcité a la française; free press versus religious respect; Islamophobia; the role of women in Islam.
• Migration and Diaspora Communities
  History of Muslim immigration to Europe; guest workers and family reunification programs; poverty and urbanism; questions of citizenship; inter-diaspora community tensions; values and worldviews of the second and third generation; transnational identities; socioeconomic status of immigrant communities; marginalization.
• The European Union and Its Policies
  Muslim representation in government bodies; immigration laws and legal challenges to immigration; the charter of European identity; European integration and multiculturalism; legal frameworks for a developing European Islam.

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Intensive Language Study
Language Study: Beginning Modern Standard Arabic
(ARAB 1000, 15000 / 4 credits / 60 class hours)
Language Study: Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic + Media
(ARAB 2000, 2500 / 4 credits / 60 class hours)

Course description:
This course emphasizes speaking, reading, and writing skills through classroom and field instruction. Students are placed in beginning and intermediate Arabic classes, which include an introduction to Koranic terms and their use in religious and media debates. Supplemental fieldwork will provide a cultural and linguistic window into Muslim diaspora communities in Europe. An introduction to basic Dutch is also included.

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Field Study Seminar
Field Study Seminar
(ANTH 3500 / 2 credits / 30 class hours)

Course description:
This course explores the concepts of learning across cultures and from field experience. This course also serves as an introduction to the Independent Study Project. Material includes cross-cultural adaptation and skills building; project selection and refinement; appropriate methodologies; field study ethics and the World Learning/SIT Human Subjects Review Policy; developing contacts and finding resources; developing skills in observation and interviewing; gathering, organizing, and communicating data; maintaining a work journal.

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Independent Study Project
Independent Study Project
(ISPR 3000 / 4 credits / 120 class hours)

Course description:
Students conduct their independent study projects in a location in the Netherlands that is appropriate to the project. Sample topic areas include: Muslim youth and education; immigration policies and xenophobia in the Netherlands; Muslim community organizations and leadership; the impact of extremism acts worldwide on Dutch politics; language schools and integration in Utrecht; Muslim women and participation in labor the market. Recent ISP topics include comparative study between the Indonesian and Moroccan Diasporas; the arts as a form of integration in the Muslim Diaspora; and the Jewish and Moroccan Diaspora.