Between Hamas & ISIS:
Radical Islamic Movements in a Changing Middle East

Radical and Political Islam (also known as Islamism) is one of the most significant political and cultural phenomena in world politics in recent decades. This course gives students the chance to explore the origins, motivations, and practices of radical Islamic movements. The focus will be on major Sunni Islamist thinkers, schools, and movements, including the Egyptian and Jordanian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, Sayyid Qutb and post-MB Egyptian radicalism, and modern Jihadi-Salafism. The course will also look at al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) and on the impact of the events of the Arab Spring on Islamist movements.

Explore essential questions in understanding Radical Islam. What are the key Islamist movements active today in the Middle East, and what distinguishes them from one another? How do regional actors in the Middle East view Islamist movements? What is their relation to traditional Islamic thought, to modernity and to the nation-state? Who are they fighting, and why? How do they view the West and Arab states?

Structure

Classes will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays for three hours a day.

Course Components 

• Close study of primary sources in translation.
• One presentation
• Readings and class discussions.
• Final exam.

View the syllabus.

See July Session summer schedule below.

You’ll be invited to participate in a wide array of trips, tours, and activities offered by the Office of Student Life. From a tour of the Old City to a trip to the Dead Sea to checking out the local festivals, you’ll build your own unique impressions and memories of Jerusalem and Israel. While residing in HebrewU dormitories with other international and Israeli students, you’ll have a chance to form new friendships and get involved in campus life. A team of multilingual Israeli students, called madrichim, is also there to help you adjust to your new surroundings and give you tips on things to do. Learn more about student life at HebrewU.

Apply by: Canceled for Summer 2022
Course dates: Canceled for Summer 2022
Program length: Four weeks

For payment deadlines, see here.

Application Fee: US $120
Course Tuition: US $2,000
Housing: US $850*

* Depending on availability

Learn more about fees and paying for the program.

Scholarships

A limited number of scholarships based on demonstrated need or merit are available.

Students who complete their summer course application by March 12, 2022, and who also complete payment by April 7, 2022, will be eligible for a 10% early bird discount on the course tuition. In the event that a student applies for more than one summer course, the 10% early bird discount will be applied to one of the summer courses only.

 

This course is open to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as to mature learners with an academic background. You must be currently registered at or have been accepted to a recognized college or university or have successfully completed at least one year of study at an accredited institution of higher education. English-language fluency is also required.