REL 374 LOVE AND ECSTASY

A medieval Muslim poet wrote, “I profess the religion of love, wherever its caravan turns along the way / that is the way, the path I keep.” This course examines this “path of love,” a tradition that arose early in the history of Islam and came to influence Muslims around the world, in every period of history. The followers of this path focused – and continue to focus – on building a relationship with God based on love and sought a personal, experiential encounter with the “divine.” The course will examine the social, political, and poetic effects of love – on social protest, music, philosophy, gender, and sexuality, with a particular focus on the historical world of the Middle East and Asia.