Islam/Media
This MIT course examines Islam not as a subject covered by media but as a set of practices that function as media technologies in their own right, from the oral transmission of the Qur'an to contemporary Islamist political movements. Readings and discussions trace inscription, storage, and transmission of religious knowledge across geographies including Indonesia, the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and North America. Students engage databases, networks, and audiovisual sensation as frameworks for understanding Islamic thought and practice historically and today. Beyond written assignments, students complete a media project, producing an audiovisual documentary or composition that responds to course themes. Intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students, the course is provided through MIT OpenCourseWare with syllabus, readings, and assignment materials freely available, and carries no certificate.