Readings for the Introductory Seminar
The Department of Global and Transcultural Studies
Meiji Gakuin University

Welcome to the GTS Department, and thank you for attending today’s workshop!

Starting in April, the Introductory Seminar will be one of your major courses. The general focus will be on the complex problems that can arise when globalization brings together people from different cultures into constantly close contact. The course will be centered on a specific case study: the French government’s decision to ban the hijab (the headscarf worn by Muslim women) and other kinds of clothing that has religious meaning from public schools. Over the term, we will consider the following sets of issues: place of religion in a modern western society and role of religion as a marker of cultural identity; gender relations; and the economic aspects of immigration into France.

To help you prepare for this course, please read the following articles. As you do so, consider these questions. We will talk about them in the class:

What are the major political and cultural issues here for the French government?

Why do some Muslims believe it is important for women to wear the hijab? Do all women who believe in Islam oppose it?

Do you believe government should ban certain kinds clothing from public spaces like schools?

The readings:
A debate from Time
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,586181,00.html

Background information from George Mason University:
http://www.gmu.edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol2_2/seljuq.htm


One from the editor of the Al Jazeera.Info site:
http://www.aljazeerah.info/Islamic%20Editorials/,,,

This is from the “Hijab Shop”:
Questions: What does this site tell you the reader? What are the authors of the site trying to do here?
http://www.thehijabshop.com/information/article1.php