Minorities and Religion: Religious Minorities in the Middle East

The course provides students with an in-depth understanding of a specific theme in minorities and religion. Themes can be related to, for example: colonialism and conflicts, ethnic and/or religious minorities in specific geographical areas, indigenous peoples, gender, sexuality, international laws and regulations, multicultural societies.

Autumn 2026

The Middle East has long been home to a remarkable diversity of religions, many of which continue to be practiced in minority constellations. Minority religious communities such as the ones studied in this course – Alevis, Coptic and Armenian Christians, Mandeans, Yezidis, Samaritans, various Jewish groups, Zoroastrians, Druzes, and Bahais — have navigated complex and often precarious relationships with state power and institutions, majority populations, the nation state and nationalism, modernity and globalization.

This course examines the lived experiences of these groups across Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Iran. Through eleven lectures, we explore questions of identity, persecution, coexistence, and resilience — asking what it means to belong to a minority faith in one of the world's most contested regions.

Upon completion of the course, the student will have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:

• has knowledge of a theme related to religion and minorities.

• has knowledge of central themes and research questions within the theme.

Skills:

• is able to analyze a complex theme related to minorities and religion.

• is able to critically evaluate theories and interpretations related to the theme.

• is able to present their knowledge in written form in a short timespan.

General Competence:

• has experience in managing large amounts of information and literature within a short time frame, and in interpreting and presenting information effectively.