 "Photo: T. Gavin Nevill")
Dr. Tamara Albertini fields a lot of questions in class from students who are unfamiliar with Islamic customs.
Sometimes, however, her students answer for her.
“I’ve noticed many times with students who are girls and who come veiled, that it’s something that almost grabs the conversation,” said Albertini, professor and undergraduate chair of the philosophy department. “Like, ‘Do you have to wear the veil?’ Usually the girl will say, ‘No. I do this freely.’”
In 1979, a group of Muslim students at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and community members formed The Muslim Students’ Association of Hawai‘i (now known as the Muslim Association of Hawai‘i), the first official organization representing Hawai‘i’s Muslims, according to its Web site, iio.org.
Thirty years later, thanks in large part to Albertini’s efforts, UH will now begin offering an undergraduate certificate in Islamic studies.
Dr. Elton Daniel, a professor in the history department, said the certificate is coming at exactly the right time.
“Let’s face it. We’re living in a post-9/11 world,” Daniel said. “People are aware of just how important Islam is around the world, and we think that increasing knowledge about it, sensitivity about it, is important.”
Starting this spring, the College of Arts and Humanities will offer the 15-credit interdisciplinary certificate made up of classes from the religion, philosophy, history and art departments.
Of the 15 credits, nine come from Religion 209, Philosophy 330 and History 354, which are required, while the other six credits can come from a list of other classes within the four departments. The list of classes to comprise the other six credits is still under construction by the professors in the various departments.
Dr. James Frankel, an assistant professor in the religion department, believes that UH’s take on Islamic studies is unique.
“Some schools which have a larger religion department might have a concentration in Islam,” Frankel said. “But this is something different because we’re drawing upon various departments in the school of arts and humanities.”
Albertini has been developing the idea of offering an undergraduate certificate for three years. It wasn’t until last year when the University hired Dr. Paul Lavy in the art and art history department as well as Dr. Frankel that Albertini thought the college was ready to offer the certificate.
“We really felt that we now have enough expertise within the arts and humanities to start,” Albertini said.
The certificate is intended to raise awareness about the Muslim religion and community, but it is not restricted to UH students pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
“We see this not only being for our traditional undergrads, but also as opportunity for outreach into the community,” Frankel said. “(It could be) for secondary school educators, perhaps even military or government employees, (people) who have to deal with Islam on some level and would like this added credential and the education that comes with it.”
The news about the certificate comes after a May Hawai‘i State Senate vote that designated Sept. 24, 2009, as the state’s first annual Islam Day.
While Frankel maintains that the Muslim population in Hawai‘i isn’t large, he says it is a diverse collection of people.
“There are people of Arab descent and also people of southeast Asian descent and south Asian as well, Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi,” Frankel said. “There are small representative communities that come together in this one larger body.
“It’s an interesting kind of … microcosm of Hawai‘i.”
Sidebar
The campus festivities celebrating Islam Day kick off on Thursday at 10 a.m. and last until 4 p.m. in Sakamaki Hall, C-308, on the UH Mānoa campus, including a panel discussion, public lecture, and a movie, according to the UH Web site.
The MAH is hosting additional activities at the McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Beach Park from 3 to 8 p.m. The day includes a musical performance, stand-up comedy and food. Admission to the events at the beach park is $5 or five cans of food, which will go towards the Hawai‘i Foodbank.
Undergraduate Certificate in Islamic Studies
Required Courses:
For more information about Islam Day or the certificate in Islamic Studies, contact Dr. Tamara Albertini at tamaraa@hawaii.edu.
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