COMM 399 Course Focuses On Islam

By Broadside News Editor Asma Chaudhary

A new course to be added next semester titled, “Covering Islam Today,” will be a special topic section, which will incorporate reporting on the Islamic culture and its current effect on the world.

The course, which will be held on Tuesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 7:10 p.m., will be taught by Professor Jonathan Lyons who has studied comparisons in the news between the Muslim world and the West.

For George Mason University, which is known for its diversity, this course may cater to the diverse populations that live and study on campus.

With constant global news coverage, many journalism students have been interested in Islamic culture and this course may provide insight into reporting facts about conflict and resolution.

According to a recent e-mail sent out to the communications listserv, Lyons has spent 20 years at Reuters as a senior editor and correspondent.

Currently, Lyons is earning a doctorate’s degree from Monash University in Australia for Sociology in Religion.

According to the e-mail, “It will also prepare them to be more effective ‘consumers’ of media reports about Islam, introducing possible sources of bias and identifying ‘red flags’ around key issues.”

In addition, the course description said, “At the outset, we will focus first on the history and basic tenets of Islam, as well as the main sects, movements and peoples within the Muslim community of believers.”

Approximately 40 students can be enrolled in the course, which will meet once a week in Innovation Hall room 206.
Currently, there are no prerequisites for the course, which allows it to be open for all majors. Students may enroll in the course by selecting COMM 399 Section 007 on Patriot Web.

“As the semester progresses, students will learn to apply some critical communications theory to the media’s treatment of religious and ethnic communities. Attention will be paid to ways in which the evolving state of relations between Islam and the West has affected media coverage.”

According to Lyons, “Finally, we will identify and work with some of the major issues facing Muslims today—veiling; the role of religion in government and society; freedom of expression and how to live as a practicing believer in the West.”

For more information, students may contact Steve Klein at sklein1@gmu.edu.