"Well, there's no mention of Shintoism, Confucianism or Buddhism, either, but I fail to see what's puzzling about excluding Islam from a 'Western civilization' curriculum. Islam's primary texts played no part in the political construction of the West. Quinn's implied request is analogous to demanding that a curriculum devoted to Aztec or Inca civilization include the Bible simply because Spain invaded, conquered, subjugated and colonized those societies."
"Most Americans-and by extension, our education systems-naturally focus on their own historical and cultural heritage. We're in the United States; courses here typically reflect what shaped this nation: Greco-Roman republicanism, state Christianity and Enlightenment ideals. People are curious how and why our country got to where it is. If we taught in Iran, China or elsewhere, the focus would reflect their heritage-not ours."
Utah State University's civic center mandates general-education courses in Western civilization, requiring three courses engaging primary texts predominantly from Western civilization such as ancient Israel, Greece, or early Christianity, with no mention of Islam. Islam's primary texts played no part in the political construction of the West and therefore can be excluded from a Western-civilization curriculum. Demanding Islamic inclusion in a Western-civilization course is compared to requiring the Bible in an Aztec or Inca curriculum because of Spanish conquest. The civic distinction between the Islamic world and the West is presented as foundational, and American curricula naturally focus on historical influences that shaped the United States, notably Greco-Roman republicanism, state Christianity, and Enlightenment ideals.
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