Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Mazdakites, The ʿAyyārs And The Mithraists, Parvaneh Pourshariati

Publications and Research

No revolutionary movement in Iranian Late Antiquity has attracted as much attention as the fascinating and enigmatic Mazdakite uprising of the late fifth century. The scholarly consensus about these has it that 1) they engaged in ibāḥat al-nisā, sharing of wives; 2) advocated the sharing of property and 3) that their past time was wine imbibing and merrymaking. I shall argue here that, as Shaki correctly suspected but did not pursue the topic, the description of the Mazdakite in our primary sources (the Letter of Tansar, Ibn Qutayba, Ṭabarī, Dīnkard, Shahrestānī), actually follows the praxis of the ʿayyārs, chivalrous men …

Centrifugal Forces Impacting Urbanization In The Eastern Mediterranean During Roman And Early Islamic Times, Øystein S. Labianca

Faculty Publications

My goal with this essay is to make the existence of a distinctive Levantine cultural paradigm a lens through which to examine long-term patterns of urbanization and cultural change in the Eastern Mediterranean—focusing especially on present-day Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories. Inspired by the agenda and approach of global history, the essay is an attempt to highlight a number of salient features of societal formation processes in this region that set them apart from such processes in the heartlands of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The paradigm holds that societal formation dynamics in the Levant have been dominated more by …

Lost & Found (Game Series) [Book Chapter], Owen Gottlieb

Articles

Description of game series for use in the classroom with best practices.

Law, Society, And Religion: Islam And The West, Paolo Davide Farah

Book Chapters

Law and religion are present in almost every society, where the predominance of one over the other can greatly vary, and, in some cases, they both contend for authority over the citizenry. From a historical standpoint, this resulted in a constant change in the relationship between law and religion. Globalization also had a role in this regard. In some instances, globalization exacerbates differences between religions instead of encouraging mediation; it seeks to fill the gap left by the diminishing role of religion in the West. Globalization also competes with religion; both are looking for ways to regulate conduct and push …

Review Of The Book Denial Of Genocides In The Twenty-First Century, John A. Drobnicki

Publications and Research

Review of the book Denial of Genocides in the Twenty-First Century, edited by Bedross Der Matossian.

Islamophobia In India And Its Impact On India’S Foreign Relations, Dylan Morgan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

India has a vast history of Islam throughout the subcontinent, beginning over a millennia ago. Throughout this time, developments such as Muslim rule over Hindus, British colonization, the partition to create Pakistan and eventually Bangladesh, as well as the rise of Hindu nationalism throughout India from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have created a dangerous status quo for Muslims in India. Communal, state-sanctioned, violence against Muslims, their businesses, symbols of the religion, and any sort of public display is increasingly common. The impact on India’s international standing, especially with predominantly Muslim countries such as Arabian Gulf countries, Iran, Malaysia, and …

Art As A Form Of Therapy: Afghan Women And Their “War Rugs” Highlight The Trauma And Violence Of The Soviet-Afghan War, Abigail Turano

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

HIS 490 History Honors Thesis

Review Of Kitāb Al-Siyāḥah (The Book Of Travels), Ed. Johannes Stephan, Trans. Elias Muhanna, Vevian Zaki

HMML Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

(Dis)Locating Meaning: Toward A Hermeneutical Response In Education To Religiously Inspired Extremism, Farid Panjwani

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

A key epistemological assumption in the ideologies of many of the groups termed extremist is that there is an unmediated access to a Divine Will. Driven by this assumption, and facilitated by several other factors, a range of coercive actions (including violence) to force others into submission to the perceived Will of God are seen as justified by some of these groups. A consideration of how religion is discussed in various contexts, from seminaries and schools to media and policy discourses, shows that this assumption about unmediated access to Divine Will is widely shared and that most children grow up …

Out Of Exile: The Evolution Of Moroccan Jewishness, Yana Levy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Morocco once had the largest Jewish population of any Islamic country, but in 1948 the creation of the Israeli state drew Jews out of Morocco in massive numbers. Since then the Jews have a ghostly presence, spoken about but hardly seen. Curiously, the void left by their flight has been filled by a conscious effort on the part of Moroccan historical institutions to retain the presence of Jews in collective memory. Well maintained sites, and spaces such as the Jewish quarter that are linked to Jewish presence continue to contribute to a discourse which presents Moroccan and Jewish histories as …

Engl 157: Great Works Of Global Literature, Scott R. Kapuscinski

Open Educational Resources

Syllabus for a general education course bringing together celebrated texts by Joseph Conrad, Chinua Achebe, Bessie Head, and Marjane Satrapi. Survey of perspectives beginning during the "scramble for Africa" via Conrad, through postcolonial writers Achebe and Head, and finally making a connection via dehumanization to Orientalism and undoing monocultural presumptions in the near East through Satrapi's Persepolis.

Regulating Change In Historic Cairo, Amina Abdel-Halim

Faculty Journal Articles

Renovation and conservation projects in Historic Cairo fall within a complex legal framework, which sometimes does more to hinder development than to promote it.

Away From Home: William Gifford Palgrave's Letters From India, 1847-1848, David E. Latane

English Publications

William Gifford Palgrave (1826-1888) became one of the great Victorian travelers, immortalized in a poem by Alfred Tennyson, “To Ulysses,” in 1888. The letters transcribed here are the record of his first voyage outward in 1847 as an Ensign in the 8th Bombay regiment of native infantry, just after his graduating with a First from Oxford. The letters are found in volume 5 of the Palgrave papers (British Library Add. MS 45738). The first letter is to his mother, dated 28 January 1847 from “Off Cape Mondego” in Portugal, and it describes life on board an outbound steamer. The last …

Global Issues In A Globalized World: The Unescapable Dialogue Between SharīʿA And The Constitution, Paolo Davide Farah

Book Chapters

In an increasingly globalized world, a world in flux, which is constantly subject to rapid circulation of information, change is a dimension that we all experience in our lives with ever increasing frequency. Change, be it that of customs and fashion or that of laws and systems of government, is something which now seems impossible to escape. Change is an integral part of our unstable contemporaneity.

This is not only a continuous change but also a rapid one. In such a social and political environment, at a global and local level, it is more and more difficult to find a …

Contagion, Causality, And Circumspection In A Late-Mamluk Digest Of Natural Philosophy, Joseph Leonardo Vignone

History Faculty Scholarship

Like many men born to scholarly families at the turn of the fifteenth century, ʿAbd Allāh Ibn Ayyūb al-Qādirī moved from Damascus to Cairo as a young adult to pursue a career in law. Though this legal career soon foundered, Ibn Ayyūb gained a reputation in Cairo for perfectly embodying the pietistic and professional ideals of the Islamic learned elite, or ulama. In this article, I introduce this hitherto unstudied figure of the late Mamluk era with reference to his treatise on a major scholarly debate of his day: the extent to which natures, or the elemental composition of celestial …

Collaborative Constructions: Designing High School History Curriculum With The Lost & Found Game Series, Owen Gottlieb, Shawn Clybor

Articles

This chapter addresses design research and iterative curriculum design for the Lost & Found games series. The Lost & Found card-to-mobile series is set in Fustat (Old Cairo) in the twelfth century and focuses on religious laws of the period. The first two games focus on Moses Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, a key Jewish law code. A new expansion module which was in development at the time of the fieldwork described in this article that introduces Islamic laws of the period, and a mobile prototype of the initial strategy game has been developed with support National Endowment for the Humanities. The …

The Levant: France’S Colonial Crucible, Michael Adelson

French Summer Fellows

In the medieval era of religious and political tumult that culminated with the Crusades, (mostly) Roman Catholic Western European citizens from all walks of life committed themselves to conquer Jerusalem and wrest control of historically Christian lands from the Muslim polities that claimed the region. The historical Kingdom of France was a major contributor to the Crusades, and as such, the feudal realms established in the Levant in the wake of the First Crusade were dominated by former French crusaders and citizenry. The geographic boundaries and demography of these Crusader States are reminiscent of French hegemony in the Middle East …

The Bedouin In Arabia: A Nomadic Success, Cole D. Quinn

Student Publications

This paper analyzes the lifestyle of Bedouin tribes in Arabia prior to the rise of Islam. It looks closely at how Bedouin tribes were able to coexist alongside pre-Islamic settlements and secure a dominant position in Arabia. Specifically, this paper covers the Bedouin's practice of pastoralism, tribalism, and militarism, and explains how Bedouin tribes were able to secure and maintain a dominant position in Arabia despite the pressure of neighboring settlements.

Beacons Of Peace And Tolerance: The Politics Of Memory In Judeo-Moroccan Cultural And Historical Institutions, Audrey Ming An Hirsch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Bayt Dakira, a historical, religious, cultural, and academic institution located in the heart of Essaouira’s old medina, seeks to conserve Jewish-Moroccan memory and promote values of peace and tolerance as exemplified by the city’s history of Jewish-Muslim coexistence. As an institution dedicated to conserving the culture of a people that have all but virtually emigrated from Morocco, Bayt Dakira’s purpose is initially unclear. This study uncovers the ways in which Bayt Dakira is an example of a seemingly apolitical institution being wielded to advance national and international political agendas. As an officially apolitical place of cultural and academic exchange, Bayt …

Yahweh’S Benevolence Vs. Anat’S Malevolence: A Comparative Analysis Of Judges 4–5 And Col Ii 1–Col Iii 2, Michaela Misantone

Senior Honors Theses

The actions of ancient Near Eastern warrior gods are often depicted as acts of vengeance, greed, and brutality, serving selfish ambition and never-ending power struggles. These gods and their warfare ethic dominated the worldview of the ancient world in which the events of the Old Testament took place. The actions of the Hebrew God are often included, even emphasized, in discussions of ancient divine warfare today. There are supposed similarities between the actions of war gods like Anat from the Ugaritic pantheon and those of Yahweh from ancient Israel. Unfortunately, this has led to the present-day belief that the God …

Mosque Library: History, Function And Research Map, Sudana Sudana, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Nur Fahmiyati

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The existence of the mosque is a holy place for Muslims. Apart from being a place of worship, it also functions as a center for Muslim activities in regulating the life of Muslims. Mosques have many functions, one of which is as an educational institution. So that this function can support activities related to the life of the people and run well and optimally, it is necessary to have supporting facilities and infrastructure. One of the supporting facilities and infrastructure for mosques as educational institutions is a library, which will provide reading facilities that can increase knowledge and religious insight …

Coping With Defeat: Sunni Islam, Roman Catholicism, And The Modern State. Jonathan Laurence (Princeton, Nj: Princeton University Press, 2021). Pp. 606. $35.00 Paper. Isbn: 9780691172125, Jared Rubin

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

A book review of Coping with Defeat: Sunni Islam, Roman Catholicism, and the Modern State by Jonathan Lawrence.

Philosophy In The Narrative Mode: Alexander The Great As An Ethical Character From Roman To Medieval Islamicate Literature, Anna Ayşe Akasoy

Publications and Research

Histories of Arabic and Islamic philosophy tend to focus on texts which are systematic in nature and conventionally classified as philosophy or related scholarly disciplines. Philosophical principles, however, are also defining features of texts associated with other genres. Within the larger field of philosophy, this might be especially true of ethics and within the larger body of literature this might be especially the case for stories. Indeed, it is sometimes argued that the very purpose of storytelling is to reinforce and disseminate moral conventions. Likewise, the moral philosopher can be conceptualized as a homo narrans.

The aim of this …

History Of Libraries In The Islamic Period, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Aisyah As-Salafiyah, Dewi Rahmi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study is to chart the evolution of libraries in Islamic civilization from the period of the Khulafaur-Rashidun to the Ottoman Caliphate. Using a qualitative historical approach, this study delves into the history of Islamic libraries throughout various periods of Islamic authority. The findings of this study reveal that the development of Islamic library civilization can be separated into numerous distinct phases, some of which correspond to the caliphate period. Almost all libraries in the Islamic era were waqf-based. This study is divided into thirteen periods, with each period explaining the history of Islamic libraries through a …

Librarian In Islamic Civilization, Muhammad Syafii Antonio, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Yayat Rahmat Hidayat, Dwi Ratna Kartikawati, Amelia Tri Puspita

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Talking about improving human resources, the library occupies a very urgent role. This is in line with Law Number 43 of 2007 concerning Libraries, especially Article 3, which states that the library functions as a vehicle for education, research, preservation, information, and recreation to increase the intelligence and empowerment of the nation. A librarian, as explained in Article 1 paragraph (8) of Law No. 43 of 2007 on Libraries, is someone who has competence obtained through education and/or training and has duties and responsibilities to carry out library management and services. This study aims to find out the development map …

Women In Kingly Genealogies: The Queens, Widows, And Prostitutes That Changed The Story, Lydia Dowdell

Senior Honors Theses

While there are creative pieces theorizing about Tamar and her inclusion in both David and Jesus’ genealogies, there is a lack of research comparing King David’s genealogy in I Chronicles 2 with the kingly genealogies of the same time. Comparing the two shows that genealogies in the surrounding nations—Assyria, Babylonia, etc.—are lacking women. In contrast, the Old Testament is filled with kingly genealogical records that list and name women.

This thesis will touch on the differences and similarities between the kingly records/genealogies, theorize and explore the levirate marriage custom and matrilinear descent, and attempt to provide a better understanding of …

The House Of Wisdom As A Library And Center Of Knowledge, Abdillah Arif Nasution, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Isfandayani Isfandayani, Eva Misfah Bayuni, Dwi Ratna Kartikawati, Ihsanul Ihwan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The heyday of Islam was marked by the rapid development of Islamic science, culture, and education. This rapid development is supported by the existence of institutions that accommodate these developments. At that time, scientific institutions were established as learning science, culture, and Islamic education. Ibn Killis was a figure and pioneer of the development of education in the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt. He founded a university and spent thousands of dinars per month to finance it. One of the most important foundations built during the Fatimid period was the construction of Dar al-Hikmah (The house of wisdom) or Dar al-'Ilm …

Mosque Library: Bibliometrics Analysis Based On Web Of Science (Wos) Database, Sri Yayu Ninglasari, M. Fikri Himmawan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Throughout history, mosque libraries have played a critical part in the advancement of civilization. From an economic perspective, the advancement of civilization in terms of education and welfare cannot be separated from the existence of libraries. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of the development of the mosque library literature using bibliometric tools (RStudio with "biblioshiny" and Vosviewer) based on the Web of Science (WOS) database. This study shows patterns of co-authorship, document citations, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic evolution. We demonstrate the literature's influence by examining its document type, yearly publishing rate, journals, and research area. …

Review Of Hans-Ulrich KüHn "Sultan Baibars Und Seine Söhne", Gowaart Van Den Bossche

Faculty & Staff Publications

Van Den Bossche, Gowaart. "Hans-Ulrich Kühn, Sultan Baibars und seine Söhne: Frühmamlūkische Herrschaftssicherung in ayyūbidischer Tradition, Bonn: V&R unipress/Bonn University Press 2019 (Mamluk Studies Vol. 18), 661 pp., including appendices (with 17 full colour photographs) and index, ISBN: 978-3-8471-0812-2." Der Islam, vol. 98, no. 2, 2021, pp. 621-626. https://doi.org/10.1515/islam-2021-0045

Islamic Library: History, Classification, And Waqf Role, Muhammad Syafii Antonio, Aam Slamet Rusydiana, Dwi Purwoko, Husnul Khatimah, Amelia Tri Puspita

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Islam provides a great impetus for humans to pursue knowledge. The first verse revealed from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is Iqra, which means “to read”. The Qur’an uses repetition to instill certain concepts in the consciousness of its listeners. Allah (God) and Rab (Sustainer) are repeated 2,800 and 950 times, respectively, in the Alquran and Ilm (knowledge) 750 times. The need to preserve the Alqur’an aroused a passion for compiling writings in various forms, which paved the way for establishing the earliest libraries in the Muslim world. Libraries in Islamic history occupy an important position. Its existence is very …