This
course will explore the history of Islamic civilization from its
beginnings in seventh century Arabia until the establishment of
the Ottoman Empire in the fifteenth century. Attention will be
given to the structure of political institutions, the changing
nature of the caliphate, as well as social trends and important
cultural developments. Students will read selections of important
primary sources in translation, such as Arabic and Persian poetry, Mawardi’s Ordinances of Government, Ibn Battuta’s Travels,
and Ibn Khaldun’s Muqaddima.
REQUIRED
BOOKS: [ALL BOOKS ARE AT THE HARTFORD SEMINARY BOOKSTORE]
1)
Marshall Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume one;
2)
Marshall Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume two;
3)
Gamal al-Ghitani, Zayni Barakat;
4)
Ibn Khladun, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History
[Abridged edition] (Princeton University Press, 2004). Tr. F.
Rosenthal and abridged N. J. Dawood;
5)
Bensalem Himmich, The Polymath [American University of
Cairo Press]
6)
Amin Maalouf, The Crusades through Arab Eyes [Schocken];
7)
Amin Maalouf, Samarkand.
BREAKDOWN
OF SESSIONS
1)
First Session:
PRE-ISLAMIC
WORLD AND EMERGENCE OF ISLAM
READING:
Marshall
Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume one; PP. 103-145.
2)
Second Session:
GENESIS
OF ISLAM AS A SOCIAL MOVEMENT: ROLE OF REVELATION AND PROPHECY IN
THE FORMATION OF A NEW SOCIO-POLITICAL ORDER IN ARABIA AND THE NEAR
EAST
READING:
Marshall
Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume one; PP. 146-230.
3)
Third Session:
RISE OF
CALIPHATE AND ISLAMIC CONQUEST: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CLASSICAL
ISLAMIC IDENTITY?
READING:
Marshall
Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume one; PP. 233-358.
4)
Fourth Session:
.PRECEDING
READING
5)
Fifth Session:
INTELLECTUAL
FORMATION IN CLASSICAL ISLAM: FROM MINI-STATE TO TADWIN STAGE.
READING:
Marshall
Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume two;
PP.3-151.
6)
Sixth Session:
INTELLECTUAL
FORMATION IN CLASSICAL ISLAM: FROM MINI-STATE TO TADWIN STAGE
READING:
Marshall
Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, volume two; PP.
152-200; 255-292.
7)
Seventh Session:
PRECEDING
READING:
8)
Eighth Session:
IBN
KHALDUN AND THE MATURATION OF CLASSICAL ISLAMIC SCHOLARSHIP
READING:
Ibn
Khladun, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History; PP. 11-32;
91-183.
8)
Ninth Session:
IBN
KHALDUN AND THE MATURATION OF CLASSICAL ISLAMIC SCHOLARSHIP
READING:
Ibn
Khladun, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History; PP. 183-261;
333-459.
10)
Tenth Session
PRECEDING
MATERIAL
11)
Eleventh Session
THE
ARAB WORLD ON THE EVE OF THE OTTOMAN CONQUEST
READING:
Gamal
al-Ghitani, Zayni Barakat
12)
Twelfth Session
THE
ARAB WORLD ON THE EVE OF THE OTTOMAN CONQUEST
READING:
Gamal
al-Ghitani, Zayni Barakat
COURSE
REQUIREMENT
1)
WEEKLY PARTICIPATION IN THE ONLINE SESSIONS;
2)ANALYTICAL BOOK REVIEWS OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Bensalem
Himmich, The Polymath [American University of Cairo
Press];
- Amin
Maalouf, The Crusades through Arab Eyes [Schocken]; AND
- Amin
Maalouf, Samarkand.
