History of Political Thought in the Middle East

3 units

This course aims to study political thought and practice in Islamic history through a close reading of a selection of primary sources in translation (and in their original language, if language proficiency is satisfactory). Particular attention will be given to historical contexts in which thoughts are espoused and texts written. We plan to examine the development of political concepts and themes as articulated in diverse literary genres (e.g., legal, theological, political) from the eighth through 13th centuries. We hope to engage various theoretical models to analyze the relationship between politics and religion and to tease out the role of power in determining sociopolitical relations, distinctions, and structures. We hope to have a better grasp on the historicity of ideas presented in timeless categories in political discourse. Advanced knowledge of Arabic preferred but not required.