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Hierarchies and Connections: A Global Social History of Modern Islamicate Societies

Soheb Niazi

Kommentar

Current mainstream accounts of Islamic history often portray early Islam with labels that predate modern sensibilities such as "medieval" or "conservative." However, modern Islamicate societies were complex and not merely "static" or "rigid." Our historical understanding of these societies significantly shapes the contemporary lens through which Islam is viewed as a religion and Muslims as a community of believers. Discourses of modernity and enlightenment in much of the Islamicate world have coincided with European colonial rule since the late eighteenth century. These discourses enabled historical actors to examine their own past but also develop visions for the future of their societies.

This course will focus on two crucial aspects of Global Social History to inquire about the nature of modern Islamicate societies: Hierarchies and Connections. Islamicate empires were connected across vast geographies through the exchange of commodities and ideas. These connections remained dynamic in modern societies, where pre-modern networks continued to influence the flow of goods and ideas, not only within Islamicate regions but also in direct relation to Western and European societies. A social history of the Islamicate would encompass more than just a history of theology or religious ideas; it would examine aspects that reveal how both Muslims and non-Muslims in these societies lived and practiced their lives. Another focus of this course is to understand social hierarchy and stratification in modern Islamicate societies. While Islam has had a normative tradition that emphasizes musawat (equality), Muslim societies have historically exhibited multiple forms of hierarchy, whether in terms of class, gender, slavery, or caste which persisted across geographies, as well as in colonial and post-colonial contexts.
Schließen

14 Termine

Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung

Mi, 18:00 - 20:00 14 Termine

Mi, 16.04.2025 18:00 - 20:00

Dozenten:
Dr. Soheb Ur Rahman Niazi