14155
Basic Course
Utopica arabica: Utopian Principles in Arabic Literature
Ruben Schenzle
Information for students
This course may be taken without knowledge of Arabic.
Additional information / Pre-requisites
Willingness to engage in extensive weekly reading, discussion and presentation.
Comments
"Utopianism is not, as is often assumed, solely linked to sophisticated social models such as Thomas More's ‘Utopia’. Rather, it feeds on an individual human joy of speculation and storytelling. A sense of unease or deficiency in the present gives rise to alternative ideals and desires.
The seminar ‘Utopica arabica’ approaches the phenomenon of utopianism from a comparative perspective and is therefore also relevant for students of philosophy or AVL. In addition to modern philosophical genre definitions, we approach the topic by referring to specifically Arabic approaches and examples, including Ibn Tufail's island novel ‘Hayy ibn Yaqzan’. The theoretical discussion is eventually put into practical application.
Learning objectives: What is utopianism? How is utopianism reflected in literature? How does it relate to idyll and eschatology? Is it a universal phenomenon? What practical implications does it have? Which examples are of cross-cultural significance? " close
Suggested reading
"Neusüss, Arnhelm (Hrsg.): Utopie. Begriff und Phänomen des Utopischen. Neuwied: Luchterhand 1972.
Bloch, Ernst: „Etwas fehlt… Über die Widersprüche der utopischen Sehnsucht. Ein Gespräch mit Theodor W. Adorno - 1964“. In: Gespräche mit Ernst Bloch. Hrsg. von Rainer Traub / Harald Wieser. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp 1975, S. 58–77.
Levitas, Ruth: The Concept of Utopia. New York: Allan 1990.
Sargent, Lyman Tower: Utopianism. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010." close
16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Tue, 2025-10-14 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-10-21 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-10-28 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-11-04 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-11-11 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-11-18 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-11-25 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-12-02 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-12-09 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2025-12-16 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2026-01-06 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2026-01-13 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2026-01-20 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2026-01-27 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2026-02-03 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2026-02-10 10:00 - 12:00