IAH 211 D
Islamic Art and Culture
Spring 2006
Email: fisherc@msu.edu, fishera@msu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Required Books:
·
Jonathan Bloom
and Sheila Blair. Islamic Arts, Phaidon Press, 1997 [paper].
·
Tales from
the Thousand and One Nights,
translated by N. J. Dawood, Penguin Books, 1973 [paper].
·
Karen Armstrong.
Islam, a Short History, Modern Library, 2000.
And ONE of the following:
·
Naguib Mahfouz.
Arabian Nights and Days. Anchor Books
·
Yasar Kemal. Mehmet My Hawk. New York
Review.
·
Amin Maalouf.
Samarkand. Interlink
·
Amos Oz. The
Hill of Evil Counsel. Harvest
·
Kunal Basu.
The Miniaturist. Phoenix Press.
·
Marjane Satrapi.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Pantheon
·
Azar Nafisi.
Reading Lolita in Tehran. Random House
·
Khaled Hosseini.
The Kite Runner. Riverhead Books
Recommended:
·
The Meaning
of the Glorious Koran ed by Pckthall
[paper]
Long Range Assignment: To successfully complete this course,
you are asked to
·
Keep a
class journal: In this journal,
you are to write in 1-2 pages every week your thoughts and reactions to a
question or topic we assign which concerns the week’s assignments, projects,
videos and class discussions or lectures. We are
more interested in your thoughts, insights and questions than in a summary
of the topic or question. We suggest that you
use a loose-leaf note book for this and write your entries on computer or
by legible hand in ink. We will periodically
ask you to submit a specific week’s entry either in hard copy or via email. The complete journal is to be submitted on the last day
of class.
·
Keep an
Ethnocentric Eye/I File. In a container of your choice, collect any and all references
to Islamic culture that you come across as a part of your daily life. Check advertisements, magazines, newspapers, comic books,
videos, films, children’s toys – any and everything is fair game. Make a note about the point of view shown about Islamic
culture; i.e., is it sympathetic toward Islam? Does
it see Islamic culture as dangerous? Or “exotic” or “the other”? Funny? See commonalities with other
cultures? We will share these in class and your final
essay as well as journal entries will need input from your collection. While there is no specific number of items required for
this file, a fairly complete file of ten or more items will be required
for course completion. As always, the more complete the project, the better
is the reflection on the student.
·
Book Review
Assignment: You are asked to
choose one book from the list above to read, and then to comment on
it in a 3-page book review. In this review, you will
briefly review the plot and characters (1-2 paragraphs) and then discuss
how the work deals with the particular themes discussed in class or secular
and sacred trends in the particular society of the modern Middle East that
is portrayed. At the end of the semester you will be
part of a book panel to present your specific choice.
Test, Project, and Essay Dates to Remember:
·
Midterm 1:
February 7 (100 possible points)
·
Museum Project
1: March 2 (50 possible points)
·
Midterm 2:
March 16 (100 possible points)
·
Museum Project
2: March 23 (50 possible points)
Museum Project 3: April 13 (30 possible points)
·
Book Review:
April 20 (70 possible points)·
·
Journal: April 20 (Completion a requirement
for course credit. Extra credit and consideration for
higher course grade possible)
·
Ethnocentric
Eye/I File: April 20 (50 possible
points)
·
Final Examination: May 1 (200 possible points)
Consistent attendance is a requirement for the
course. (Periodic attendance checks will take place
in the form of in-class written experiences)
Grading Scale (650 possible points)
·
610-650 =
4.0
·
570-609 =
3.5
·
530-569 =
3.0
·
490-529 =
2.5
·
460-489 =
2.0
·
425-459 =
1.5
·
395-424 =
1.0
Attendance and journal completeness will be taken
into account when assigning your final grade.
Please note that all exams will be open-note
exams and will cover class and video materials as well as the assigned
readings. Therefore it is to your advantage to take
as complete a set of notes as possible, and organize them for effective use
during the exam. Sketches of objects or of buildings
can be of great help to you as a part of your notes.
Extra credit possibilities:
During the final 2 weeks of class, there will
be 4 opportunities for extra credit. Interested
students may apply to the professors for possible selection for these
slots. They are each worth a possible 10 points
of extra credit and consist of talks to the class that will be limited
to 10 minutes each. There are four possible
topics:
·
Orientalism
and Cartoons
·
Orientalism
and Comics
·
Orientalism
and Advertising
·
Orientalism
and Music
Maps for use in this course
Weekly Assignments and class topics:
Week 1 (January 10-12) Introduction to the Muslim World
·
Islamic
Arts. “Introduction”
pp. 11-20
·
Tales from
the 1001 Nights. “Introduction” pp. 7-12.
·
Armstrong.
Islam pp. ix-xii.
·
Oleg Grabar,
“Different but Compatible Ends” The Art Bulletin September 1994. [class
handout]
·
Video: The
Story of Islam [we will view this video over several class periods]
· Begin reading Islamic Arts, pp. 23-39, 59-78.
· Armstrong. Islam, pp. 3-23.
· Tales from the 1001 Nights. “Prologue” pp. 13-23.
· Video: The Story of Islam [continued]
· Tuesday – January 17 – Submit journal entry #1 in which you identify and explain any Middle East topics in which you have room for more knowledge. This may be in hard copy or via email.
· There will be no class on Thursday, January 19.
Week 3 (January 24-26) The Legacy of Empires
·
Finish reading
Islamic Arts, pp. 23-39, 59-78.
·
Armstrong. Islam pp. 23-37.
·
Read: “Description
of the Palace of Baghdad in 917 by al-Hatib al-Bagdadi” [class handout]
·
Tuesday
– January 24 Submit journal
entry #2 on the topic of Muhammad – you can write on any aspect of Muhammad
that you wish; for example, on his character, or his role in establishing
Islam, or his importance. (This may be in hard copy
or via email)
Week 4 (January 31 - February 2) Islamic Cultures in
the Lands of the West
·
Begin reading
Islamic Arts, pp. 39-56.
·
Begin reading
Tales from the 1001 Nights, “The Porter and the Three Girls from Baghdad”
pp. 243-302.
·
Armstrong.
Islam pp. 41-65.
·
Thursday –
Video: The Alhambra
·
Continue reading
Tales from the 1001 Nights “The Porter and the Three Girls from Baghdad”
pp. 243-302.
·
Tuesday
– January 31 Submit journal entry #3 in which you discuss what "PR" messages Islamic
palaces and stories send about royalty. You can use the information
about the Palace of Baghdad in 917, the Tales from the 1001 Nights, and what
you have read so far in Islamic Arts.
·
Thursday February 2– Group meeting for Group Essay.
Week 5 (February 7-9) Islamic Cultures in the Lands
of the West (continued)
·
Finish reading
Tales from the 1001 Nights “The Porter and the Three Girls from Baghdad”
pp. 243-302.
·
Armstrong.
Islam pp. 66-77.
·
Tuesday
– February 7 Group Essay #1
– The Structure of an Islamic Palace. This is to be
submitted by one member of your group in hard copy.
·
Tuesday
– February 7 Midterm #1
·
There will
be no class on Thursday February 9.
Week 6 (February 14-16) The Seljuks in Iran and Anatolia
·
Read Islamic
Arts, “Regional Centers and Local Powers: 900-1500", pp. 129-193.
·
Read Idreis
Shah, Tales of the Dervishes, “The Tale of the Sand,” “When Death Came
to Baghdad,” and “The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephants” [class handout]
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 81-93
·
Videos: Discovering
the Music of the Middle East and The Way of the Sufi
·
Write a
journal entry #4 on any topic
you wish for this week – and submit it at the end of the semester with your
full journal.
Week 7 (February 22-24) The Rule of Lords and Slaves
·
Continue Islamic
Arts “Regional Centers and Local Powers….” Pp. 193-248.
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 93-96.
·
Videos: Begin
Video: Mongols: Storm from the East – Birth of an Empire and Persian
Miniatures from the Shahnameh
·
Thursday
February 24 - Khamsa of
Nizami, “Khosrow and Shirin.” In-class project [tentative topic]
·
Thursday
February 24 – Submit journal
entry #5 discussing your thoughts and reactions to either the video on
music or art in the Islamic world. This entry should
not be a summary of the video but rather a discussion of the function of this
art form in the Islamic world – how it affects or is affected by the surrounding
culture.
Week 8 (February 28 - March 2) Mongols and Timurids
·
Finish reading
Islamic Arts “Regional Centers …” pp. 249-283
·
Read Marco
Polo, The Travels and Narrative of the Embassy of Ruy Gonzalez de
Clavijo to the Court of Timour at Samarcand, A.D. 1403-6 [class handouts].
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 96-111.
·
Video: Continue
the Mongols: Storm from the East – Birth of an Empire
·
Tuesday
– February 28 Brief group meetings.
·
Thursday
March 2 Museum Project 1 in Kresge
Art Museum [details will be announced in class].
·
Write Journal
Entry # 6 on any aspect you wish
of the Mongol video, and submit it at the end of the semester with your full
journal.
Week 9 (March 14-16) Conclusion of Mongols; Safavid
Iran
·
Begin reading
Islamic Arts “The Great Empires: 1500-1800” pp. 287-328.
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 115-124.
·
Film: The
Isfahan of Shah Abbas
·
Tuesday
– March 14 – You will have 20
minutes for a group meeting.
·
Thursday
– March 16 – Midterm 2.
·
Thursday
– March 16 Group essay due: Sacred Space (This should be submitted in hard copy by a
designated member of the group.)
Week 10 (March 21-23) The Ottoman Empire
·
Continue reading
Islamic Arts “The Great Empires” pp. 331-360.
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 130-138.
·
Video: The
Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent
·
Tuesday
March 21 – Submit Journal Entry #7 – on your thoughts on Isfahan and Suleyman’s
mosque in Istanbul.
·
Thursday
– March 23 – Museum Project
2 in Kresge Art Museum, details will be announced in class.
Week 11 (March 28-30) The Ottoman Empire, continued
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 141-156.
·
Video: Suleyman
the Magnificent
·
Thursday
March 30 – Submit Journal Entry #8 – on any topic of your choice from your reading
in Armstrong’s book from weeks 10 and 11. Again, this
should not be a summary of what she wrote, but your reactions to what she
wrote.
Week 12 (April 4-6) Empires in India
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 124-130.
·
Video: Islamic
Arts
·
Tuesday
– April 4 In-class writing
exercise on Shahnameh miniature.
·
Thursday
– April 6 - Submit journal
entry #9 concerning the question of how the public images created for
Suleyman the Magnificent and one Indian Ruler (of your choice) conveyed the
idea of an Islamic ruler delineated in the video on the Shahnameh manuscripts. (This may be submitted either in hard copy or on email).
Week 13 (April 11-13) India (continued) and begin “The
Culture of the Muslim World of the 19th and 20th Centuries: “The Other: Orientalism in the West”
·
Read Islamic
Arts 416-422.
·
Read section
from Barbara Brend, Islamic Art [class handout]
·
Video: Tales
of the Arabian Nights
·
Tuesday
– April 11 There will be no class today. Independent
work on Museum Project 3.
Thursday - April 13, submit Museum Project 3 in class.
Week 14 (April 18-20) Continue
“The Culture of the Muslim World of the 19th and 20th
Centuries: “The Other: Orientalism in the West”
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 156-175.
·
Read: Linda
Nochlin, “The Imaginary Orient,” Art in America [class handout]
·
Videos: Islam
in America and Orientalism.
·
Tuesday
– April 18 Orientalism Project
·
Thursday
– April 20 3-page book review
due with in-class review project
·
Your final
journal entry: Read your first journal entry for the semester. How have your ideas changed or stayed the same based on
your viewing, reading, discussions and writings for this course? Submit completed journal as a requirement for course
credit, Thursday April 20.
·
Submit
your Ethnocentric Eye/I File on Thursday April 20
Week 15 (April 25-27) Orientalism, continued.
·
Armstrong,
Islam pp. 176-187.
·
Read Tales
of the 1001 Nights, “The Tale of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp” pp. 165-236.
·
Videos: Islam
in America and Aladdin (Disney)
·
Tuesday
– April 25 You will have a chance
for a 20-minute group meeting.
·
Thursday
– April 27 Final Group Essay:
The Ethnocentric Eye/I: American Popular Cultural Stereotypes of the Muslim
World. One copy with illustrative material should
be submitted by a designated group member.
Final Exam: Monday May 1 7:45
am – 9:45 am