IAH 211 D

Islamic Art and Culture

Spring 2008

 

Instructors: Drs. Carol Garrett Fisher and Alan Fisher

Email:  fisherc@msu.edu, fishera@msu.edu

Office hours: by appointment

 

Required Books:

·        Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair. Islamic Arts, Phaidon Press, 1997 [paper].

·        Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair.  Islam: A Thousand Years of Faith and Power.  2002 [paper].

·        Tales from the Thousand and One Nights. translated by N. J. Dawood, Penguin Books, 1973 [paper].

·        Naguib Mahfouz. Arabian Nights and Days. Anchor Books [paper]

·        Marjane Satrapi. Persepolis vol. 1: The Story of a Childhood. Pantheon [paper]

·        Marjane Satrapi. Persepolis vol. 2: The Story of a Return. Pantheon [paper]

 

Recommended:

·        The Meaning of the Glorious Koran. ed. by Pickthall [paper]

 

Goals of Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities

Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities at MSU seeks to assist students to become more familiar with ways of knowing in the arts and humanities and to be more knowledgeable and capable in a range of intellectual and expressive abilities.  IAH courses encourage students to engage critically with their own society, history, and culture(s); they also encourage students to learn more about the history and culture of other societies.  They focus on key ideas and issues in human experience; encourage appreciation of the roles of knowledge and values in shaping and understanding human behavior; emphasize the responsibilities and opportunities of democratic citizenship; highlight the value of the creative arts of literature, theater, music, and arts; and alert us to important issues that occur among peoples in an increasingly interconnected, interdependent world.

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 Thursday, April 17.

 

·        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: Based on Arabian Nights and Days and Tales from the 1001 Nights, details TBA.

 

Test, Project, and Essay Dates to Remember:

  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)

·        620-650 = 4.0

·        580-619 = 3.5

·        540-579 = 3.0

·        500-539 = 2.5

 

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.

 

Weekly Assignments and class topics:

 

Week 1 (January 8-10) Introduction to the Muslim World

·        Islamic Arts.  “Introduction” pp. 11-20

·        Tales from the 1001 Nights.  “Introduction” pp. 7-12.

·        Bloom and Blair: Islam: 7-48. ·        ]

·        Video: Islam: Empire of Faith [we will view this video over several class periods]

 

Week 2 (January 15-17) Puzzles of Early Islamic Monuments of Power

·        Begin reading Islamic Arts, pp. 23-39, 59-78.

·        Bloom and Blair, Islam: pp. 49-63.

·        Tales from the 1001 Nights. “Prologue” pp. 13-23.

·        Video: Islam: Empire of Faith [continued]

·        Tuesday – January 15 – 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 - to fisherc@msu.edu.

 

Week 3 (January 22-24) The Legacy of Empires

·        Finish reading Islamic Arts, pp. 23-39, 59-78.

·        Bloom and Blair.  Islam pp. 65-102.

·        Read: “Description of the Palace of Baghdad in 917 by al-Hatib al-Bagdadi” [class handout]

·        Tuesday – January 22 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 29 - 31) Islamic Cultures in the Lands of the West

·        Begin reading Islamic Arts, pp. 39-56.

·        Begin reading Tales from the 1001 Nights, “Sinbad the Sailor and Sinbad the Porter”..

·        Bloom and Blair. Islam pp. 103-155.

·        Video: The Alhambra

·        WWW Assignment: www.saudiaramcoworld.com  Review Alhambra material – further instructions will be given in class.

·        Tuesday – January 29 Submit journal entry #3 in which you discuss the history and structure of Tales from the 1001 Nights.

·        NO CLASS ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 31.

 

Week 5 (February 5-7) Islamic Cultures in the Lands of the West (continued)

·        Finish reading Tales from the 1001 Nights “Sinbad the Sailor and Sinbad the Porter,” and “Epilogue”.

·        Tuesday – February 5 Midterm #1

·        Video: Tales of the Arabian Nights.

 

Week 6 (February 12-14) 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]

·        Bloom and Blair, Islam pp. 157-180

·        Videos:  The Way of the Sufi and Persian Miniatures from the Shahnameh;

·        Write a journal entry #4:  Discuss your thoughts and reactions to the video on Sufism in the Islamic world. Consider the question “What is the Way of the Sufi?” Submit on Thursday February 14. 

 

Week 7 (February 19-21) The Rule of Lords and Slaves

·        Continue Islamic Arts “Regional Centers and Local Powers….” Pp. 193-248.

·        Bloom and Blair, Islam pp. 181-219.

·        Video: Mongols: Storm from the East – Birth of an Empire

·        Thursday February 21 – Submit journal entry #5 commenting on the construction and content of the Shahnama and the concepts of kingship it reflects OR the function of image in literature as seen in both the Shahnama and Persepolis.

 

Week 8 (February 26 - 28) Mongols and Timurids

·        Finish reading Islamic Arts “Regional Centers …” pp. 249-283

·        Read Narrative of the Embassy of Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo to the Court of Timour at Samarcand, A.D. 1403-6 (class handout).

·        Tuesday February 26:  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.

·        NO CLASS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28

 

Spring Break – March 3-7

 

 

Week 9 (March 11-13) Conclusion of Mongols; Timurid and Safavid Iran

·        Begin reading Islamic Arts “The Great Empires: 1500-1800” pp. 287-328. ·       

·        Film: The Isfahan of Shah Abbas

·        Thursday – March 13 – Midterm 2.

 

Week 10 (March 18-20) Timurid and Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire

·        Continue reading Islamic Arts “The Great Empires” pp. 331-360.

·        Video: The Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent

·        Tuesday March 18 – Submit Journal Entry #7 – about the basic differences between Sunni and Shi'ia Islam.

·        Thursday – March 20 – Museum Project 2 in Kresge Art Museum, details will be announced in class.

 

Week 11 (March 25-27) The Ottoman Empire, continued

·        WWW Assignment: www.saudiaramcoworld.com.  Review information on the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent.  Further instructions will be given in class.

·        Thursday March 27 – Submit Journal Entry #8 – Discuss the idea of Sacred Space and religious concepts held by Ottoman sultans as reflected in the mosque of Suleyman.  (This could include concepts of kingship as well.) 

·        Read: Persepolis I and Persepolis II.

·        Read: Arts Orientalis articles (class handouts)

 

Week 12 (April 1-3) Empires in India

·        Tuesday – April 1 In-class writing exercise on a Shahnama miniature.

·        Thursday – April 3 - Submit journal entry #9 concerning the question of how the public images or palaces created for Suleyman the Magnificent OR one Indian Ruler (of your choice) conveyed the idea of an Islamic ruler.

·        Read:  “The Tale of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp”, Tales from the 1001 Nights , pp. 165-236.

 

Week 13 (April 8-10) 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.

·        Begin reading Arabian Nights and Days.

·        Read section from Barbara Brend, Islamic Art (class handout)

·        Tuesday – April 8 :  Submit Journal Entry #10 – write about the function of image in literature as seen in both the Shahnama and Persepolis I - II.

·        Thursday – April 10:  Museum Project 3.  

 

 

Week 14 (April 15-17)  Continue “The Culture of the Muslim World of the 19th and 20th Centuries: “The Other: Orientalism in the West”

·        Bloom and Blair, Islam pp. 221-239.

·        Read: Linda Nochlin, “The Imaginary Orient,” Art in America [class handout].

·        Complete: Arabian Nights and Days.

·        Videos: Islam in America and Orientalism.

·        Tuesday – April 15 Orientalism Project in class.

·        Thursday – April 17 3-page book review due. Comparison of Tales from the 1001 Nights and Arabian Nights and Days.

·        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 17.

·        Submit your Ethnocentric Eye/I File on Thursday April 17

 

Week 15 (April 22-24) Orientalism, continued.

·        Videos: Islam in America and Aladdin (Disney)

 

Final Exam: Friday, May 2   7:45 am – 9:45 am