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CS92PROD
The Time of the Caliphs: A Cultural History of Islam's Golden Age
HIST 137
Fall 2011 not offered

This class will introduce students to works that are considered to be among the great classics of literature produced in Islam's Golden Age (750-1258). In that era, Baghdad served as one of the world's leading centers for both scientific exploration and artistic production. We will explore the historical and cultural context of some representative works produced by Muslims in that era and discuss to what degree they represent values that are both specific to that culture and universal. Among the questions to be explored are, What makes a work a "classic"? Does the definition of a classic work of fiction vary over time and place? Besides the Qur'an, THE TALES OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS is perhaps the best known literary work of Islamic culture. But in the Arabic-speaking world, it is considered "trash literature." What accounts for the difference in reception?

Essential Capabilities: Intercultural Literacy
This class will introduce students to works that are considered to be among the great classics of literature produced in Islam's "Golden Age" (75-1258). We will explore the historical and cultural contexts of the works and discuss to what degree they represent values that are both specific to that culture and universal at the same time.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA HIST
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: None

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
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