The Gunpowder Empires of the Islamic World, ca. 1450-1800 (HIST 335)

2020 Fall
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
History(HIST)
3
6
Ferenc Péter Csirkés fcsirkes@sabanciuniv.edu,
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Undergraduate
SPS101 SPS102
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Programs\Type Required Core Elective Area Elective
Political Science *
Political Science (Previous Name: Social and Political Sciences) *

CONTENT

The course focuses on the so-called gunpowder empires of the Islamic world of the early modern era, i.e. the Ottoman Empire, Mughal India and Safavid Iran. As part of a universal trend, it was this age when much of the current territorial, confessional, political, social and cultural boundaries dividing the Islamic world were set up. The course consists of three units. After an introduction, first it focuses on the political history of these polities, compares them with each other from various aspects, including religion, administration, the military, economy, trade, the role of and attitude to minorities, as well as various facets of culture. Lastly it revisits these issues by way of a critique of decline narratives related to the Islamic World. It discusses Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal history not only as comparative but also as connected phenomena.

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES

1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others.

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice.

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself.

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means.

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams.

1. Develop knowledge of theories, concepts, and research methods in humanities and social sciences.

2. Assess how global, national and regional developments affect society.

3. Know how to access and evaluate data from various sources of information.

1. Understand and follow changes in patterns of political behavior, ideas and structures.

2. Develop the ability to make logical inferences about social and political issues on the basis of comparative and historical knowledge.