First You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned: Stereotypes and Orientalism HIST /28/13

Translation and Transliteration Who can read this? الجاحظ من كبار ادباء القرن التاسع الميلادى

Translation and Transliteration Who can read this? al-Jāḥiẓ min kibār udabā’ al-qarn al-tāsi῾ mīlādiyya

Translation and Transliteration الجاحظ من كبار ادباء القرن التاسع الميلادى al-Jāḥiẓ min kibār udabā’ al-qarn al-tāsi῾ mīlādiyya al-Jahiz was one of the great literary figures of the ninth century A.D.

But which transliteration is right? محمد Muhammad Mohammad Mahommed Mohamed Mahomet Mehmet

But which transliteration is right? مرو Marw Merw Marv Merv Mary

What’s in a name? Genealogy – Rob ibn John ibn Joseph ibn Longinus ibn… – Laura bint Gary ibn Henry ibn James… – Abu Rob John ibn Joseph – Umm Rob Margaret bint Lloyd

What’s in a name? nisba Location – Rob ash-Shikaguwi – Rob as-Sinsinnatiwi – Rob al-Mishigani Occupation – Rob al-Ustadh – Rob al-Mu’arrikh Notable Traits – Rob al-Jamil

What’s in a Name? Can anyone tell me what al-Jahiz’s full name means? Abu ‘Uthman `Amr b. Bahr al-Kinani al-Basri al- Jahiz

What’s in a Name? Then there are titles… – Salah al-Din Yusuf b. Ayyub – Abu Ja`far `Abdallah b. Muhammad al-Mansur

Stereotypes and Prejudices When I say “Middle East,” what’s the first thing that pops in your head? Where do these ideas come from? Are they useful in approaching the history of the Middle East? Are they useful in discussing the modern Middle East?

Michel Foucault and Edward Said

Foucault – Archaeology of Knowledge Information + Power = Truth Is there any such thing as absolute truth? How do we know if something is true? How does something become true?

Said - Orientalism The study, depiction, and reproduction of “the Orient” by Westerners. Objectification Said – patronizing Western attitude towards the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. Essentializes societies as static and undeveloped. Implies that the West is developed, rational, and superior.

Orientalism How do Foucault and Said explain our attitudes towards the Middle East? What should we do to improve our knowledge of the Middle East? What does that mean for this class?

Reading Primary Sources How do you read a text? What information do you need to know before you can analyze a text? What does a text actually tell you?

Primary Sources 1.“On Levantine Immigrants in Rome” 2.“Saying Attributed to the Prophet” 3.“A Persian View of the World,” “An Iraqi View,” and “View from Jerusalem” 4.“Another Arab View” and “Another Persian View” 5.“On Subjugation” and “A Consumer’s Guide to Servants” 6.“Literary Stereotypes” to the bottom of page 11 7.“Literary Stereotypes” from the bottom of page 11 8.“Some Religious Prejudices” 9.“And Some Political Judgments” to the bottom of page “And Some Political Judgments” page “Five British Views of the Arabs” page “Five British Views of the Arabs” page “Five British Views” page 18 and “And Some American Prejudices” page “And Some American Prejudices” page 19-20