Early Modern Empires of the Near East

Catalog description

The course examines the common intellectual heritage of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal societies through the study of their political institutions, religious doctrines, economic structures, and cultural sources. In addition to reading modern scholarship, we will examine primary sources from diverse fields of theology, politics, literature, and the arts. This course provides an overview and context for a deeper understanding of modern Middle East and India through a close study of its history and culture prior to age of industrialization and imperialism.