RLST 057 CM -Islamic Empire & Political Phil

Institution: Claremont McKenna

Description: This course is an introduction to Islamic political thought, with special attention paid to the contributions of the Fatimid Empire (909-1171). The Fatimids, who controlled a large portion of the Mediterranean, brought about a number of remarkable achievements under their rule: the founding of Cairo; unprecedented ritual pageantry surrounding the leader, the caliph-imam; and major advancements in theology, arts, and sciences. In this course we will think through major issues in the way political philosophy helped to guide the empire-issues such as the role of apocalypticism as a revolutionary theology; the place of secrecy in governing; and how religious symbolism could explain declines in political power. As the Fatimids were Shia, we will also cover various similarities and differences between Sunni and Shia political philosophies.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.