Course Description
In an era when dehumanization is widespread, the beauty of Islamic calligraphy is a refreshing body of content that can be approached from a rehumanizing scholarly perspective. This course surveys various Arabic calligraphic scripts and genres and analyzes the viewpoints expressed in Islamic calligraphic compositions.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be assigned additional readings and a written research presentation of 15 pages, which will also be presented and discussed in a forum of solely graduate students. These additional requirements will draw from sources not assigned to undergraduate students. Graduate students will be assessed according to additional and/or more intensive criteria, such as breadth and depth of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and application of sources.
Athena Title
Islamic Calligraphic Art
Prerequisite
Junior or senior standing or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Specific: • To teach students how to read the Arabic printed script, along with the additional Ottoman and Persian letters • To teach students how to read the Naskh, Thuluth, and Nasta’liq scripts and to be familiar with Kufic and Bana'i • To teach students how to recognize different calligraphic genres • To facilitate the understanding of functions of Islamic calligraphic art • To convey the importance of theory in Religious Studies • To enable students to understand rehumanization theory and method (including religiological analysis), its significance, and its relevance to the study of Islamic calligraphic art • To teach students how to approach and analyze aspects of Islamic worldviews expressed in Islamic calligraphies, via the lenses of religiological analysis General: • To teach students research methods and to foster independent research • To strengthen high-level critical thinking skills, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, by means of activities and assessments, such as reading, reflection, discussion, essays, papers, reports, and examinations • To strengthen skills in written composition by means of activities and assessments, such as reflection questions, essays, papers, reports, online discussions, and examinations • To strengthen skills in oral expression and dialogue by means of activities and assessments, such as presentations, discussions, debates, and oral examinations • To enhance and facilitate computer literacy by using word processing, the E-Learning Commons (ELC), web-based research, and multi-media course materials and assessments • To assist in the continued development of moral and ethical reasoning and reflection by encouraging creative thinking regarding individual and community concerns and needs, the challenging of prejudices and stereotypes, and examining rational and ethical bases of constructive social interactions
Topical Outline
Topics: I. Reading Arabic A. Learning to read Arabic printed letters Additional Persian and Ottoman letters B. The scripts: Naskh, Thuluth, Nasta’liq, Kufic, and Bana’i C. Five calligraphic genres: 1. Qur’anic calligraphy 2. Qit’as and Hadith 3. Chalipas and Persian Nasta’liq Quatrains 4. Hilyes 5. Levhas D. Signatures of calligraphers II. Dehumanization and rehumanization theory and method (including religiological analysis), and functions of Islamic calligraphic art III. The vision of Islam expressed in calligraphic compositions, as viewed from the perspective of the following religiological lenses A. Epistemology B. Ontology C. Theology D. Cosmology E. Eschatology F. Anthropology G. Psychology H. Teleology I. Methodologies IV. Students’ written research projects and oral presentations
Syllabus