History 739 Topics in Near Eastern and World History

1. History 739Topics in Near Eastern and World History Dr. John Curry john.curry@unlv.edu http://faculty.unlv.edu/curryj5 Room B-326 (History Conference Room) Class meets: 4:30-7:30pm Office Hours: Tuesday 2:30-4:00pm

2. Background for Richard Bulliet’sIslam: View from the Edge Columbia University (1976) Early contributor to world history; Camel and Wheel Conversion to Islam in the Medieval Period (1979) World History textbook Earth and its Peoples Controversial theses: View from Edge and Case for Islamo-Christian Civ.

3. Maps for Persian geography Maps of major cities in Iran and its northeast

4. Medieval Islamic expansion Early Islamic conquests and provincial structure

5. Provincial structure of Abbasids Note Khorasan and Gorgan (Jurjan) at upper right

6. Abbasid decline by the 900s Map showing collapse of Abbasid power over time

7. Central Asian demographics Central Asian populations in modern times

8. Discussion of Bulliet (not to be limited to points below) What is the basic narrative that Bulliet advances for Iran’s history from the 600s through 1200s? Why does cotton matter? Why does climate matter? Why do camels matter? What kinds of evidence does Bulliet advance, and how does it relate to his earlier work? Why a “moment in world history,” and what are potential consequences for a wider audience?

9. A different type of chronology for Iran’s history in Bulliet’s work 400-650 (Period of Sasanid dominance) 650-900 (Gradual introduction of cotton) 900-1000 (Heyday of “dual agriculture”) 1000-1050 (Arrival of the “Big Chill” and Turkmen nomadic peoples) 1050-1150 (End of cotton growing and flight of Iranian scholarly classes) 1150-1250 (Failure to recover; Mongol era)

10. Comparison: standard chronology for wider Islamic world 622-750 (Islamic conquests; Umayyad rule) 750-860 (Classical Islamic civilization under the Abbasids) 860-945 (Abbasid decline) 945-1040 (Decentralization/competition) 1040-1100 (Great Saljuq reconsolidation) 1100-1220 (Institutional finalization) 1220-1405 (Turco-Mongol invasions)

11. Conversion to Islam argument Conversion models for various regions of Near East

12. Issues of chronology: why technology matters Expanding production of cotton + religious tensions Silk of earlier times limited to non-Muslims Lack of arable land leads to Muslim involvement with qanat-building What is a fulanabad? Result: trade boom and monetarization (silver)

13. Issues of the “Big Chill”: climate change and history New tools in historical study: dendrochronology and climate change Various medieval chroniclers corroborate tales of cold and shortage Weakening of cotton market coincides with cultural/ religious shifts Shift to nomadic goods

14. Of Saljuqs and camels: a turning point in world history? The Oghuz, the Ghaznavids and the Saljuq Turks Explaining the sudden collapse of Mahmud’s state after 1030 C.E. Issues of “ecological determinism”—did camel-herding cause migration? Saljuqs inherit economic decline, intellectual flight

15. Extent of the Ghaznavid state Extent of the Ghaznavid empire ca. 1030 C.E.

16. Making old work anew:Bulliet’sCotton, Climate, and Camels Reading the intellectual genealogy of the work: begins with Camel and Wheel Links new ecological-historical advances into early work on conversion in medieval Persia Seeks to cover some of the weak or poorly-sources elements in Islam: View From the Edge Introduces world historical significance grounded in textbook writings and comparison of Islamic and Christian civilizations

17. Issues of immediate concern for the future All October classes (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th) will focus on the writing process Be prepared to present at least 2-3 pages of writing for evaluation to the class Make 4 copies for me and your fellow three members of the class (or e-mail in advance) November 4: status report going into final phase November classes on the 11th, 18th, and 25th will be cancelled for holidays Presentations on Dec. 2, final paper on Dec. 9