History, schmistory!

[Nikolai]

In less than a week I start on my second year at university, starting my specialization on history. I have a (in my opinion) very interesting study, knowledge of the Middle East. It's a at basis three year long study, consisting of five areas I have to get through. Those I had last year, archeology (dry), sosial anthoropology (interesting enough), religious science (surprisingly dry) and history (yay! Fun!) went good, I got B in history and C in the other three(one subject), but what I really am nervous for is the last of the five areas I must get through: arabic next semester! I guess I'll manage, but I'm a little nervous.

The subjects I have this semester seems to consist of a few interesting books. In the subject about the ME, I have the following books. I wonder what you here who have taken history think of them.

Overview

John L. Esposito, Islam and politics. 4th edn. Syracuse NY 1998. s. 33-308.

*Yvonne Y. Haddad, “Islam and gender: Dilemmas in a changing Arab world”, i John Esposito and Y. Haddad (eds.) Islam, gender and social change. New York 1988, 3-29.

Kjetil Selvik og Stig Stenslie, Stabilitetens pris: Stat og politikk i Midtøsten. Bergen 2007: s. 9-263.

Tunisia

Kenneth J. Perkins, A history of modern Tunisia. Cambridge 2004. s. 1-212.

*Lisa Anderson, The state and social transformation in Tunisia and Libya, 1830-1980, s. 137-177.

Sudan

Peter M. Holt & M.W. Daly, A History of the Sudan: From the Coming of Islam to the Present Day. London 2000. s 1-222.

John O. Voll (ed.), Sudan: State and society in crisis. Bloomington 1991. s. 1-161.

Iraq

Charles Tripp, A history of modern Iraq. Cambridge 2002. s. 1-297

*Marion and Peter Sluglett, Iraq since 1958, Rev. edn. London 2001, s. 215-254.

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In general history, I have mostly Norwegian books, except these:'

Bulliet, Richard et al.: The Earth and its Peoples. A Global History. Vol. B: From 1200 to 1870. Boston / New York; Houghton Mifflin, 2005, s. 305-575 ( 2001-utg. s. 298-567).

Noble, Thomas F.X. et al.: Western Civilization. The Continuing Experiment. 1300-1815. Boston /New York, 2006 (Dolphin ed.), Kap. 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 (s. 331-403, 433-541).

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The last two, together with "Islam and politics" seem especially interesting. I look forward to this semester.

[Cartimandua]

No Iran or Afghanistan? Those were the countries I was most interested in while I was studying Middle Eastern history and politics. I have read some awesome books on the topic, but none of the ones you are reading. Your Islam and Gender book looks really interesting, I would imagine that would be the book I would look most forward to reading as my specific focus was women under Islam. Sounds like a fun semester!

[LordShiva]

History forum

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by LordShiva
History, schmistory forum

Fixed

[LordShiva]

Kjetil Selvik og Stig Stenslie, Stabilitetens pris: Stat og politikk i Midtøsten

I've read this one. It's teh boring

[Zkribbler]

Kjetil Selvik og Stig Stenslie, Stabilitetens pris: Stat og politikk i Midtøsten

Is this a real title, or are you simply pulling letters out of a box of Scrabble?

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by Cartimandua
No Iran or Afghanistan? Those were the countries I was most interested in while I was studying Middle Eastern history and politics. I have read some awesome books on the topic, but none of the ones you are reading. Your Islam and Gender book looks really interesting, I would imagine that would be the book I would look most forward to reading as my specific focus was women under Islam. Sounds like a fun semester!

Well, I have another year with history after this semester. But Iran was covered under last semester's history subject. The books and compendiums were:

Vikør, K. Ei verd bygd på islam. Oversikt over Midtaustens historie. 2. utg., Oslo 2004.

McCarthy, J. The Ottoman Turks. An Introductory History to 1923. London 1998, side 67-282.

Cleveland, W. A History of the Modern Middle East. 2. utg., Boulder 2000, side 59-525

Pappé, I. The Modern Middle East. London 2005, side 39-161 & 223-267.

Macfie, A. Orientalism, London 2002, 73-148 & 186-217.



Lapidus, I.M.: A History of Islamic Societies. 2 edn. Cambridge 2002, s. 56-80 & 103-32 *

Watt, W.M: "The place of economic and social factors", i Watt, Islam and the integration of society, London 1961; s. 4-42 *

Rodinson, M., "Economic practice in the Muslim World in the Middle Ages", i Rodinson, Islam and capitalism, London 1973, s. 28-57 *

Ashtor, E.A., "Agricultural conditions in the Moslem empire", i Ashtor, A Social and economic history of the Near East in the Middle Ages, London 1976, s. 36-70 *

Goitein, S., "Mediterranean trade in the eleventh century: some facts and problems", i M. Cook (ed.), Studies in the Economic History of the Middle East, London 1970, s. 51-63 *

Knut S. Vikør, “Maghreb: Nordafrikas historie etter 1800”. [manus. 87 s.] *

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Cleveland was great. He covered Iran. But the topic I wrote of on my exam was Palestine. The topic was nationalism and natioonal feeling among the Palestinians in the 1900s".

I'm not as interested in gender as you seem to be, but yeah, I think this will be a fun semester.

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by LordShiva

Kjetil Selvik og Stig Stenslie, Stabilitetens pris: Stat og politikk i Midtøsten

I've read this one. It's teh boring

You read Norwegian now? Actually, that book sounds like one of the most interesting. "The price of stability: State and politics in the Middle East".

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Is this a real title, or are you simply pulling letters out of a box of Scrabble?

Norwegian book. "The price of stability: State and politics in the Middle East"

[Chemical Ollie]

How about a Bible (Old Testament) and a Choran? That's the only books the inhabitants of the region read anyway...

[Traianvs]

Phew, that's a lot of reading to do
That's all for one subject? (and is that subject lasting a whole year or just one semester)?


PS: Arabic is a *****. No connections to any other language you might have picked up somewhere. If you don't keep up and exercise it constantly you will forget the entire vocabulary because all the words sound and look alike really... The pronounciation is actually not so difficult (but I'm biased: I come from teh polyglot Flanders )

[Darius871]

History... what a damn waste of time. Good luck getting a job.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Darius871
History... what a damn waste of time. Good luck getting a job.

LOL. Like people who study history will all become unemployed wretches

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by Traianvs
Phew, that's a lot of reading to do
That's all for one subject? (and is that subject lasting a whole year or just one semester)?

Yeah, that's for one semester. So after Christmas I'm set for new books.

PS: Arabic is a *****. No connections to any other language you might have picked up somewhere. If you don't keep up and exercise it constantly you will forget the entire vocabulary because all the words sound and look alike really... The pronounciation is actually not so difficult (but I'm biased: I come from teh polyglot Flanders )

Thanks. I needed that encouragement.

[Nikolai]

Originally posted by Darius871
History... what a damn waste of time. Good luck getting a job.

Oh, it's more to it than history. That's just the main subject, as I said I do get insight into other subjects too. And I probably will combine with something, or at least do more than 3 years, as that's a bit too little on it's own.