Knowledge and Education in Classical Islam


Historical Foundations – Current Impact


Göttingen, October 1–5, 2011




Topics

1 Quranic Pedagogy
The Foundational Impact of the Quran on Islamic Education

2 Prophetic Traditions and Education
Hadith and its Transmission as Pedagogical Framework

3 Knowledge Transformed
Ancient Arabian and Iranian Wisdom and Islamic Learning; Greek and Syriac into Arabic: Reception & Creative Advancement of Ancient Knowledge.

4 Informal & Formal Learning
Oral and Written Instruction in Early Islam; Basic and Higher Learning in Classical Times; Educational Institutions & the Curriculum

5 Concepts of Knowledge & Philosophies of Education
Concepts and Classifications of Knowledge; Educational Theories; Conventions and Innovations in Classical Islamic Teaching and Learning

6 The Power of Knowledge
Political Dimensions of Muslim Scholarship; Learning and Leadership

7 Education from the Perspective of Specific Scholarly Disciplines
Religious Disciplines, Law, Exegesis, Historiography, Philosophical Disciplines, Natural Sciences, etc.

8 Education and Belles-Lettres
Education and Entertainment: The Concept of Adab

9 Learning of the Mystics
Sufi Theories of Learning; Learning as Part of the Mystical Journey

10 The Material Foundations of Learning
Religious Endowments as Centers of Learning; Financial Foundations of the Muslim Educational System

11 Learning and Art
The Visual Arts as Part of the Muslim Educational Canon; Visual Means of Learning; Islamic Learning and Music

12 Women Contributions to Islamic Education
Women as Scholars, Scribes, and Spirituals Guides; Education in the Private Sphere

13 Interrelations between Muslim and Non-Muslim Learning in Classical Times
Educational Discourse and Interfaith Dialogue in Classical Times

14 Specifics of Learning among Muslim Minorities
Continuities and Discontinuities of Muslim Learning

15 Regional Particulars of Learning in Classical Islam
Mapping the Empire: Muslim Travelers; Knowledge and Learning in Al-Andalus

16 Ethics and Virtues of Classical Islamic Learning
Ethics of Islamic Education; the Influence of “Great Authorities” on Learning

17 Islamic Learning and Muslim Identity
The Identity-building Role of Islamic Sciences; Images of Educators and Tutors

18 The Reception of Classical Islamic Learning in Later Times
Spiritual vs. Rationalist Islamic Learning

19 Conventional and Unconventional Forms of Learning
Magic and Alchemy as Forms of Learning?; Vocational Training in Classical Times

20 What makes Classical Islamic Education “Islamic” ?
Distinct Features and Novel Approaches of Classical Islamic Education

21 The Impact of Classical Islamic Learning on Contemporary Societies
The Implications of Classical Learning in the Modern World; Theoretical and Methodological Challenges of Research on Classical Islamic Education.