Disenchanting the Caliphate

Disenchanting the Caliphate

The Secular Discipline of Power in Abbasid Political Thought

The political thought of Muslim societies is all too often defined in religious terms, in which the writings of clerics are seen as representative and ideas about governance are treated as an extension of commentary on sacred texts. “Disenchanting the Caliphate” offers a groundbreaking new account of political discourse in Islamic history by examining Abbasid imperial practice, illuminating the emergence and influence of a vibrant secular tradition.
‘Beauty in Enormous Bleakness’

‘Beauty in Enormous Bleakness’

“Beauty in Enormous Bleakness,” an exhibition highlighting the design legacy of Japanese American architects in the wake of World War II-era internments, is on view in Olin Library. A related symposium, “Moonscape of the Mind,” will take place April 13 and 14.
They Knew

They Knew

How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent

Sarah Kendzior, who earned her PhD in anthropology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in 2012, has written a book that examines why people are turning more and more to conspiracy theories at the very time when facts are needed most.
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