I explore the circulation of Islamic legal texts and ideas between the Indian Ocean and Eastern Mediterranean worlds, which shared a “cosmopolis of law”. In the study, I primarily focus on the... Show moreI explore the circulation of Islamic legal texts and ideas between the Indian Ocean and Eastern Mediterranean worlds, which shared a “cosmopolis of law”. In the study, I primarily focus on the internal and external dynamics of legal textual circulation, its respective impacts on the intellectual trajectories of the Muslim communities over time and place, and the evident textual traditions developed in the Islamic world. I focus mainly on such Shāfiʿīte manuals like Minhāj of al-Nawawī (1233–1277), Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj of Ibn Hajar (d. 1566) and Fatḥ al-Muʿīn of al-Malaybārī (d. 1583?). I ask how these interconnected texts help us a) understand the dis-continuity within the Shāfiʿī school, b) answer why certain textual genealogies became more significant in the traditional legalist synthesis of texts and practices of both everyday religious lives of laypersons and legal engagements of fuqahā, and c) analyze the school’s spread across the Indian Ocean and eastern Mediterranean worlds. I also ask how a particular school emerged into a standard form of legal practices in South and Southeast Asian and East African coasts. In the context of scholarly-mercantile connections at such nodal points as Damascus, Cairo, Mecca, Ḥaḍramawt, Zanzibar, Malabar and Java, I read this textual corpus. Show less
In this dissertation, four homilies preserved in Sahidic Coptic and attributed to Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373) are presented for the first time in a critical edition, together with... Show moreIn this dissertation, four homilies preserved in Sahidic Coptic and attributed to Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373) are presented for the first time in a critical edition, together with an English translation. The edition is made after manuscripts in the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, which originate from a deserted medieval monastery in the Egyptian province of al-Fayoum and date from the ninth-tenth centuries. The surviving fragments of other manuscripts are presented in columns parallel to the text of the main manuscripts.The first homily, which is preserved in manuscript M 602, f. 89r-98r, is an encomium in praise of the archangels Michael and Gabriel.The second homily is about murder and greed and about Saint Michael, the archangel. It is preserved in manuscript M 602, f. 98v-110v.The third homily is preserved in manuscript M 577, f. 37v-49v. Its title claims that this homily was delivered by Athanasius in response to the inquiries of clergymen from Isauria who had come to visit him.The fourth homily is, according to its title, about Pentecost. It is preserved in manuscript M 595, f. 118v-140v.The edition is preceded by an introduction in which many related subjects were studied.Published by Peeters Publishers: isbn 9789042940093 e-isbn 9789042940109. Show less
‘Let us Live as Hindus’: Narrating Hindu Identity Through Temple Building Processes in Amsterdam Zuidoost (1988-2015) asks how Hindu identity has been narrated through turbulent processes of... Show more‘Let us Live as Hindus’: Narrating Hindu Identity Through Temple Building Processes in Amsterdam Zuidoost (1988-2015) asks how Hindu identity has been narrated through turbulent processes of temple building in Amsterdam Zuidoost. It focuses on a critical event in 2010, when a community of Hindus was ordered to evacuate a temporary space that the local district government had provided them. The author argues that struggles to establish a purpose built temple in the neighbourhood are articulated as forms of 'Hindu hurt' that are strategically narrated through the experiences of being ex-colonised indentured workers. However, the ways in which Hindu hurt are articulated shift dramatically after 2010, revealing the ways in which the trauma of losing their temporary space has constructed a moral economy in which transparency, democracy and Hindu solidarity become central tenets of ideal Hindu practice. This dissertation analyses a body of correspondence from 1988-1996 and uses extensive ethnographic interviews with various Hindu and non-Hindu actors in Amsterdam Zuidoost. It also attempts to link current discussions of citizenship in the Netherlands to scholarship on Hindu hurt in the diaspora. Show less
This thesis illuminates painting inscriptions written in the Ming dynasty (1368-164) in a social context, revealing that inscriptions as a particular genre of text richly encompass themes... Show more This thesis illuminates painting inscriptions written in the Ming dynasty (1368-164) in a social context, revealing that inscriptions as a particular genre of text richly encompass themes relevant but not confined to social history, material culture, early modern publishing, identity construction, and self-knowledge. This thesis argues that painting inscriptions written in the Ming era are not only the result of artistic concerns; on many occasions, the production, utilization, and circulation of inscriptions had social concerns, meanings, and influences. Inscriptions as such are rich of notions, attitudes and thoughts, which can be helpful to understand Ming artists and their world, as well as an important source for scholars to explore social and intellectual history of the Ming era. This study, perhaps for the first time, brings two types of sources of inscriptions—existing paintings and textual anthologies—into the vision of academia. The two sources also represent two categories of inscriptions and their dual nature. Inscriptions are material objects with trajectories of circulation and dissemination; on the other hand, they are the texts of histories of reproduction and dissemination. The two categories of inscriptions are transmittable. A Ming painting is not a closed entity, but rather a dynamic entity. Show less
This research has been conducted in response to the mystical poems that Ayatollah Khomeini composed during his life. His poems contain multiple mystical topics such as wine, love, annihilation... Show moreThis research has been conducted in response to the mystical poems that Ayatollah Khomeini composed during his life. His poems contain multiple mystical topics such as wine, love, annihilation and adoration of non-Islamic figures. In various poems Ayatollah Khomeini rejects the Kaʿba, the Holy House of God in Mecca. How to interpret these unorthodox poems by the hand of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran? How to explain the paradox of his personality? His poems are also highly interesting because of their biographical and political elements, such as his references to the Iran-Iraq war. The main question of this research is how to interpret Ayatollah Khomeini’s mystical poetry. Are his poems the expressions of a convinced mystic, or did he copy this poetic framework for other purposes? How to interpret his poems in which he rejects Islamic institutions, such as the Kaʿba in Mecca? Is this topic merely a classical metaphor or does it reflect the personal problems he had with Saudi Arabia? And finally, how did his opponents and his followers respond to his poetry? Show less
The dissertation examines the functional and historical context of the corpus of ostraca from the Theban necropolis - hitherto largely unpublished - that are inscribed with identity marks. The... Show moreThe dissertation examines the functional and historical context of the corpus of ostraca from the Theban necropolis - hitherto largely unpublished - that are inscribed with identity marks. The feature that sets the usage of marks in Deir el-Medina apart from other systems in ancient Egypt is their application in the creation of documentary records. Analysing the 18th Dynasty ostraca, the study provides insight into the organisation and administration of the royal necropolis workmen of that period. The ostraca from the 19th and 20th Dynasty are occasionally concerned with supplies and tools for the construction of the tomb, but more often they record the delivery and distribution of commodities, goods and rations, and attendance at the worksite. In the 20th Dynasty more than in the 19th Dynasty ostraca can be recognised that pertain not to the collective necropolis administration, but that are private accounts. The subject of such records is also exclusively of a material nature. They include what seem to be inventories of private property and records of transactions. The majority of ostraca with identity marks were created by workmen without formal scribal training, although some were evidently composed by scribes or draftsmen. Show less
This dissertation analyzes Esmāʻil Fasih’s war novel, The Winter of 1983 (Zemestān-e 62, 1985) from a narratological standpoint to illuminate how this novel differ from other Iranian wartime novels... Show moreThis dissertation analyzes Esmāʻil Fasih’s war novel, The Winter of 1983 (Zemestān-e 62, 1985) from a narratological standpoint to illuminate how this novel differ from other Iranian wartime novels, since it explores numerous themes and perspectives on the war not explored by the war novels of this period. Whereas many wartime novels describe the active role of the working class in participating in the war, The Winter of 1983 chiefly portrays the upper class’s role, and especially their outlook on the war. In addition, Fasih’s war novel exposes the war the Iranian cities end up in ruins due to the war, an oft-neglected aspect of the war. This dissertation also considers how The Winter of 1983 might be differently categorized, as a novel with a moderate or neutral outlook on the war, the central reason being that the novel features both positive and negative aspects of the war. Show less
De dissertatie analyseert de aard en structuur van een oud-Egyptisch merktekensysteem en onderzoekt de relatie van deze niet-linguïstische vorm van visuele communicatie tot het... Show more De dissertatie analyseert de aard en structuur van een oud-Egyptisch merktekensysteem en onderzoekt de relatie van deze niet-linguïstische vorm van visuele communicatie tot het linguïstische systeem van schrift. Ook worden merktekensystemen als universeel fenomeen, waar in onze eigen maatschappij nog volop gebruik van wordt gemaakt, geanalyseerd. Show less
In this research Japanese armor masks are analyzed within the context of the Japanese mask culture. Essentially armor masks have a protective function and are, within the Japanese mask... Show more In this research Japanese armor masks are analyzed within the context of the Japanese mask culture. Essentially armor masks have a protective function and are, within the Japanese mask culture, the only masks which are not used for theater, dance or religious processions. The roots of menpō or “armor masks with facial features” are unknown, therefore, the subject is approached from the existing Japanese mask disciplines. The diversity and the connections with existing mask disciplines, especially nō masks, shows us that the Japanese armor masks form an integral part within the Japanese mask culture. This study provides new insights into the approach of form, function and meaning of the Japanese armor masks. Show less
The title of this thesis, “Cultural Interaction between Assyria and the Northern Zagros”, geographically covers Assyria and the Northern Zagros and historically a period from the early... Show more The title of this thesis, “Cultural Interaction between Assyria and the Northern Zagros”, geographically covers Assyria and the Northern Zagros and historically a period from the early second millennium until the fall of Nineveh in 612 BCE. It focuses on Assyrian interaction with the Northern Zagros (or vice versa). The landscape, flora, fauna, natural resources and climate of lowland Assyria were different from those of the Zagros highlands, which led to complementary economical activity. The Northern Zagros was the nearest place for Assyria to obtain raw materials, horses, grain and manpower. Assyria often conflicted with the Northern Zagros peoples to obtain their goals. But there were also peaceful (commercial and diplomatic) negotiations between them, which led to cultural interaction of various kinds. The way these interactions were facilitated will be presented. The roles played by Assyrians, Zagrosians and others in this interaction will be dealt with. How Assyria and the Northern Zagros acted as intermediaries in cultural interaction further afield. In each chapter, textual, visual and archaeological evidence is combined to find elements of interaction. Each chapter is provided with several tables, explaining many aspects of cultural interaction between Assyria and the Northern Zagros. Show less
This research elucidates various responses of the Yao to the social consequences of civilizing projects historically implemented by a powerful ‘Other’ to them, that is, the successive... Show more This research elucidates various responses of the Yao to the social consequences of civilizing projects historically implemented by a powerful ‘Other’ to them, that is, the successive Chinese imperial and post-imperial states. The Yao are one of the 56 nationalities in today’s China. The research reveals that the Yao’s reactions to the state’s civilizing force are gendered, as manifested in a religious domain. The research shows that Yao men embrace the power of ‘otherness’ that an imperial Daoist cosmology and manuscripts in Chinese entail, while Yao women sustain indigenous culture and belief by ‘singing’. A textual analysis of the probable products of female singing—narratives about goddesses of fertility—points to two types of Yao reaction in the position of women. On the one hand, the narratives embody a symbolic ‘space of negotiation’ in which Yao struggle to claim their agency, but the natural power of female fertility that symbolizes the layer of indigenous culture and belief is eventually domesticated. On the other hand, the narratives convey Yao’s criticisms of the social consequences of imperial Chinese state governance, imposed in the form of patrilineal ideology in marriage and kinship, showing also how different women sought their escape from that. Show less
This thesis investigates how Dutch sinologist Henri Borel ‘translated’ China, by examining his renditions of Chinese literature and the writings about China that he produced over a period of forty... Show moreThis thesis investigates how Dutch sinologist Henri Borel ‘translated’ China, by examining his renditions of Chinese literature and the writings about China that he produced over a period of forty years. Borel studied Hokkien Chinese at Leiden University and in Xiamen toward a career as Chinese Interpreter for the Dutch colonial government in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Although Borel’s prose writing in Dutch on Chinese culture is not translation in the conventional sense, it is just as important as his literary translations, in that both convey aspects of Chinese culture. In his work, Borel-as-translator has a very prominent presence, as the result of his self-proclaimed poethood and his role as a ‘Chinese author’ by internalizing Chinese culture in his own writing. This leads to a highly subjective vision of China. Eventually, together with his over-confident attitude as the China expert, this weakens the impact of his work in the long run. Still, Borel helped popularize Chinese culture and literature during his lifetime, and it is beyond doubt that his legacy is an important part of the cultural history of the Netherlands, the Dutch East Indies, and China. This research contributes to the understanding of this shared, entangled history. Show less
This dissertation explores a recent development in the wayang kulit purwa (shadow puppetry) tradition of Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, known as pakeliran garap semalam or all-night... Show more This dissertation explores a recent development in the wayang kulit purwa (shadow puppetry) tradition of Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, known as pakeliran garap semalam or all-night contemporary-interpretive style. This style was created and debuted in Surakarta by the dhalang (puppeteer) Purbo Asmoro (born 1961 in Pacitan, East Java) in 1989. He spent the next decade developing his new system, and post-2000 it has became the most popular approach to performance practice among puppeteers Purbo Asmoro's generation and younger. This research examines the history of Purbo Asmoro's style, its essential elements and identifying characteristics, his creative processes in developing and working within this style, and the effect his new approach to story-telling has had on other dhalang and on audiences. It also explores Purbo Asmoro’s musings, decisions, motives, and strategies. Most importantly, this work analyzes how all-night contemporary-interpretive style, in Purbo Asmoro's hands, has evolved into an entirely new system of performance practice rather than simply being stylistically innovative in a few characteristic ways. Six live performances over a one year period, 2007–2008, is the primary source material for the analysis. In these recordings, Purbo Asmoro performed two different stories three times each: in classical style, contemporary-interpretive style, and condensed style. Show less
The existing theories and models for translation quality assessment primarily focus on one specific concept of quality, enforcing a certain inflexible pattern of excellence to all... Show more The existing theories and models for translation quality assessment primarily focus on one specific concept of quality, enforcing a certain inflexible pattern of excellence to all translations they investigate, and often leave no space for hermeneutic interpretation and active decision making about the quality of translation for assessors. The current thesis is primarily an attempt to devise an alternative translation quality assessment model: a flexible assessor-centered model that, instead of promoting a particular concept of excellence or insisting on forcing certain pre-established decisions on assessors, serves as a methodological tool that facilitates the process of assessment and gives assessors full authority to make free decisions about the quality of translations. This model is tested in practice in a real world situation in order to make sure of its optimum functionality. To this end, the theoretical model of assessment in this thesis is followed by a case study in which attempts are made to apply the model in practice to a real world local situation. The case study in this thesis investigates different aspects of the evaluative behavior of two groups of assessors during different stages of the process of assessment within the specific socio-cultural context of Iran. Show less
Caspar Coolhaes was a controversial, tolerant, Spiritualist, Reformed preacher in Leiden in the late sixteenth-century. He has been called "the forerunner of Arminius and the Remonstrants."... Show moreCaspar Coolhaes was a controversial, tolerant, Spiritualist, Reformed preacher in Leiden in the late sixteenth-century. He has been called "the forerunner of Arminius and the Remonstrants." Coolhaes criticised the stricter Calvinist clergy of his day and, in, fact, found all confessions wanting. This dissertation presents an updated biographical sketch, which expands and collates what is known of Coolhaes' life. Then, it defines his ecclesiology from a detailed study of his own works, asking the question: "If Coolhaes could have designed a church for the new Dutch Republic, what would it have looked like?" Specifically, areas which concerned Coolhaes the most are laid out: his views of the relationship between secular and ecclesiastical government, his requirements for good preachers, and his concepts of diversity and Christian freedom in both the visible and invisible church. Show less
Who were the Babylonian priests? How did they identify themselves? And can we track them down in the cuneiform sources? This thesis presents an investigation into Babylonian society, focusing on... Show moreWho were the Babylonian priests? How did they identify themselves? And can we track them down in the cuneiform sources? This thesis presents an investigation into Babylonian society, focusing on the priestly community of the city of Borsippa during Neo-Babylonian (circa 620-539 BCE) and early Persian rule (circa 538-484 BCE). The political changes affecting Babylonia - the area of present-day central and southern Iraq - during that time provide the backdrop for this study. Focusing on the complex network of social interactions that existed between priestly families, this studies draws on sociological theories, studies of anthropology and social network analysis. This research aims to provide a better understanding of the Babylonian priesthood, not so much as servants of the gods, but as a distinct social group within Babylonian society at large. Show less
This book describes the end result of a research in Laut_m between 2010 and 2014, as part of a research project on Adult Literacy Education in Timor-Leste. This book focuses on the Fataluku... Show moreThis book describes the end result of a research in Laut_m between 2010 and 2014, as part of a research project on Adult Literacy Education in Timor-Leste. This book focuses on the Fataluku language that is spoken in Laut_m District, specifically in the sub districts of Lospalos and Tutuala. Fataluku is a non-Austronesian language that can be considered endangered, because most speakers of younger generations prefer Tetum of Fataluku. By means of a study on the national language policy, Laut_m__s linguistic landscape, Fataluku language attitudes and uses, and through a case study on adult literacy classes, this book discusses the change of an endangered unwritten language into a language that is written. This book shows that the planned education language policy does not yet apply correctly in Laut_m. Although the national language policy anticipates Portuguese and Tetum to become the languages of teaching, it turns out that Fataluku is till being used with that particular function in education. Show less
