Books in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century played an important role in the dissemination of liberal and nationalist ideologies, thus instigating social change in the Arab world. The... Show moreBooks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century played an important role in the dissemination of liberal and nationalist ideologies, thus instigating social change in the Arab world. The focus of this study are printed Arabic books where the ideas of modernity in both form and content were advocated. Secular and literary publications, written in the Arabic language, printed and produced in the Arab world—namely in Cairo and Beirut—are selected as case studies. This research examines their formal aspects and investigates how their visual design has promoted ideals of modernity, thus painting a picture of a contemporary Arab design language that blends Islamic and western design conventions. It proves that the visual aspect of books creates a lasting bond with its readership and becomes a significant part of their perceived (or imagined) cultural identity. The study also proves that visual design, by imposing the stamp on the book-object, does flavor the reading of books. This research also confirms that cultural exchange has contributed to a modern Arab publishing and book design culture; and that the ensuing (typo)graphic design conventions still resonate in contemporary Arabic book design and constitute a foundation for designing future Arabic books. Show less
This study focuses on the life, exploits and ideology of Guru Wuguang (1818-2000), an eclectic and influential Taiwanese Buddhist figure who studied Daoist alchemy, multiple forms of Chinese,... Show moreThis study focuses on the life, exploits and ideology of Guru Wuguang (1818-2000), an eclectic and influential Taiwanese Buddhist figure who studied Daoist alchemy, multiple forms of Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan Buddhism, as well as biology, thermodynamics, philosophy, theology, and occulture. This is done in order to understand what happens when a tradition ‘purified’ from its ‘mythical’ elements reincorporates itself in the tension between its ‘enchanted’ past and ‘scientific’ present. Wuguang is famous throughout the Chinese-speaking Buddhist world for resurrecting Zhenyan, a school of esoteric Buddhism said to have flourished in China during the Tang Dynasty. The academic community has largely ignored Wuguang, making this the first in-depth exploration of this figure, whose influence is truly global. Building upon David McMahan’s work on Buddhist modernism, Jason Josephson’s secular-religious-superstitious trinary, scholarly discourse concerning Weberian disenchantment, and employing the Religious Economy Model, I argue that Wuguang’s teachings represent an intentionally reenchanted form of Buddhist modernism aimed at harmonizing magic with modern science and philosophy. While scholarly discourse on Asian magic in the modern world has been confined to popular religion, this study additionally focuses on ‘High-Church Buddhism’ by analyzing Wuguang’s magico-scientific interpretation of complex Buddhist doctrine. Show less
To speak of an 'early modern' world raises three awkward problems: the problem of early modernity, the problem of comparison and the problem of globalisation. In what follows, a discussion of these... Show moreTo speak of an 'early modern' world raises three awkward problems: the problem of early modernity, the problem of comparison and the problem of globalisation. In what follows, a discussion of these problems will be combined with a case study of the rise of humanism. Show less
The Savage as Living Ghost is a study about four scholarly failures to dismantle the notion of the savage in Western discourse. These scholarly attempts are, broadly, structuralist,... Show moreThe Savage as Living Ghost is a study about four scholarly failures to dismantle the notion of the savage in Western discourse. These scholarly attempts are, broadly, structuralist, poststructuralist, postcolonial or multiculturalist, and decolonial. This study examines these four scholarly attempts by confronting them with close-readings of literary works or films in which the notion of the savage is attached to or associated with Native Americans. As Native Americans constitute the paradigmatic figuration of the savage since the European conquest of America, I focus particularly on the ways the West has constructed Native Americans as savages in this study. In Western discourse, the terms “savage” and “civilized” appear quite frequently in political speeches, the media, academic works, and daily conversation. This study looks critically at the rhetoric of civilization which designates Native Americans as savages and Europeans as civilized, and traces how the notion of the savage serves as a moral and cultural term to establish a hierarchy between Native Americans and the Europeans. Studying this process of othering reveals the dark side of European modernity. Show less
My research is based on transculturalism in the works of Iranian authors living in France since the 1980’s. Referring to the cultural interbreeding, transculturalism constitutes a field of research... Show moreMy research is based on transculturalism in the works of Iranian authors living in France since the 1980’s. Referring to the cultural interbreeding, transculturalism constitutes a field of research, which is becoming increasingly important in numerous countries. In literature this concept concerns hybrid works, i.e. works emanating from two or more different cultures. In French-Persian creations it shows the mixture between a Western tradition of novel and the dominating place of lyricism and poetry in the Eastern writing. It may open also to an interesting course of reflection in the cultural and social domain of multiculturalism and transculturalism more in general. It aims at current issues seen from a double perspective: the interdependency of the different cultures and a new type of literature from the perspective of writing. Those creations are intermediary between the artist in exile and the receiving society. They transmit values of interculturalism, permitting interaction between cultures. But also represent transculturalism, which transcends the simple ‘dialogue’ between two cultures to reach an original synthesis. My goal was to search hybrid factors in these works and to see how they are carried out concretely in the texts. Then we see who these works might be qualified as transcultural. Show less
Dit literair-historisch proefschrift volgt het innovatieve proces van de romancyclus A la recherche du temps perdu die zich, mede onder invloed van de avant-garde schilderkunst, ontwikkelt van het ... Show moreDit literair-historisch proefschrift volgt het innovatieve proces van de romancyclus A la recherche du temps perdu die zich, mede onder invloed van de avant-garde schilderkunst, ontwikkelt van het ‘classicisme moderne’, de poëtica van de Nouvelle Revue Française die de roman kenmerkt in de beginfase, tot een literair modernisme. De korte, autonome passage uit de roman Sodom en Gomorra, waarin tot tweemaal toe het woord ‘rosace’ genoemd wordt, is ons uitgangspunt en speelt de hoofdrol bij de bestudering van de ideale compositie zoals die Marcel Proust voor ogen stond en zoals de auteur deze ‘Roos van Rivebelle’ een rol laat spelen in het creatieve wordingsproces van de verteller, waar zij een essentiële schakel lijkt te vormen in het leidmotief van de witte en roze meidoorns. De ‘Roos’ niet alleen in de betekenis van de bloemen behorend tot het geslacht Rosa, zinnebeeld van schoonheid, vergan kelijkheid en liefde, maar tevens in de architectonische en Franse betekenis van de grote Roos van de kerk oftewel het cirkelvormige roosvenster. Show less
The study of revolutions is at the forefront of the growing field of International Historical Sociology. As International Historical Sociology scholars have sought to uncover the spatio-temporally... Show moreThe study of revolutions is at the forefront of the growing field of International Historical Sociology. As International Historical Sociology scholars have sought to uncover the spatio-temporally changing character of international relations, they have come a long way in overcoming ‘unilinear’ and ‘internalist’ conceptions of revolutionary modern transformation. In this article, I re-evaluate the extent to which the International Historical Sociology of ‘bourgeois revolutions’ has succeeded in remedying unilinear conceptions of the transition to modernity. I argue that ‘consequentialist’ approaches to the study of bourgeois revolutions tend to obscure the radically heterogeneous character of revolutionary transformations, both within and outside Western Europe. Drawing on Political Marxism and Robbie Shilliam’s discussion of Jacobinism, I first provide a non-consequentialist reading of the revolutions of modernity within Western Europe, and then utilize this reinterpretation to provide a new interpretation of the Turkish Revolution (1923–1945). My aim is to demonstrate that a non-consequentialist conception of ‘bourgeois revolutions’ will enable us to historicize and theorize more accurately the co-constitution of international relations and revolutionary processes, hence providing a stronger foundation for the International Historical Sociology of modern revolutions. Show less
Most historians treat late imperial China, 1400-1900, as a time of fading and decay. Indeed, viewed backwards from the Opium War (1839-1842) and Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864), events before 1800... Show moreMost historians treat late imperial China, 1400-1900, as a time of fading and decay. Indeed, viewed backwards from the Opium War (1839-1842) and Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864), events before 1800 appear to have left China unprepared for modernity. But the 17th and 18th centuries can be considered not only as a 'late imperial' prelude to the end of traditional China, but as an 'early modern' harbinger of things to come. Show less
De Leidse hoogleraar theoretische fysica Paul Ehrenfest (1880-1933) was goed bevriend met Niels Bohr en Albert Einstein. In tegenstelling tot zijn beroemde tijdgenoten lag zijn kracht niet bij het... Show moreDe Leidse hoogleraar theoretische fysica Paul Ehrenfest (1880-1933) was goed bevriend met Niels Bohr en Albert Einstein. In tegenstelling tot zijn beroemde tijdgenoten lag zijn kracht niet bij het doen van grote ontdekkingen. Wel had hij een uitzonderlijk talent voor het verhelderen van complexe vraagstukken in de fysica. Het leven en werk van Ehrenfest biedt een intrigerend perspectief op de manier waarop wetenschappers uit dat tijdsgewricht hun weg probeerden te vinden in een periode van roerige wetenschappelijke, maatschappelijke en politieke ontwikkelingen. Behalve dat Ehrenfest een bloeiende onderzoeksschool opbouwde droeg hij ook bij aan de ontwikkeling en internationalisering van de Nederlandse natuurkunde, het universitaire onderwijs, en het ontstaan van een nieuw vakgebied __ de econometrie. Hij stimuleerde de ontwikkeling van de Russische en Amerikaanse theoretische fysica en versterkte de band tussen universiteit en industrie. Zijn tijdgenoten kenden Ehrenfest als een invloedrijk persoon die veel had bereikt. Tragisch is dat iedereen, behalve hij zelf, dat zag. Show less
De moeite waard om door te geven (Worth passing on) is a book about traditions. To be precise: about the remonstrant tradition. The Remonstrant Church is a small Dutch, liberal protestant... Show moreDe moeite waard om door te geven (Worth passing on) is a book about traditions. To be precise: about the remonstrant tradition. The Remonstrant Church is a small Dutch, liberal protestant denomination. It once knew prosperous growth, but it has been in decline since the last quater of the twentieth century. At least: if the numbers and the vitality of churchmembers are the measure. Because also when traditions don’t thrive and prosper there are people that think they are worthwhile. It is about them and the congragation where they find a spiritual home. The last part is about confessions. Remonstrants are very precise in these matters. They are expressions of their very differentiated worldviews, where the personal and the communal are securely kept apart. Show less
In Sanskrit discourse, discussions about property and ownership traditionally belonged to two disciplines: hermeneutics (mimamsa) and moral-legal science (dharma-sastra). Scholars of hermeneutics... Show moreIn Sanskrit discourse, discussions about property and ownership traditionally belonged to two disciplines: hermeneutics (mimamsa) and moral-legal science (dharma-sastra). Scholars of hermeneutics tended to ponder the question of what motivated people to acquire and alienate property, and scholars of moral-legal science contemplated exactly how people did acquire, use and alienate property. Beginning in the 16th century, however, a remarkable disciplinary shift occurred. Show less
Three Christian films have become popular in the Commune of Cobly of today's Republic of Benin, notably the American "Jesus Film" (1979), the American-Ivorian film "La Solution" (1994) and the... Show moreThree Christian films have become popular in the Commune of Cobly of today's Republic of Benin, notably the American "Jesus Film" (1979), the American-Ivorian film "La Solution" (1994) and the Beninese video film "Yatin: Lieu de souffrance" (2002). The discussion centres on how people receive and understand these films together with the digital video technology that facilitate their recent success. Christian films are so important in this part of Benin that the question needs to be raised whether Christianity is shifting from a religion of the book towards a religion of film. The theoretical starting point is semiotics, a theory that has been foundational not only for film, media and media reception studies, but more recently also for the study of materiality. This thesis' main theoretical contribution is a critique of semiotics, arguing that this theory, which has been foundational to Western science, is in fact too limiting. Semiotics, even in its Peircean orientation, cannot sufficiently explain how people in the Commune of Cobly understand shrines, film and media more generally, both through their material manifestations and interactively in terms of communication. Instead, a process called "presencing", which goes beyond semiotics, can explain better people's understanding of shrines and media. Show less
The colonization of the Punjab by the British ushered in economic, social, cultural and legal conditions in which Islamic identity came to assume new forms. In pre-modern times, Waris Shah's epic,... Show moreThe colonization of the Punjab by the British ushered in economic, social, cultural and legal conditions in which Islamic identity came to assume new forms. In pre-modern times, Waris Shah's epic, Heer, was an integral part of everyday life; it was recited at social and literary gatherings. But the text had not yet become the object of intellectual critique. Rather, the critique embedded in the text suffused everyday conflicts and pleasure. In the modern period, however, the text was dis-embedded from the life-world. It became a site for the contestation of pre-modern and modern forms of Islamic identity. Show less
Starting with Weber’s disenchantment thesis, a sociological tradition has developed that associates modernity with a crisis of meaning. The de-mystification of our worldview and the decreasing... Show moreStarting with Weber’s disenchantment thesis, a sociological tradition has developed that associates modernity with a crisis of meaning. The de-mystification of our worldview and the decreasing influence of religious traditions in specific are seen as obstacles for making sense of human existence. But in fact, modern societies are full of meaning and they continue to be religious. This study shows that, in an implicit form, religion can be found everywhere in our culture. The Internet hype of the 1990s was a particularly effervescent example of implicit religiosity. The hopeful discourse about the Internet that typified this hype drew on religious ideas and language, and it inspired strong belief. This dissertation explores the appeal of the Internet as an object of faith and it looks at how it could serve as a source of meaning. Show less
Starting with Weber’s disenchantment thesis, a sociological tradition has developed that associates modernity with a crisis of meaning. The de-mystification of our worldview and the decreasing... Show moreStarting with Weber’s disenchantment thesis, a sociological tradition has developed that associates modernity with a crisis of meaning. The de-mystification of our worldview and the decreasing influence of religious traditions in specific are seen as obstacles for making sense of human existence. But in fact, modern societies are full of meaning and they continue to be religious. This study shows that, in an implicit form, religion can be found everywhere in our culture. The Internet hype of the 1990s was a particularly effervescent example of implicit religiosity. The hopeful discourse about the Internet that typified this hype drew on religious ideas and language, and it inspired strong belief. This dissertation explores the appeal of the Internet as an object of faith and it looks at how it could serve as a source of meaning. Show less
The Spirit of Matter discusses excessive objects: those things that move people but whose existence is often denied by modern wishful thinking about ‘mind over matter’, and that things are... Show moreThe Spirit of Matter discusses excessive objects: those things that move people but whose existence is often denied by modern wishful thinking about ‘mind over matter’, and that things are supposedly ‘dead’. Such wishful thinking can be traced back to Protestant Christian influences, that were secularized in the course of modern and colonial history. A range of excessive objects – exhibits of human remains or live people, fetishes, objects in a Catholic museum, exotic photographs, commodities, and computers – demonstrate a subordinate modern consciousness about powerful objects and their ‘life’. If humanity wants to survive current planetary socio-ecological crises, it should learn from its humility towards both artefacts and non-human things. Show less
Anyone who aims to discuss the Sanskrit intellectual tradition of the early modern period is required to preface his exposition with two remarks. The first is the typical caution offered by those... Show moreAnyone who aims to discuss the Sanskrit intellectual tradition of the early modern period is required to preface his exposition with two remarks. The first is the typical caution offered by those in a new field of research, though in this case the caution truly has bite. Sanskrit science and scholarship from the 16th through the 18th centuries has only just begun to attract the attention of scholars. In addition, the vast majority of texts have never been published, and some of these are housed in libraries and archives where access is either difficult or impossible. The second remark concerns a rather atypical language restriction on our problematic. In striking contrast to China or the Middle East, while somewhat comparable to Western Europe, India in the early modern period shows a multiplicity of written languages for the cultivation of science and scholarship. But two of these, Sanskrit and Persian, monopolised the field, and did so in ways that were both parallel and nonintersecting. Each constituted the principal language of science for its associated social-religious sphere, while very few scholars were proficient in both (at least aside from mathematicians and astronomers, and even these were very much in the minority). Sanskrit continued its pervasive, age-old dominance in the Hindu scholarly community, and merits consideration as a completely self-contained intellectual formation. With those two clarifications in mind we can proceed to ask what actually occurred in the world of Sanskrit knowledge during the early modern period, and how a comparative analysis may illuminate the general problem of modernity. Show less
With the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, Iran experienced a monumental shift from rule by absolute monarchy to governance based on a constitution. The effects of this revolution were felt not... Show moreWith the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, Iran experienced a monumental shift from rule by absolute monarchy to governance based on a constitution. The effects of this revolution were felt not only on a national level but also globally; internationally, even influencing political relationships between some of the European great powers. Revolutions are born out of theories and ideas; the study of key figures who propagated those ideas is an essential part of historiographical research.The theoretical foundation of the Constitutional Revolution of 1906 gradually developed out of an emerging discourse which reflected the changes Iran was undergoing due to increased contact with the outside world on a scale which had never been experienced before. Having begun with colonialist developments in the seventeenth century, the eighteenth century witnessed a gradual deepening of the threat to the Islamic states by European powers. As contact with the world outside the Islamic states’ territory began to be considered increasingly necessary, Islamic countries were forced to seek a solution to prevent the dominating power of Europe. New technologies gave nations the upper hand and those who lagged behind in terms of scientific and technological development were at a distinct disadvantage. These less developed countries had first to try to understand the developments before they could tackle how to stop the spread of this new threat; the threat from this new kind of power was not based on religious ideology but rather its strength originated from science. It took some time for countries such as Iran to be able to make distinctions between power derived from scientific developments and the power of religion, to accept that development was open to all peoples regardless of their religion, nationality or race. Development towards modernity was equated with European/Western science which was considered at odds with Islamic or non-European identity. This led to discord and the clergy who had been in charge of shaping their followers’ beliefs naturally had to declare their position in response to these changes. Some clergy took reactionary positions; others were more convinced that new changes were necessary for the survival of Islam in the Islamic countries whose population was predominantly Muslim. But it was not only the clergy but also politicians, writers and intellectuals among others who began to express their thoughts and ideas about what should be done in relationship to these changes. Seyyed Hassan Taqizadeh was one such man.Taqizadeh was one of the key Iranian intellectuals who played a significant role in developing and shaping the discourse of change in Iran. As such, the aim of this research has been to provide a deep and nuanced assessment of the life and career of Taqizadeh and how that helped to influence and direct the movement towards change. Taqizadeh was not the only intellectual who was engaged in the discourse of modernity or as it has been referred to in the Iranian context, “Tajaddod”. What gives Taqizadeh particular prominence, however, is the fact that, unlike others, he remained constantly on the scene, and despite many obstacles, rarely veered from his goal of steering Iran along the path towards modernity. This research uses Taqizadeh’s biography as a mirror to reflect the discourse of change in Iran and analyses his role and relationship to that discourse of change. Taqizadeh lived a long life; 91 years. His lifetime (1878-1970) connects to a long and significant period in contemporary Iranian intellectual history; he witnessed the reign of six Shahs; four of whom he had close dealings with. During Taqizadeh’s life important changes took place in Iran and throughout the wider world, including two world wars.Taqizadeh was a politician and intellectual who has left behind many works relating to history, culture and literature. Enough of his writings and records of his thoughts remain to allow his ideas and deeds to have become a living legacy for Iranian intelligentsia. In a country still largely divided over how best it should be run, Taqizadeh’s ideas have become part of the discourse of a desire to modernise the country. Taqizadeh has not always been objectively written about and there is much polemic based around his place in Iranian historiography. Some support Taqizadeh’s ideas and thoughts; for others who scorn western democracy, his ideas have been used, in contrast, to exemplify an approach which ultimately failed. For those who favour political Islam, Taqizadeh is still considered an evil representative of the corrupt West and for the more radical even an agent of the West, whose aim was to ensure the surrender of Iran to the hostile non-Islamic West.Maybe because of the controversy around him and his deeds, although there exist numerous articles and monographs based on Taqizadeh’s life, there is a paucity of published research that focuses on and highlights the importance of his life and work in the formation of a national Iranian identity and his crucial role in the narration of modernity in the Iranian context. This research endeavours to focus on details of and influences on Taqizadeh’s life that may have been previously overlooked and provide an objective and nuanced record of the legacy he has left on Iran and the journey towards modernity in that nation.This study of Taqizadeh’s life and thoughts may also go some way towards facilitating a better understanding of contemporary Iran. After experiencing two revolutions in one century, the Iran of today is overshadowed by an overriding feeling of disquiet and uncertainty about the future. Scholars and indeed some of the general public are searching for reasons that might account for and explain the current situation that the country finds itself in, particularly following the 1979 Revolution. Much discourse revolves around how the country should or should not be ruled and the best routes for its continued development; studying Taqizadeh’s life and career may help to provide some answers. Show less
