Political and Social Structures of the Abbasid Empire
( 30 Modules )
Module #1 Introduction to the Abbasid Empire Overview of the Abbasid Empire, its rise to power, and significance in Islamic history
Module #2 Abbasid Revolution and the Overthrow of the Umayyads Analysis of the Abbasid revolution, its causes, and consequences
Module #3 The Abbasid Caliphate:Structure and Hierarchy Examination of the Abbasid caliphates administrative structure, including the role of the caliph, viziers, and governors
Module #4 The Role of Viziers and Bureaucracy In-depth look at the role of viziers, their powers, and the development of a complex bureaucracy
Module #5 Provincial Administration and Governance Analysis of provincial governance, including the role of governors, tax collection, and local administration
Module #6 The Abbasid Army and Military Organization Examination of the Abbasid army, its composition, and military organization
Module #7 Social Hierarchies and Stratification Analysis of social hierarchies in the Abbasid Empire, including the aristocracy, middle class, and slave populations
Module #8 The Role of Women in Abbasid Society Examination of the status and roles of women in Abbasid society, including their legal rights and cultural practices
Module #9 Urbanization and City Life Analysis of urbanization in the Abbasid Empire, including the development of cities, trade, and commerce
Module #10 Economy and Trade Examination of the Abbasid economy, including trade networks, agriculture, and industry
Module #11 Cultural and Intellectual Achievements Analysis of the Abbasid Empires cultural and intellectual achievements, including literature, art, and science
Module #12 The Translation Movement and Preservation of Knowledge In-depth look at the translation movement and the preservation of ancient Greek and Roman knowledge
Module #13 Islamic Scholarship and Theology Examination of Islamic scholarship and theology during the Abbasid period, including the development of Sunni and Shia thought
Module #14 Non-Muslim Communities and Religious Tolerance Analysis of the treatment of non-Muslim communities, including Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians, and the concept of religious tolerance
Module #15 Architecture and Art Examination of Abbasid architecture, art, and aesthetics, including the development of Islamic art and architecture
Module #16 Decline and Fragmentation of the Abbasid Empire Analysis of the factors contributing to the decline and fragmentation of the Abbasid Empire
Module #17 The Role of Militias and Mercenaries Examination of the role of militias and mercenaries in the Abbasid Empires decline and fragmentation
Module #18 The Legacy of the Abbasid Empire Assessment of the Abbasid Empires lasting legacy in Islamic history, politics, and culture
Module #19 Comparative Analysis with Other Empires Comparative analysis of the Abbasid Empire with other empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires
Module #20 Primary Source Analysis Analysis of primary sources from the Abbasid period, including historical texts, poetry, and literature
Module #21 Historiography and the Writing of History Examination of the historiography of the Abbasid Empire, including the writing of history and the role of historians
Module #22 Case Study:The City of Baghdad In-depth analysis of the city of Baghdad, including its founding, development, and cultural significance
Module #23 Case Study:The Abbasid Court and Palace Politics Analysis of the Abbasid court and palace politics, including the role of the caliph, viziers, and courtiers
Module #24 Case Study:The Abbasid Navy and Maritime Trade Examination of the Abbasid navy and maritime trade, including the Indian Ocean trade network
Module #25 Debate and Discussion:Key Issues in Abbasid History Debate and discussion of key issues in Abbasid history, including the role of the caliph, the significance of the translation movement, and the impact of the Mongol invasions
Module #26 Research and Writing Workshop Guided research and writing workshop on a topic related to the Abbasid Empire
Module #27 Visions of the Abbasid Empire in Modern Media Analysis of the representation of the Abbasid Empire in modern media, including film, literature, and video games
Module #28 The Abbasid Legacy in Modern Politics Examination of the impact of the Abbasid Empire on modern Middle Eastern politics and international relations
Module #29 The Abbasid Empire and Globalization Analysis of the Abbasid Empires role in early globalization, including trade networks and cultural exchange
Module #30 Course Wrap-Up & Conclusion Planning next steps in Political and Social Structures of the Abbasid Empire career
