Theater state and the formation of early modern public sphere in Iran : studies on Safavid Muharram rituals, 1590-1641 CE /
:
During the Safavid period, the Shi'i Muharram commemorative rites which had been publically practiced since the 7th century, became a manifestation of state power. Already during the reign of Shah 'Abbas I (1587-1629) the Muharram rituals had transformed into an extraordinary rich repertoire of ceremonies and ceremonial spaces that can be defined as 'theater state'. Under Shah Safi I (1629-1642) these ceremonies ultimately led to carnivalesque celebrations of misrule and transgression. This first systematic study of a wide range of Persian and European archival and primary sources, analyzes how the Muharram rites changed from being an originally devotional practice to an ambiguous ritualization that in combination with other public arenas, such as the bazaar, coffeehouses or travel lodges, created distinct spaces of communication whereby the widening gap between state and society gave way to the formation of the early Iranian public sphere. Ultimately, the Muharram public spaces allowed for a shift in individual and collective identities, opening the way to multifaceted living fields of interaction, as well as being sites of contestation where innovative expressions of politics were made. In particular, the construction of the new Isfahan in 1590 is linked with the widespread proliferation of the Muharram mortuary rites by discussing rituals performed in major urban spaces.
:
1 online resource (404 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references. :
9789004207561 :
1569-7401 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Muslims in British local government : representing minority interests in Jackney, Newham, and Tower Hamlets /
:
This book investigates whether the presence of Muslim representatives in city councils improves substantive representation of Muslim interests across 32 London boroughs. It theorizes that descriptive representation of minorities leads to improved responsiveness to minority interests contingent on the percentage of minority representatives, the proportion of minorities in the district, level of party fragmentation among minority representatives, their political incorporation, and the electoral competitiveness of the district. It uses multivariate regression analysis to test the effects of these five explanatory variables. It validates the quantitative findings with case studies of three London boroughs while also investigating the role of representational styles of Muslim councillors on their political attitudes and behavior.
:
1 online resource (pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004272262 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Forging urban solidarities : Ottoman Aleppo 1640-1700 /
:
As with most empires of the Early Modern period (1500-1800), the Ottomans mobilized human and material resources for warmaking on a scale that was vast and unprecedented. The present volume examines the direct and indirect effects of warmaking on Aleppo, an important Ottoman administrative center and Levantine trading city, as the empire engaged in multiple conflicts, including wars with Venice (1644-69), Poland (1672-76) and the Hapsburg Empire (1663-64, 1683-99). Focusing on urban institutions such as residential quarters, military garrisons, and guilds, and using intensively the records of local law courts, the study explores how the routinization of direct imperial taxes and the assimilation of soldiers to civilian life challenged - and reshaped - the city's social and political order.
:
1 online resource. :
9789004193307 :
1380-6076 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.