Presentation on "In An Antique Land"

Join us for a presentation about Amitav Ghosh’s In An Antique Land. The event will be held on Monday, April 29 from 12:00-1:00 in the Gardner-Harvey Library.

Our guide to the book is John Schaefer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Affiliate Faculty in Black World Studies. His research interests focus on the black communities of Arab North Africa, in particular their music. Before arriving at Middletown this fall, he spent three years teaching at the American University in Cairo.

Moving between past and present, anthropologist Amitav Ghosh presents a lyrical portrait of life in Egypt, as well as broad histories of that country, Tunisia, and India’s Malabar Coast. Ghosh weaves strands of his own life in rural Egypt into the story he is researching of a twelfth-century Jewish merchant and his slave. Exploiting an extraordinary cache of medieval documents in Cairo, Ghosh is able to piece together a fascinating story illuminating the reach of medieval Egyptian trade and cross-cultural interaction; he also tells of a form of slavery very different from the one familiar to most Americans.

The presentation is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be provided.

This presentation is made possible through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) award of a Muslim Journeys Bookshelf to the campus’ Gardner-Harvey Library in cooperation with the Regional Campus Diversity Council.

Muslim Journeys Materials and Programming at the Library

Miami University Middletown’s Gardner-Harvey Library has been selected to receive the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities Bridging Cultures initiative. The award includes 25 books and three films and is intended to promote community discussion in the library and build bridges among diverse cultures and faiths. The Miami University Middletown Diversity Council is a partner on the project and will co-sponsor programming.

Browse the Bookshelf titles at http://bridgingcultures.neh.gov/muslimjourneys/bookshelf or come by the library to see a beautiful display of the works created by Jessie Long, Public Services Librarian, and Amy Platt, Student Master.

The award also includes a one-year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online, which features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics, and culture.  Access to the database is available both on- and off-campus by clicking on Oxford Islamic Studies Online.

In addition to featuring the Bookshelf materials in the library all through April, the Gardner-Harvey Library and the Diversity Council are co-sponsoring two presentations of Bookshelf works:

• A film screening and discussion of the documentary "Koran by Heart" moderated by Gina Petonito (Sociology and Gerontology) on Monday, April 15 from 6:00-8:00pm in 142 JHN. More details.

• A presentation on Amitav Ghosh's book In An Ancient Land by John Schaefer (Anthropology) on Monday, April 29 from 12:00-1:00pm in the Gardner-Harvey Library.  A more detailed announcement will follow shortly.

Please join us for both programs and enjoy light refreshments.

We hope you will find the resources and programming useful and interesting.  

Film screening and discussion of "Koran by Heart"

Join us for a viewing and discussion of the film “Koran by Heart” on Monday, April 15th, from 6:00-8:00pm.  The event will be held in 142 Johnston.

Every year, about one hundred of Islam’s best young students from around the world come to Cairo for the International Holy Koran Competition. Many are in their late teens, some as young as seven. “Koran by Heart” follows the progress of three scholars, a girl and two boys, all ten years old, as they compete against students who, in some instances, are nearly twice their age.

Prior to the film, three local students between 11 and 12 will talk about their experiences participating in local and regional Koran competitions. They, along with a local Hafez and Koran teacher, will explain what it takes to become a Koran competition winner. This event will be hosted by John Burke, Library Director, and moderated by Gina Petonito, Department of Sociology and Gerontology, Miami University.

The film is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be provided.

This presentation is made possible through the National Endowment for the Humanities(NEH) award of a Muslim Journeys Bookshelf to the campus’ Gardner-Harvey Library in cooperation with the Regional Campus Diversity Council. Public performance rights have been provided by HBO.

Oxford Islamic Studies Online

As a recipient of the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf award, the Gardner-Harvey Library has a subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online through February of 2014. We'll be sharing more about the other resources that we gained through the award, but we wanted to make sure that the word on the database went out immediately.

Oxford Islamic Studies Online features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics, and culture, and is regularly updated as new content is commissioned and approved under the guidance of the Editor in Chief, John L. Esposito. Encompassing over 5,000 A–Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Qur'anic materials, primary sources, images, maps, and timelines, Oxford Islamic Studies Online offers a multi-layered reference experience designed to provide a first stop for anyone needing information and context on Islam.

Access to the database is available both on- and off-campus using the link below:

Oxford Islamic Studies Online

Let us know if you have questions about the database.