Caltech-Huntington Humanities Collaborations (CHHC) Seminar

Syria, al-Qaida, the Islamic State — one would instantly associate these terms with violence, conflict, or even terrorism. While geopolitical considerations play a significant role in our (dis)ability to solve current conflicts, what usually falls out of the picture of political analyses is the impact of history, whether factual or fictional, in these conflicts. Thus, with focus on the Islamic world, this lecture unfolds how authorities and authoritative texts from the past are (ab)used to justify the continuous use of violence.

Click here to read Bettina's lecture manuscript.