The Matter which may be: Sectarian Dilemmas of Materiality in Bahrain

Abstract

This article discusses different approaches to materiality and material expressions of cultural identity in contemporary Bahrain, a small Arab Gulf state. Various Islamic traditions have different understandings of materiality and its ontological qualities. In the contemporary Gulf this difference is often understood as a sectarian difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims, a division that has gained increasing political importance in recent years. In this article I discuss how these traditions view materiality in religion, in particular focusing on the role of material mediation for Shia Muslims, exemplified by the use and meaning of the turba prayer stone. With this as a point of departure I discuss two other forms of materiality—political graffiti and martyr images—that in the wake of the uprising in 2011 have also been imbued with sectarian meanings, but where this is less clear. I therefore argue that vernacular understandings of material culture show ambiguous identifications that challenge the clear dichotomies with which people—locally and analytically —often operate.     

Commenting in the Online Arab Public Sphere: Debating the Swiss Minaret Ban and the “Ground Zero Mosque” Online

This article focuses on the emerging online Arab public sphere that the web has enabled. It explores how the “local” interacts with the “global,” critically examining their implications on global politics. Specifically looking at online readers' comments about the Swiss minaret ban the so‐called “Ground Zero Mosque,” how does the Arab online public sphere respond to and frame these issues? What implications do these reader frames portend locally and globally? The study analyzes online comments and responses that readers of Al Arabiya.net and Al Jazeera.net posted on related news articles. The article concludes that the new online public sphere does make it possible for Arab citizens to circumvent and challenge traditional authoritarian controls.     

浅析西安清真大寺之中国回族伊斯兰教建筑特色

西安清真大寺又名化觉巷清真寺或东大寺,是中国回族伊斯兰教建筑的典型代表,本文以伊斯兰教在中国的传播历史,以及中国内地穆斯林民族－－“回族”的历史形成为背景,对西安清真大 从规划布局,建筑技术,园林艺术以及细部装饰等方面进行了简要的分析与论述。     

In the Hands of the People: Harnessing the Collective Power of Village Life in India

Top-down attempts by governments and charities to rebuild rural communities after natural disasters, or to rehabilitate slums, can leave communities feeling fractured. The Hunnarshala Foundation instead focuses on re-establishing social capital, providing funding and professional support for residents so that they can work together to improve their lot. This also reinforces the value of traditional artisans' knowledge in solving modern problems. Hunnarshala's Executive Vice Chairman Sandeep Virmani explains.     

New Hearts for Two Gulf Cities

Doha in Qatar and Sharjah in the UAE are both currently looking to their own heritage for inspiration in the redevelopment of their urban cores or hearts. Varkki Pallathucheril , an expert in urban planning and Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), considers the impact challenges of this type of development.     

From the gardens of the Qur'an to the “gardens” of Lahore

Mughal gardens are often interpreted as symbols of an Islamic paradise, but the precise relations between historical gardens and religious meaning remain vague. To clarify these relations, this paper compares garden imagery of the Qur'an with historical places of Lahore, Pakistan, “the Mughal City of Gardens”. Part one surveys garden imagery in the Qur'an to identify theological and aesthetic attributes of paradise. Part two shows how historical gardens, mosques, and shrines in Lahore exemplify different aspects of paradise symbolism. The results suggest new directions for the study of historical gardens and paradise symbolism in Muslim cultural landscapes.     

伊斯兰教与泰南问题的形成

在泰南问题形成过程中,伊斯兰教发挥了重要作用。在穆斯林民族情绪酝酿阶段,宗教领袖在反政府斗争中充当了鼓动者、联络者和精神力量的提供者。而在二战前后穆斯林分离主义形成阶段,宗教领袖成为自治运动的领导者、马来穆斯林身份的维护者,并最终成为分离主义运动的主导者。     

Islam,Heritage, and Preservation: An Untidy Tradition

Abstract

In this article I argue that the study of cultural heritage preservation practices in the context of Muslim societies has been constructed—and obstructed—through specific historical trajectories and challenges. These originate within the field of cultural heritage preservation, through its own history and principles which have complicated the interplay between heritage and religious values and uses. As a result, situated studies of preservation practices in and by Muslim communities are in their infancy. In this article I revisit the points of contact between the emergence of a Eurocentric preservation dogma and its encounter with different articulations and practices related to Islam that are now approached as part of heritage assemblages and debates. I consider specific biases inherent in these discourses and propose, as a result, to approach the study of Islam and heritage in its own terms—rather than as an alternative to Western preservation paradigms.     

中东地区人权状况十年概述:1984—1994

在全球语境下,经济全球化、政治民主化、文化多元化日益成为当今国际社会的显性特征。作为一个政治地理概念的中东地区,由于历史、地缘及国际政治因素,使得该地区存在着程度不等的人权问题。文章作者以个案分析的形式,对1984-1994年间的该地区人权状况进行综合考察,认为该地区部分国家在政治民主化进程及与之相对应的人权纪录上有改善,但基于普遍存在的政治伊斯兰现象,地区人权状况的结构性转向尚需时日继续观察。