Proximity, Resemblance, Sidebars and Clusters: Ibn al-Nadim’s Organizational Principles in Fihrist 3.3

The Kitāb al-Fihrist of Ibn al-Nadīm (d. 380/990), one of the most important bio-bibliographical works in Arabic, is an invaluable source for the study of the first four centuries of Arabic writerly culture and of medieval Islamicate history. Ibn al-Nadīm divides his work into 10 parts (and 30 chapters), organised according to different fields of knowledge and scholarship. He also subdivides the notices, entries and titles very deliberately, typically chronologically. Here, I describe another organisational phenomenon discernible in the third chapter of the third part of the Fihrist, namely organization based on notions I term ‘proximity’ and ‘resemblance’, which yield ‘sidebars’ and ‘clusters.’ This organisation yields valuable information about the writerly culture of the 3rd/8th, 4th/9th and 5th/10th centuries

Khidr: The History of an Ubiquitous Master

An essay on the history of the character (Khidr) who appears in ch. 18 of the Qur'a

The New Noah [a translation of Adonis, ‘Nuh al-jadid’, with Translator’s Note]

A translation of Adonis’ 1957 poem 'Nuh al-jadid', accompanied by a note regarding the translatio

Travel in the Medieval Islamic World: The Importance of Patronage as Illustrated by ‘Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi (and other littérateurs)

Discussion of travel in the Middle Ages has typically focused on pilgrimage, travel in search of knowledge, or adventure. This article draws attention to patronage as an important, understudied, motivator of travel. It also proposes other motivators

Perceptions of ‘value’ in foundation year programmes

Universities have developed Foundation Year programmes to widen participation and provide an alternative access route into higher education. Foundation Year programmes are designed to target students who have not met the A-level conditions needed to gain university admission and qualification. The provision of Foundation Year programmes has, however, been criticized by policy makers who argue that they are cash-cows for universities and exploitative of students. Drawing on data from Foundation Year programmes students and practitioners in England, this study aims to do two things: first, to investigate and assess the value of Foundation Year programmes from the perspective of students and of practitioners who teach on them; and second, to assess the role of Foundation Year provision and its place in higher education. I use the Capability Approach to evaluate Foundation Years, in particular how the programmes impact students’ ability to take advantage of opportunities. The findings reveal that students have a wide-ranging understanding of the value of Foundation Year programmes. Students express strong support for the continuation of Foundation Year programmes and reject the suggestion that they are exploitative and a poor investment. The data show that Foundation Year teaching methodology is suited to students’ individual circumstances and life contexts: the education is pluralistic and the programmes encourage students to think critically about their subject matter in relation to the wider world. The capabilitarian evaluation also reveals that the provision is highly valued by students and universities alike and serves as a valuable tools for Widening Participation

'The Fall" (Translation of Adonis, 'al-Suqut')

A translation of Adonis’ poem, 'al-Suqut

'The Inimitable Rose’, being Qur’anic saj‘ from Surat al-Duhâ to Surat al-Nâs (Q. 93–114) in English rhyming prose

An attempt to apply the principles of saj' (rhyming, rhythmic prose) to English translations of the last 22 suras of the Qur'an