Theo Knights
@theoknights.bsky.social
PhD Student of early modern Ottoman history. Social historian interested in commerce, customs, and corruption in Ottoman lands.
This is really startling! I have found that Bonn's memorial lecture series and publication provides accessible introductions to topics at the forefront of research in Ottoman studies. For Monday I had even assigned Faroqhi's contribution on Ottoman slavery to an intro course I am teaching. 1/3
I wrote a blog post explaining why I consider an honour for the orientalist Otto Spies (1901-1981) problematic, based on correspondence I examined in Berlin this summer:
disorient.de/magazin/trot...
disorient.de/magazin/trot...
Trotz NS-Vergangenheit: Universität Bonn ehrt Otto Spies
Seit 2015 trägt eine Vorlesungs- und Publikationsreihe an der Universität Bonn den Namen des Orientalisten Otto Spies – obwohl seine Nähe zum Nationalsozialismus dokumentiert ist. Neue Forschungsergeb...
disorient.de
November 29, 2025 at 7:37 PM
This is really startling! I have found that Bonn's memorial lecture series and publication provides accessible introductions to topics at the forefront of research in Ottoman studies. For Monday I had even assigned Faroqhi's contribution on Ottoman slavery to an intro course I am teaching. 1/3
Reposted by Theo Knights
I wrote a blog post explaining why I consider an honour for the orientalist Otto Spies (1901-1981) problematic, based on correspondence I examined in Berlin this summer:
disorient.de/magazin/trot...
disorient.de/magazin/trot...
Trotz NS-Vergangenheit: Universität Bonn ehrt Otto Spies
Seit 2015 trägt eine Vorlesungs- und Publikationsreihe an der Universität Bonn den Namen des Orientalisten Otto Spies – obwohl seine Nähe zum Nationalsozialismus dokumentiert ist. Neue Forschungsergeb...
disorient.de
November 28, 2025 at 10:33 AM
I wrote a blog post explaining why I consider an honour for the orientalist Otto Spies (1901-1981) problematic, based on correspondence I examined in Berlin this summer:
disorient.de/magazin/trot...
disorient.de/magazin/trot...
Reposted by Theo Knights
My first peer-reviewed article, based on my BA thesis at FU Berlin, has just been published (OA). It traces Palestinian libraries from the late Ottoman period in the so-called Abandoned Property Collection (NLI). Thank you to everyone who supported! doi.org/10.1353/mns.... @sims-mss.bsky.social
Project MUSE - From Private Libraries in Late Ottoman Palestine to "Abandoned Property": Reconstructing the Dajānī Family Manuscript Collections in the National Library of Israel
doi.org
November 17, 2025 at 4:49 PM
My first peer-reviewed article, based on my BA thesis at FU Berlin, has just been published (OA). It traces Palestinian libraries from the late Ottoman period in the so-called Abandoned Property Collection (NLI). Thank you to everyone who supported! doi.org/10.1353/mns.... @sims-mss.bsky.social
Reposted by Theo Knights
Trump cuts STEM funding and universisties cut non-STEM. The ugly bank shot analyzed in my new post - the case of UChicago. utotherescue.blogspot.com/2025/08/line...
Liner Note 37. Chicago's Gift to Trump
Hyde Park, Chicago on June 25, 2017 It’s great when you’re President of the United States and are unlawfully taking apart the national sy...
utotherescue.blogspot.com
August 25, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Trump cuts STEM funding and universisties cut non-STEM. The ugly bank shot analyzed in my new post - the case of UChicago. utotherescue.blogspot.com/2025/08/line...
Reposted by Theo Knights
Excited to share the CfP for the Middle East History and Theory Conference at UChicago, May 2–3, 2025. Organized by Sharidan Russell! This year's theme: Conceiving Time & Navigating Space: Spatiotemporal Engagements in the Middle East & North Africa.
theoknights.com/mehat/2024/1...
theoknights.com/mehat/2024/1...
39th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference — Call for Papers
We are excited to announce that the 39th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference (MEHAT) will take place at The University of Chicago on May 2-3, 2025
theoknights.com
December 14, 2024 at 7:28 PM
Excited to share the CfP for the Middle East History and Theory Conference at UChicago, May 2–3, 2025. Organized by Sharidan Russell! This year's theme: Conceiving Time & Navigating Space: Spatiotemporal Engagements in the Middle East & North Africa.
theoknights.com/mehat/2024/1...
theoknights.com/mehat/2024/1...
The prof’s reasoning also just seems illogical here? She “wrote” the txtbook so she doesn’t have to spend time lecturing abt historical context and can focus on the texts. Except when are the students going to read the texts now if they’re spending all their time reading the txtbook?
In class lol?
In class lol?
UCLA is creating an entirely AI-generated course. Except apparently the grading won't be AI-generated. 🤔
newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/comp...
newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/comp...
Comparative lit class will be first in Humanities Division to use UCLA-developed AI system
The textbook for Zrinka Stahuljak’s winter 2025 course is generated by the Kudu platform.
newsroom.ucla.edu
December 8, 2024 at 8:04 PM
The prof’s reasoning also just seems illogical here? She “wrote” the txtbook so she doesn’t have to spend time lecturing abt historical context and can focus on the texts. Except when are the students going to read the texts now if they’re spending all their time reading the txtbook?
In class lol?
In class lol?
Reposted by Theo Knights
Brutal ongoing tally of British effort to gut one of their most globally-recognized assets
"The number of UK universities forced to cut staff has reached an unprecedented 83 (60 per cent of the sector) amid predictions that 10,000 jobs could be lost by the end of the year as more institutions inevitably join the list." Phil Baty
qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...
qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...
UK HE shrinking
This is a live page of all the redundancies, restructures, reorganisations, and closures taking place across the sector at the moment. Solidarity to all. This sector is vital to the country’s…
qmucu.org
December 7, 2024 at 12:24 PM
Brutal ongoing tally of British effort to gut one of their most globally-recognized assets
I've written up some scattered thoughts about the issues I found with Metin Kunt's argument in his well known article "Derviş Mehmed Paşa, Vezir and Entrepreneur" Particularly, his misreading of the meaning of cāh, which he translates as political rank.
theoknights.com/afewthoughts/
theoknights.com/afewthoughts/
A Few Thoughts on İbrahim Metin Kunt’s “Derviş Mehmed Paşa, Vezir and Entrepreneur” and the (Mis)interpretation of Cāh/Jāh/جاه
A few informal and decidedly in the weeds thoughts on İbrahim Metin Kunt’s 1977 Turcica article, “Derviş Mehmed Paşa, Vezir and Entrepreneur A Study in Ottoman Political-Economic Theory and Practice,”...
theoknights.com
December 5, 2024 at 5:09 AM
I've written up some scattered thoughts about the issues I found with Metin Kunt's argument in his well known article "Derviş Mehmed Paşa, Vezir and Entrepreneur" Particularly, his misreading of the meaning of cāh, which he translates as political rank.
theoknights.com/afewthoughts/
theoknights.com/afewthoughts/
The Ottomans doing their damndest to follow standard IMF advice on avoiding a wage-price spiral
November 27, 2024 at 3:06 AM
The Ottomans doing their damndest to follow standard IMF advice on avoiding a wage-price spiral
Reposted by Theo Knights
We need more posts about manuscripts. Let me know if you want to be added or if I missed someone.
#skystorians #medievalists #jewishhistory #hebrew #arabic #manuscripts #middleages
#skystorians #medievalists #jewishhistory #hebrew #arabic #manuscripts #middleages
November 23, 2024 at 10:50 AM
We need more posts about manuscripts. Let me know if you want to be added or if I missed someone.
#skystorians #medievalists #jewishhistory #hebrew #arabic #manuscripts #middleages
#skystorians #medievalists #jewishhistory #hebrew #arabic #manuscripts #middleages
Reposted by Theo Knights
Explore GrocerIST! 📊 This database presents the preliminary findings of the FWF-funded project "Grocers of Istanbul," showcasing 18th-19th c. inheritance inventories from kadi sicills. Regular updates coming soon! Explore: grocerist.acdh.oeaw.ac.at & find details: grocerist.univie.ac.at
November 22, 2024 at 12:47 PM
Explore GrocerIST! 📊 This database presents the preliminary findings of the FWF-funded project "Grocers of Istanbul," showcasing 18th-19th c. inheritance inventories from kadi sicills. Regular updates coming soon! Explore: grocerist.acdh.oeaw.ac.at & find details: grocerist.univie.ac.at
I thought I'd share the reading list I developed over the last 9 months while prepping for my Islamicate History comp. The list was conceived as a critical homage to Hodgson's project in The Venture of Islam from the perspective of social history and history from below.
Islamicate History Syllabus: A Socio-Historical Approach
This syllabus offers a critical homage, from the perspective of social history and history from below, to Marshall Hodgson's project of writing a "general history of Islamicate civilization,&...
www.academia.edu
November 19, 2024 at 11:27 PM
I thought I'd share the reading list I developed over the last 9 months while prepping for my Islamicate History comp. The list was conceived as a critical homage to Hodgson's project in The Venture of Islam from the perspective of social history and history from below.
The questions Marshall Hodgson was asked in 1951 for his written comprehensive exam in Social Thought are preserved in his papers. He completed the exam near the end of his PhD and it appears he was rather tired of writing about the Nizaris.
November 18, 2024 at 5:18 PM
The questions Marshall Hodgson was asked in 1951 for his written comprehensive exam in Social Thought are preserved in his papers. He completed the exam near the end of his PhD and it appears he was rather tired of writing about the Nizaris.