No one in the medieval world thought they were ‘medieval.’ The belief that we live in a distinct period of world history – that of ‘modernity’ – sets us apart from all pre-modern peoples. It is a defining aspect of who we are, essential to our modern identities. It is thus imperative to the task of understanding ourselves and our world, and it is essential to the task of thoughtful self-cultivation. Habib University’s pedagogical charter of yohsin requires us to ask the questions: What is it to be modern? What is modernity?nnOur ‘modernity’ is the very air we breathe. It encompasses, at an ever-gathering pace, all aspects of our lives. This is why the question of modernity has been a central concern across the range of disciplines and fields of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. This course will address the most important elements of our global and regional modernity today. Beginning with an investigation of the emergence of this unique world-historical identity, we then turn to the historical formation of key structures and features of the modern in the following domains: political modernity; economic modernity; modernity and ecology; and modernity and religion. By the end of the semester the historical character and specificity of these foundational spheres of our present will be visible.
