Science in the service of religion?
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Abstract
That objects get labelled is hardly surprising - that is what museums do and what our audiences (largely) expect. But apart from an explanatory label accompanying an object in a showcase, museums also 'label' objects in the negative sense of the word, by applying categories that through their connotations can evoke certain meanings in their users.
'Islamic Science' is one such label. But can an astronomical instrument be religious? Or do we assume that the maker was a Muslim because the lettering is Arabic? And are the objects we are referring to even 'scientific' in the 21st century understanding of the word when the majority of markings are related to astrology?
If we assumed for a moment that the term 'Islamic Science' made sense, why do we rarely (if ever) see the term 'Christian Science' or 'Jewish Science'? By the same token, 'science in the service of Islam' is a phrase commonly used in academic discourse - 'science in the service of Christianity' however tends to raise eyebrows. So is there a closer link between science and Islam than there is between science and other religions?
This research project will look closely at the origin of the terms 'Islamic Science', 'Islamic Medicine' and 'Islamic Technology' and equivalent notions in other languages (e.g. Wissenschaften in German, cilm in Arabic).
It will study astronomical and mathematical instruments in the collection of the History of Science Museum in Oxford, the finest such collection in the world, to examine what establishes their identity as 'Islamic' or 'European' and ask whether alternative labels, groupings and contextualisation(s) might be more appropriate.
In close collaboration with colleagues in London (British Museum), Toronto (Aga Khan Museum) and Sharjah (Science Museum) the student will conduct three case studies to contextualise this focussed research by examining the application of the term 'Islamic Science' in comparison with the label 'Islamic Art' in those three collections.
The project will evaluate public response to these labels and discuss alternative approaches to the objects. One of the expected outcomes will be the design of a new display for the collections of astronomical instruments from Europe and the Islamic World in the History of Science Museum in Oxford in the run up to its centenary in 2024 that is envisaged to become a blueprint for other collections around the world.
'Islamic Science' is one such label. But can an astronomical instrument be religious? Or do we assume that the maker was a Muslim because the lettering is Arabic? And are the objects we are referring to even 'scientific' in the 21st century understanding of the word when the majority of markings are related to astrology?
If we assumed for a moment that the term 'Islamic Science' made sense, why do we rarely (if ever) see the term 'Christian Science' or 'Jewish Science'? By the same token, 'science in the service of Islam' is a phrase commonly used in academic discourse - 'science in the service of Christianity' however tends to raise eyebrows. So is there a closer link between science and Islam than there is between science and other religions?
This research project will look closely at the origin of the terms 'Islamic Science', 'Islamic Medicine' and 'Islamic Technology' and equivalent notions in other languages (e.g. Wissenschaften in German, cilm in Arabic).
It will study astronomical and mathematical instruments in the collection of the History of Science Museum in Oxford, the finest such collection in the world, to examine what establishes their identity as 'Islamic' or 'European' and ask whether alternative labels, groupings and contextualisation(s) might be more appropriate.
In close collaboration with colleagues in London (British Museum), Toronto (Aga Khan Museum) and Sharjah (Science Museum) the student will conduct three case studies to contextualise this focussed research by examining the application of the term 'Islamic Science' in comparison with the label 'Islamic Art' in those three collections.
The project will evaluate public response to these labels and discuss alternative approaches to the objects. One of the expected outcomes will be the design of a new display for the collections of astronomical instruments from Europe and the Islamic World in the History of Science Museum in Oxford in the run up to its centenary in 2024 that is envisaged to become a blueprint for other collections around the world.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Mathilde DAUSSY-RENAUDIN (Student) |