Order into Action: How Large-Scale Concepts of World Order Determine Practices in the Premodern World (Cursor Mundi, 40)

Focusing on religious, political, and geographical ideas and models, this volume explores, how and to which extent pertinent large-scale concepts influenced or determined concrete actions in premodern cultures. "Ordering" objects, perceptions, and phenomena is not a neutral activity. The models and concepts that are used in this endeavor do not merely arrange the empirically available material, but they invest them with specific positions and values that are culturally determined. The activity of ordering relies on models that help us to perceive and categorize the information conveyed by experience and tradition alike. In turn, its results effectively influence the behaviour and actions of individuals and groups. With a focus on premodern societies in Europe, the Arab world and East Asia, this volume proposes new approaches to premodern models of world-order, by analyzing their effects on individual of collective actions. Examples include socio-religious concepts (Christianity, terra paganorum, dar al-harb), political ideas(empire) and geographical notions. A section dedicated to Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and Pre-Columbian America considerably broadens the geographic scope and provides innovative additional material for further comparative insights. Focusing on religious, political, and geographical ideas and models, this volume explores, how and to which extent pertinent large-scale concepts influenced or determined concrete actions in premodern cultures.0"Ordering" objects, perceptions, and phenomena is not a neutral activity. The models and concepts that are used in this endeavor do not merely arrange the empirically available material, but they invest them with specific positions and values that are culturally determined. The activity of ?ordering? relies on models that help us to perceive and categorize the information conveyed by experience and tradition alike. In turn, its results effectively influence the behaviour and actions of individuals and groups. With a focus on premodern societies in Europe, the Arab world and East Asia, this volume proposes new approaches to premodern models of world-order, by analyzing their effects on individual of collective actions. Examples include socio-religious concepts (Christianity, terra paganorum, dar al-harb), political ideas (empire) and geographical notions. A section dedicated to Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and Pre-Columbian America considerably broadens the geographic scope and provides innovative additional material for further comparative insights. Front Matter 1 Klaus Oschema and Christoph Mauntel. Introduction 13 Daniel G. König. Dār al-ḥarb vs terra paganorum. On the Practical Implications of Circumscribing the Sphere of the ‘Infidels’ 37 Nora Berend. The Concept of Christendom. Christianitas as a Call to Action 71 Albrecht Fuess. A ‘Medieval Islamist’ Versus an ‘Arab Machiavelli’? 97 Michal Biran. The Mongol World Order. From Universalism to Glocalization 127 Christoph Mauntel and Klaus Oschema. Between Universal Empire and the Plurality of Kingdoms 151 Donatella Guida. Imperial Geography and Fatherly Benevolence 185 Michael Wintle. The Advent of the Black Magus 209 Mark Horton. Beyond Eurasia — the African Contribution to the Premodern World 237 Veronic a Strang. Seeing Through the Rainbow 263 Frauke Sachse. Translating Otherworlds 291 Back Matter 319