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Teacher Workshop on Mongol History
Joshua Grinnell
Published in 2006
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On Monday, April 24th, 2006, the Center's outreach program was pleased to present a teacher workshop entitled From Asia to the Middle East and Europe: the Mongols Oin History. The workshop was presented in collaboration with the Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES), as well as Georgetown's National Resource Center on the Middle East and National Resource Center for Eurasia, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Forty-five attendees ranged from
high school Advanced Placement history teachers to English as a Second Language instructors to librarians, all with an interest in a deeper understanding of Mongolian history and culture. Four experts on the subject gave in-depth presentations followed by question and answer sessions.
The first presenter was John Man, an acclaimed author of popular history books on the Mongols and, specifically, Genghis Khan. His lecture, entitled "Charisma: Making the Khan, Remaking History, portrayed a man who, according to Man, lives on today as a hero to his people, a revered ancestor in China, but a source of terror in the Western world. Man had collaborated with the BBC to produce an eponymous film about Genghis Khan which was presentedto the educators. He then answered their questions on topics as diverse as nomadic family life and the Mongol influence on the European Renaissance.
Second to present was Professor Osama Abi-Mershed of Georgetown University's History department. His lecture, entitled "From Caliphate to Sultanate: The Mongol Invasions and Muslim Notions of Political Authority, outlined the lasting influences of the Mongol's devastating incursions into the Middle East. These influences ranged from changes in the concept of political legitimacy to the nature of Mameluke architecture in response to the Mongol threat to the shifting trade routes that gradually moved economic power away from the Middle East. Prof. Abi-Mershed's presentation included numerous slides of architectural styles and city planning that were influenced by Muslim interaction with Mongols.
James Millward, an Associate Professor of Intersocietal History at Georgetown, opened his session with a recording of Mongolian folk singing. The presentation, "Teaching the Mongol World in the World History Curriculum," reflected on the shifting interpretation of Mongolians role in history, from the "Scourge of God" to the first examples of globalization. Prof. Millward argued that teachers should endeavor to present the Mongol invasions without vilifying or rationalizing them; instead, they should focus on what made their situation unique and how their society responded to the world around them.
Finally, Susan Douglass argued for a reinterpretation of the "Silk Road," leading her to title her presentation "The Silk, Ceramic, Metalwork, Astronomy, and
Design Roads: a Feast of Cultural Interactions. " Ms. Douglass is a Senior researcher for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Initiative, an Affiliated Scholar with the Council on Islamic Education, and a MAAS alum. Her presentation first sought to show how the Silk Road was actually a plurality of routes, with interlocking paths and multiple merchants. Along this route, which passed through the height of several Mongol empires, things material and immaterial made their way to several continents. She then tasked the attendees with thinking about how to display evidence of these journeys and interactions, whether using historical travelers' accounts or scrutinizing art of the period for depictions of Mongol ponies, Tatar cloth, and Arabic calligraphy.
After the seminar, the attendees and presenters carried on the discussion over a Middle Eastern lunch in the CCAS boardroom. All attendees received a resource packet of background information, a bibliography, maps, a list of web sites, articles, and a copy of John Man's book, Genghis Khan. The event received much
praise and is a prime example of the value of interdepartmental and interregional collaboration. For more information, please contact Zeina Seikaly (CCAS) or Jennifer Long (CERES).
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