AH4051 Ajab: The Aesthetics of Wonder in Islamic Art

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

TBA

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr Y Yu

Dr Y Yu
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Yusen Yu

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

ʿAjab is a desirable and intense feeling of bewilderment that come to people due to their incapacity to comprehend the cause of an event, object, or phenomenon. This module surveys the concept of ʿAjab, its manifestations in artistic production, and the related aesthetic experiences of the viewer in the Islamic context. The contents are structured in the conceptual framework of medieval Islamic cosmographies. Major themes to be explored include the perception and representation of the celestial and the terrestrial; the natural and the supernatural; and manmade marvels. The course offers an in-depth exploration of this aesthetic and intellectual tradition from its origins in the medieval period up to the nineteenth century.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 lecture hour (X10 weeks), 2 seminar hours (X10 weeks); one 6 hour class trip

Scheduled learning hours

39

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

270

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Discuss aspects of Islamic art and aesthetics from the medieval through the modern periods.
  • Understand and articulate some of the theoretical issues around Islamic art, their production, acquisition and display.
  • Systematically analyse the style and content of such works.
  • Relate these to their wider historical and cultural context and understand the circumstances surrounding their creation and reception.
  • To critically assess and evaluate different types of primary sources.