Ibn Khaldun's Theory of Civilization (Ft. Adnan Husain)

Feb 15, 2024

Discover the timeless insights of Ibn Khaldun, a medieval Arab thinker, on the cyclical nature of civilizations, group solidarity, religion, and political power. Joined by historian Adnan Husain, delve into the nuances of Ibn Khaldun's work and debunk popular interpretations, offering a fresh perspective on societal evolution and class dynamics.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Ibn Khaldun's Impact on Social Sciences

02:08 • 14min

Exploring Ibn Khaldun's Theory of Asabia

15:39 • 21min

Exploring Historical Perspectives and Political Dynamics in Lebanon and Iran

36:25 • 2min

Exploration of Skin Color and Geographical Traditions in Historical Theory

38:52 • 2min

Exploring the Concept of Asabia in Social Relations

40:31 • 27min

Exploring Ideological Evolution and Historical Salvation

01:07:49 • 3min

Exploring Ibn Khaldun's Theory of Civilization and Class Dynamics

01:10:56 • 27min

Group Solidarity and Historical Conflicts

01:37:39 • 12min

Exploring Interpretations of Ibn Khaldun's Ideas

01:49:58 • 2min

Get access to Part 2 and more exclusive episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/OneDime

This episode of the 1Dime Radio podcast is all about the ideas of Ibn Khaldun and his classic text The Muqaddimah. Simultaneously a philosopher and a historian, and often considered to be "the first sociologist," Ibn Khaldun was among the first proper "social scientists" to develop a "science of society" - something quite close to what we today call "historical materialism."

What insights can the work of a 14th century Medieval Arab thinker give us often today? Quite a lot, actually. Ibn Khaldun's insights on the cyclical rise and decline of civilizations, political power, religion, "Royal Authority" and his famous (but misunderstood) concept of "Asabiyyah" ("Group feeling"), were not only ahead of his time, but also have a lot to teach us today.

To unpack the key ideas of Ibn Khaldun and discuss interpretations of The Muqaddimah, I am joined by professor Adnan Husain, a historian at Queens University who specializes in Middle Eastern history and Medieval European history. He is also the co-host of the Guerilla History podcast with Breht O'Shea from Revolutionary Left Radio

In part two of the podcast (the backroom) on Patreon, Adnan and I discuss the ambiguities surrounding Ibn Khaldun's Writing and problems with popular interpretations of his work, such as that of Robert Irwin. In it, I ask Adnan's opinion on my hypothesis (articulated in a paper that will eventually get published) that Ibn Khaldun's apparent "contradictions" and instances of "Platonism" (which problematize his generally materialist system) may not be unaccounted contradictions, but deliberate acts of "esoteric writing" to avoid persecution, a method of reading texts "between the lines" popularized by Leo Strauss in his seminal text "Persecution and the Art of Writing." Check it out at patreon.com/onedime !

Follow Adnan Hussein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/adnanahusain

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/1DimeOfficial

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