Islamic historiography frequently took the form of massive collections of biographical data, which are often overlooked or at least underutilized in the modern writing of history. Several presentations will examine the presentation and re- appropriation of Scriptural materials throughout the ages. This will, of course, necessarily be a theme of the keynote addresses. Several papers will examine memory and history in works of philosophy and mysticism. Aryeh Botvinick will look at attitudes to history in Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed.
Several papers address regional issues.
Several papers will exmaine the writing and re-writing of the history of the Middle East in modern times. The hope for a radical renewal in human history has been a recurrent notion in Muslim and Jewish historiography. Not all appropriation of history is in the form of historical writing, and, especially in our own times, other genres need to be examined. As noted by Zarrin, the theatre is an important vehicle for the articulation and re-articulation of history. Fedder will offer and overview, and examine Israeli, Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian views of Islamic and Jewish pasts.