AYDOGAN KARS Graduate Department of Religion, Vanderbilt University Mail: 6535 Premier Drive, #D21, Nashville, TN 37209, USA. E-Mail: [email protected] Web: http://vanderbilt.academia.edu/aydogankars Bio: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/gdr/people/bio/aydogan-kars Phone: +1 615 424 4681, +1 615 804 5654

Education:  Ph.D. in Religion (ABD: Nov. 2013) History and Critical Theories of Religion; Vanderbilt University, Graduate Department of Religion, Nashville, TN, USA. Dissertation Committee: Dr. Richard McGregor (advisor), Dr. Lenn Goodman, Dr. David Wasserstein, Dr. Ellen Armour, external member Dr. Devin DeWeese (Indiana University at Bloomington)  M.A. in Religion; Vanderbilt University, Graduate Department of Religion (2012). Major: History and Critical Theories of Religion.  M.A. in Philosophy, with “best performance award;” Middle East Technical University, Turkey (2009). Master’s Thesis: World is an Imagination: A Phenomenological Approach to the Ontology and Hermeneutics of Ibn al-‘Arabi. (Supervisor: Dr. Yasin Ceylan)  B.Sc. in Economics (English); Hacettepe University, Turkey (2005).  Ankara Anatolian High School (German), Turkey (2000).

Doctoral Dissertation:  Sufi Paths of Negative Speech: Apophasis in Thirteenth Century Islamic Mysticism. My dissertation focuses on negative speech (apophasis) in thirteenth century Sufism. The dissertation (i) problematizes the current approaches to apophasis and negative theology in the study of religion, especially in relation to Islam, (ii) presents in-depth case studies that overturn the stereotypical associations on negativity in Sufism, and (iii) provides more refined, contextualized analyses of Sufi performances of apophasis. While there are vast differences in the study of religion in defining “apophasis,” these definitions suffer from approaching it as a “native” or inherently “religious” term for critique or negativity. I bring a novel, critical perspective by approaching apophasis as a second-order, scholarly category of religion. This perspective shift allows me to argue that the contemporary studies on apophasis and negative theology as well as their reflections on Islamic Studies are highly motivated by the challenges and demands of modernity, and they tend to preserve European universalism in the language of pluralism. Besides this genealogical analysis in the first and the last chapters, the remaining chapters of the dissertation focus on various case studies from thirteenth century Sufism in order to display that negative speech, like every speech-act, is a historically embedded performance that should be carefully contextualized within the multi-layered discursive spaces that it affirms in order to operate. The primary sources that I am analyzing in these case studies are in Arabic, Persian, and Old Turkic languages (Qipchaq, Qarakhanid and Ottoman Turkish).

CV – Aydogan Kars

Publications: A. Articles Published in Peer-Reviewed Journals:  “Two Modes of Unsaying in Early Thirteenth Century Islamic West: Theorizing Apophasis through Maimonides and Ibn ‘Arabi,” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Vol. 74.3 (2013), pp.261-278.  “Maimonides Between Falsafah and Mutakallimun: Cosmogony in the Guide to the Perplexed,” Glossolalia, Yale University. Vol. 4, No. 2 (Spring 2012), pp.43-54.  “The Metaphor of ‘Distance’ in the Study of Religion: Four Case Studies,” International Journal of Science in Society, Vol. 3, Issue 1 (2012), pp.87-100. B. Book Chapters:  “Maqasid or Shari‘a? Secularism, Islamic Reform and Ethics in Modern Turkey,” in Maqasid al-Shari‘a and Contemporary Muslim Reformist Thought: An Examination. Adis Duderija (Ed.). Palgrave, Macmillan (2014), pp.127-150. C. Book Reviews & Book Review Essays Published in Peer-Reviewed Journals:  “Sufism and Society: Arrangements of the Mystical in the Muslim World, 1200-1800. Eds. John J. Curry and Erik S. Ohlander,” Journal of American Oriental Society, Vol.133, No.3 (2013), pp.565-568.  Book Review Essay: “A Nineteenth Century Progressive Islamic Gaze at the Legal Roots of Western Prosperity and Islamic Law: Mustashar ad-Dowla’s One Word,” Journal of Islamic Law and Culture, Vol. 13, Nos. 2-3 (July-October 2011), pp.253-257. D. Works-in-Progress:  “Hermeneutics and Negative Theology in Maimonides’ Guide to the Perplexed,” Philosophy East West. (in the revision process.)  “The Fall of Baghdad and the Death of the Last ‘Abbasid Caliph: A Re-evaluation of the Allegedly Eye-Witness Account of Nasir al-Din Tusi.”  “A New Chronological Intra-Qur’ānic Reading of the Verse 51:2.”  Book project: Medieval Sufism and Apophaticism.  Workshop at Vanderbilt University (June 2015), AAR Seminar (Nov. 2015), and a subsequent edited book volume (2016) project: Ways of Negation: Major Trends and Debates in the Study of Apophasis (with Dr. W. Franke and C. Woods).

Languages Used in Research:  Arabic: Advanced level; advanced level student at Indiana Uni. and Vanderbilt Uni. 4 months experience in Morocco (Summer 2013, 2014, 2015).  Persian: Intermediate level; advanced [pishraft] degree in the ICPS (Tehran, Iran), and the Persian Education Center (Ankara, Turkey). 2 months experience in Iran (Summer 2008).  Ottoman Turkish Reading Level; intermediate. Successfully completed a graduate course in Ottoman, at METU, Department of History (Ankara, Turkey).  German: Advanced level; “Zweite Stufe Sprachdiplom,” in German.  French: Elementary level in reading. Successfully completed the graduate course “French for Reading Knowledge” at Vanderbilt Uni.  Turkish: Fluent.  English: Fluent.

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Academic Areas of Interest:  Sufism.  Islamic philosophy.  Apophasis, negative theology and discourse.  Comparative philosophy and religion.  Hermeneutics, phenomenology.

Teaching Experience (student evaluations & course statistics are available upon request): Instructor:  Ethics of Encounter. Dept. of Philosophy at Vanderbilt Uni., Spring 2013.  Otherness and Identity in Ethics. Dept. of Philosophy at Vanderbilt Uni., Spring 2012. Teaching Fellow & Teaching Assistant:  Religion and Culture of Morocco. (Instructor: Dr. Sherif Barsoum.) Dept. of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt Uni., scheduled for Summer 2015.  Encountering Religious Diversity. (Instructor: Dr. Nancy Lin.) Dept. of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt Uni., scheduled for Spring 2015.  Introduction to Islam. (Instructor: Dr. Richard McGregor.) Grad. Dept. of Religion at Vanderbilt Uni., Fall 2014.  Religion and Culture of Morocco. (Instructor: Dr. Sherif Barsoum.) Dept. of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt Uni., Summer 2014.  Culture, Religion and Politics of Contemporary Arab Societies. (Instructor: Dr. Bushra Hamad.) Dept. of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt Uni., Fall 2013.  Religion and Culture of Morocco. (Instructor: Dr. Sherif Barsoum.) Dept. of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt Uni., Summer 2013.  Introduction to Islam. (Instructor: Dr. Tiffany Hodge.) Grad. Dept. of Religion at Vanderbilt Uni., Fall 2012.  Introduction to Islam. (Instructor: Dr. Richard McGregor.) Grad. Dept. of Religion at Vanderbilt Uni., Fall 2011.

Awards, Fellowships and Honors:  Research Fellowship: IFAO (Institut Français D’archéologie Orientale), Cairo, Egypt (2014- 2015) (declined).  Research Fellowship: Universität Bonn, Annemarie Schimmel Kolleg, Germany, “History and Society of the Mamluk Era (1250-1517)” (2014) (postponed).  Summer Research Grant: Divinity School, Vanderbilt University (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).  Tuition scholarship and departmental stipend: Graduate Department of Religion, Vanderbilt University (2010-2015).  Opportunity Grant: Turkish Fulbright Commission (2009).  Best Graduate Courses Performance Award: Middle East Technical University, Department of Philosophy (2008).

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Employment & Professional Working Experience (Selected):  Bibliographer in the Divinity Library at Vanderbilt University. Fields: World Religions & Islamic Studies (2011 – current).  Scientific Programs Assistant Expert in TUBITAK, the Scientific & Technological Research Council of Turkey, at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Grant Committee (http://www.tubitak.gov.tr/en/) (2006-2010).

Boards of Editors:  Editorial Board Member of Asian Social Science (Nov.2013 – Nov.2014).  Associate Editor of the International Journal of Science in Society, Vol. 3, Issue 3 (2012).

Paper Presentations in Peer-Reviewed Meetings (Selected):  “Sufism and Islamic Theology in the Study of Religion: a Genealogy of God’s Transcendence,” the regional meeting of AAR (American Academy of Religion SECSOR Southeastern Regional Meeting), March 6-8, 2015, Nashville.  “Secularism, Shari‘ah and Religious Ethics in Modern Turkey,” the Society for the Study of Muslim Ethics (SSME) Conference, Jan. 9-12, 2014, Seattle, Washington.  “Limits of Negative Theology in Medieval Judeo-Islamic Philosophy: A Comparative Study on the Transcendence of God,” the regional meeting of AAR (American Academy of Religion SECSOR Southeastern Regional Meeting), March 2-4, 2012, Atlanta.  “Nasir al-Din Tusi on the Destruction of Baghdad: A Reevaluation of an Allegedly Eye- Witness Account,” MESA (the 45th Annual Meeting of Middle East Studies Association), December 1-4, 2011, Washington D.C., USA.  “‘Distance’ in the Study of Religion,” the Third International Conference on Science in Society, August 5-7, 2011, Washington D.C., USA.  “Orientalism and Merleau-Ponty: Cultures like Two Hands, Touching and Touched,” Deutsch-Türkische Zukunftswerkstatt II, Dec. 2-4 2009, Ankara, Turkey.  “Social Sciences and Humanities at the Edge of Process Philosophy: An Orientalism Case Study,” Future of Process Thought Conference. The Highlands Institute For American Religious and Philosophical Thought (HIARPT). June 15-18, 2009, Highlands, North Carolina.

Additional Education (Selected):  “Practicum: Certificate in College Teaching” program, Vanderbilt University (one semester: Spring 2013).  Intensive Summer School at SWSEEL, Indiana University, Bloomington: Advanced (Third Year) Arabic I & II (6 Credits; GPA: 4.00/4.00) (one semester: Summer 2012).  Seminar: the Qur’an in the Modern World, July 8-13, 2012, Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ (Summer 2012).  Intensive Summer School at the International Center for Persian Studies, University of Tehran (Iran): Advanced level [pishraft] Persian (one semester: Summer 2008).  M.A. Conditional in Philosophy; Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (24 Credits; GPA: 4.00/4.00) (two semesters: 2006–2007)  English Conditional; Hacettepe University, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ankara, Turkey (two semesters: 2000–2001).

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Professional Affiliations & Services:  American Academy of Religion – AAR, SECSOR (student member). - Chaired “Islam, Violence and Non-Violence” session in the regional meeting of AAR (American Academy of Religion SECSOR Southeastern Regional Meeting), March 2-4, 2012, Atlanta.  Middle East Studies Association – MESA (student member).  Society for the Study of Muslim Ethics (student member).

Volunteer & Community Services (Selected):  Divinity Library online Research Guides History & Critical Theories of Religion http://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/hactor Islamic Studies http://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/islam Islamic Mysticism http://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/RLST251 The Qur’an and Its Interpreters http://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/RLST254 Contemporary Arab Societies http://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/REL3508 Religion and Culture of Morocco http://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/RLST294  Organized Roundtable: “Turkey Between East and West: Modern Turkey’s Foreign Policy,” Vanderbilt University, April 6, 2012.  Several lectures and presentations in Nashville, TN on Islam and its history (at West End Middle School, Belmont University, Vanderbilt University, Nashville State Community College, Nashville International Airport, etc.).  Turkish Student Association at Vanderbilt University (secretary).

References:  Associate Prof. Richard McGREGOR (PhD advisor); Vanderbilt University, Graduate Department of Religion, Islamic Studies Minor (Director), History and Critical Theories of Religion (Area Director), Nashville, TN. Office: +1-615-343-2462 E-Mail: [email protected] URL: http://as.vanderbilt.edu/religiousstudies/people/mcgregor.php

 Prof. David J. WASSERSTEIN; Vanderbilt University, Department of History, Nashville, TN. Office: +1-615-322-7801 E-Mail: [email protected] URL: http://as.vanderbilt.edu/history/bio/david-wasserstein

 Prof. Lenn. E. GOODMAN; Vanderbilt University, Dept. of Philosophy, Nashville, TN. Office: +1-615-343-3158 E-Mail: [email protected] URL: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/philosophy/_people/_goodman.html

 Prof. Yasin CEYLAN (M.A advisor); Middle East Technical Uni., Dept. of Philosophy, Ankara. Office: +90-312-210-3176 Mobile: +90-532-694-6539 E-Mail: [email protected] URL: http://www.metu.edu.tr/~yceylan/

 Dr. Sukru KAYA; 2008-2014 Secretary of the Science and Society Department, the Scientific & Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Ankara. Mobile: +90-505-966-5059 E-Mail: [email protected]

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