Philip Grant
@philipgrant.bsky.social
Anthropologist, historian, translator.
See: Javad Tabatabai, Ibn Khaldun & the Social Sciences.
Rebels & Rulers in the Early Islamicate World ed. H. Hagemann & A. Grant.
Editorial board, Encyclopædia Iranica. Board member, The Markaz Review.
See: Javad Tabatabai, Ibn Khaldun & the Social Sciences.
Rebels & Rulers in the Early Islamicate World ed. H. Hagemann & A. Grant.
Editorial board, Encyclopædia Iranica. Board member, The Markaz Review.
In contemporary Persian, the sperm whale is called the نهنگ عنبر
(nahang-e anbar), so 'whale whale', then, from a certain Ge'ez point of view...
(nahang-e anbar), so 'whale whale', then, from a certain Ge'ez point of view...
January 8, 2026 at 10:17 PM
In contemporary Persian, the sperm whale is called the نهنگ عنبر
(nahang-e anbar), so 'whale whale', then, from a certain Ge'ez point of view...
(nahang-e anbar), so 'whale whale', then, from a certain Ge'ez point of view...
some cities have "elected mayors" w executive authority (tho less than in the US), but that's a 21st century development, & they don't wear gold chains. French mayors wear a big sash in the colors of the French flag, however, & are executive officers with real powers, so maybe that's a better model?
January 1, 2026 at 11:41 PM
some cities have "elected mayors" w executive authority (tho less than in the US), but that's a 21st century development, & they don't wear gold chains. French mayors wear a big sash in the colors of the French flag, however, & are executive officers with real powers, so maybe that's a better model?
The mayors with big chains aren't elected as mayors. They're elected members of city councils who take it in turns to fulfill the honorary function of mayor (Lord Mayor in larger cities, Provost/Lord Provost in Scotland) for a year, whence the gold chains. But they don't run the city. In England...
January 1, 2026 at 11:41 PM
The mayors with big chains aren't elected as mayors. They're elected members of city councils who take it in turns to fulfill the honorary function of mayor (Lord Mayor in larger cities, Provost/Lord Provost in Scotland) for a year, whence the gold chains. But they don't run the city. In England...
I have been observing this rule for years, animated by vague memories of having learned it at school; since pretty much nobody else observes it, I have always thought of myself as a rebel as much as a conformist. Now Merriam-Webster has shattered my illusion. A blow, however one looks at it.
December 16, 2025 at 7:14 PM
I have been observing this rule for years, animated by vague memories of having learned it at school; since pretty much nobody else observes it, I have always thought of myself as a rebel as much as a conformist. Now Merriam-Webster has shattered my illusion. A blow, however one looks at it.
Not exactly the same thing, no doubt, but Erdoğan had a stint as the non-executive president of Turkey (if memory serves me right) and Putin was PM to Medvedev's president for a term too, both for similar constitutional/power-preserving reasons. A well-tested method!
December 11, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Not exactly the same thing, no doubt, but Erdoğan had a stint as the non-executive president of Turkey (if memory serves me right) and Putin was PM to Medvedev's president for a term too, both for similar constitutional/power-preserving reasons. A well-tested method!
That's the way to do it! All those cultures who transmitted/transmit knowledge by "rote" memorization have a lot to teach us.
December 11, 2025 at 12:35 AM
That's the way to do it! All those cultures who transmitted/transmit knowledge by "rote" memorization have a lot to teach us.
December 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
More about the book here, including a link to my extensive additional notes on it:
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
Ibn Khaldun and the Social Sciences: Discourse on the Condition of Im-possibility
Ibn Khaldun and the Social Sciences: Discourse on the Condition of Im-possibility, Arabic and European studies of Ibn Khaldun, the great medieval polymath, follow one of two paths
www.politybooks.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
More about the book here, including a link to my extensive additional notes on it:
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
The journalist here, Mohammad Hasan Abolhasani, notes the importance of Iranian philosophy reaching people who don't read Persian, and the need to demonstrate that contemporary Iranian thinkers are anything but passive recipients of ideas come from elsewhere.
December 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
The journalist here, Mohammad Hasan Abolhasani, notes the importance of Iranian philosophy reaching people who don't read Persian, and the need to demonstrate that contemporary Iranian thinkers are anything but passive recipients of ideas come from elsewhere.
But any solutions to this translation (transcription?) issue more than welcome!
December 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
But any solutions to this translation (transcription?) issue more than welcome!
Walks are the best, but I've never quite figured out how to translate all those wonderful ideas that just breeze into your mind when walking into actual writing when back in some indoor seated environment. I don't think recording voice notes as you walk helps either, it disrupts the flow of thought.
December 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Walks are the best, but I've never quite figured out how to translate all those wonderful ideas that just breeze into your mind when walking into actual writing when back in some indoor seated environment. I don't think recording voice notes as you walk helps either, it disrupts the flow of thought.
And von Papen-Starmer began his career as a human rights lawyer, of all things.
December 9, 2025 at 8:14 PM
And von Papen-Starmer began his career as a human rights lawyer, of all things.
I get why people continue to think this way; I too only have a meaningful choice between two parties when it comes to voting; sometimes only one. But without having to imagine most of the population are political philosophers, I am sure people's self-understandings are more complex.
December 8, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I get why people continue to think this way; I too only have a meaningful choice between two parties when it comes to voting; sometimes only one. But without having to imagine most of the population are political philosophers, I am sure people's self-understandings are more complex.
I know what you mean; I'm one of those who've long found much of the NYT's output problematic, but maybe the real problem is not the "liberal newspaper appeases conservatives" narrative, but also the reverse: why can neither critique think outside the categories "conservatives" and "liberals"?
December 8, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I know what you mean; I'm one of those who've long found much of the NYT's output problematic, but maybe the real problem is not the "liberal newspaper appeases conservatives" narrative, but also the reverse: why can neither critique think outside the categories "conservatives" and "liberals"?
Great, I only accept drafts with clean footnotes of course:)
November 19, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Great, I only accept drafts with clean footnotes of course:)
That would be wonderful!
November 18, 2025 at 6:54 PM
That would be wonderful!
Is it online too this year? Because yes, but...
November 17, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Is it online too this year? Because yes, but...
Quite a narrow category, but thank you very much for the citation!
I now feel guilty I haven't posted much more on it. After all, sobriquets have to be earned!
I now feel guilty I haven't posted much more on it. After all, sobriquets have to be earned!
November 17, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Quite a narrow category, but thank you very much for the citation!
I now feel guilty I haven't posted much more on it. After all, sobriquets have to be earned!
I now feel guilty I haven't posted much more on it. After all, sobriquets have to be earned!
Brian, you are an excellent source of book recommendations.
November 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Brian, you are an excellent source of book recommendations.
How extraordinary (not in a good way). I must say, one thing I have appreciated about the US ever since becoming an anthropologist is how many college-educated people have know something about anthropology as they once took a class & usually enjoyed it. & yes, anthro majors/minors are v. employable!
October 9, 2025 at 9:57 PM
How extraordinary (not in a good way). I must say, one thing I have appreciated about the US ever since becoming an anthropologist is how many college-educated people have know something about anthropology as they once took a class & usually enjoyed it. & yes, anthro majors/minors are v. employable!