PLAY GUIDE

2015 2016

About ATC ...................................................................................................................................................

Introduction to the Play ...............................................................................................................................

Meet the Playwright ....................................................................................................................................

Meet the Characters ...................................................................................................................................

Major Religions of the U.S.........................................................................................................................

A (Very) Brief History of the Middle East......................................................................................................

Indo-Pakistani History.................................................................................................................................

References: Art, World and Religion.............................................................................................................

Disgraced Play Guide written and designed by Katherine Monberg, ATC Literary Manager, with assistance from April Jackson, Learning & Education Manager; Bryanna Patrick and Luke Young; Learning & Education Associates.

SUPPORT FOR ATC’S LEARNING & EDUCATION PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:APS

Arizona Commission on the Arts

Bank of America Foundation

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

City of Glendale

Community Foundation for Southern Arizona

Cox Charities

Downtown Tucson Partnership

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Ford Motor Company Fund

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation

JPMorgan Chase

John and Helen Murphy Foundation

National Endowment for the Arts

Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

PICOR Charitable Foundation

Rosemont Copper

Stonewall Foundation

Target

The Boeing Company

The Donald Pitt Family Foundation

The Johnson Family Foundation, Inc.

The Lovell Foundation

The Marshall Foundation

The Maurice and Meta Gross Foundation

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

The Stocker Foundation

The WIlliam L. and Ruth T. Pendleton Memorial Fund

Tucson Medical Center

Tucson Pima Arts Council

Wells Fargo

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Arizona Theatre Company is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company. This means that all of our artists, administrators and production staff are paid professionals, and the income we receive from ticket sales and contributions goes right back into our budget to create our work, rather than to any particular person as a profit.

Eash season, ATC employs hundreds of actors, directors and designers from all over the country to create the work you see on stage. In addition, ATC currently employs approximately 50 staff members in our production shops and administrative offices in Tucson and Phoenix during our season. Among these people are carpenters, painters, marketing professionals, fundraisers, stage directors, sound and light board operators, tailors, costume designers, box office agents, stage crew - the list is endless - representing am amazing range of talents and skills.

We are also supported by a Board of Trustees, a group of business and community leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to assist the theatre in financial and legal matters, advise in marketing and fundraising, and help represent the theatre in our community.

Roughly 150,000 people attend our shows every year, and several thousand of those people support us with charitable contributions in addition to purchasing their tickets. Businesses large and small, private foundations and the city and state governments also support our work financially.

All of this is in support of our vision and mission:

The mission of Arizona Theatre Company is to inspire, engage and entertain - one moment, one production and one audience at a time.

ABOUT ATC

Our mission is to create professional theatre that continually strives to reach new levels of artistic excellence that resonates locally, in the state of Arizona and throughout the nation. In order to fulfill our mission, the theatre produces a broad repertoire ranging from classics to new works, engages artists of the highest caliber, and is committed to assuring access to the broadest spectrum of citizens.

The Temple of Music and Art, the home of ATC shows in downtown Tucson.

The Herberger Theater Center, ATC’s performance venue in downtown Phoenix.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAY

Disgraced

By Ayad Akhtar

Directed by David Ira Goldstein

Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Ayad Akhtar’s Disgraced, winner of the 2013 Pulitzer

Prize for Drama, is a layered interrogation of the

psychological, traditional, moral and social constructs

that meld into identity, to form the complex, three-

dimensional humanity that is shared—and yet in

contrast—among us all.

Vandit Bhatt, Allison Jean White and Elijah Alexander in ATC’s production of Disgraced. Photo by Tim Fuller.

The play tells the story of Amir, a big shot lawyer with

plans to make partner living the dream on New York’s

Upper East Side, only to have the intangible forces of the

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world exploit the seams of his own identity, wrenching apart his dreams and shattering his sense of self.   The story

culminates in a high-stakes dinner party described by The New York Times as “a hotly contested game of Twister” as dual-

identities, politics and traditions clash, regroup, and finally, explode.

Disgraced premiered at Chicago’s American Theater Company before moving on to Lincoln Center Theater in 2012, a

vibrant playwriting debut for multi-talented playwright Ayad Akhtar, whose voice as a novelist, screenwriter and actor has

been hailed as “a generous new voice in American fiction.”  

Born in New York City to Pakistani immigrants and raised in Milwaukee, Akhtar speaks to the multiple identities forged in

and by the modern American melting pot, and the innumerable facets of assumption, judgment, self-deception, and

acceptance that underscore the contemporary social fabric of America.   In Akhtar’s own words, “There are ways that the

colonial history of the West is still playing out in the Muslim world. The events that comprise that history—a disgrace of

native peoples—is still very much a part of our contemporary moment.” Akhtar identifies true and transparent

engagement with the world as the crux of his narrative, seeking the “full engagement of the emotional and intellectual

self” to provide the final necessary component to the “vital, living, tragic situation” that plays out in real time on the

stage.

Akhtar cites his own experiences growing up and navigating the complex identity politics of America as a spark of

inspiration behind his writing: “In my early 30s, I started to realize I was avoiding something on a personal level, but also

as a writer. I was in denial about who I was, and was trying to be someone I was not.” This journey of his own self-discovery

led him to a new artistic understanding, one in which art is about engaging with the world around us rather than an

abstract quest for self-expression. “All I did metaphorically was to turn and look over my shoulder at what I was running

away from.”

Also central to that self-knowledge were the events of September 11th and its immediate cultural aftermath.  “Post-9/11,

folks who looked like me became very visible,” says Akhtar. “Life changed. I and a lot of people like me felt differently after

that. Like Amir, the fact of being Muslim, whether religious or cultural, became a significant fact that could not be

avoided.”

Though conscious of the social and political forces that interweave within Disgraced, Akhtar also posits a determined

awareness and aversion to sermonizing: “I can’t be a spokesman for anything other than my own concerns…and if I’m

bringing any political awareness to that process, that mitigates my freedom” and detracts from the audience experience in

which lies the power and impact of the piece. While the play illuminates traditions of representation and certain

Islamophobic tropes, the sense of shared humanity is the heart and soul of the experience; the opportunity to share in

complex perspectives that mirror the observable world.

Akhtar identifies that mirror function as integral to the narrative and theatrical process: “One of the things that’s

problematic to a lot of people is that some readings of the play seem to undermine other readings. My contention is that

your reading of this play tells you a lot about yourself” and your place within the ongoing cultural and social dialogue.  “It

makes perfect sense to me that people would gravitate to whatever reading is going to help them. But ultimately it doesn’t

really matter,” because there is a space for awareness, and conversation, that has been opened.  According to Akhtar, “Art’s

capacity to change the world is profoundly limited. But what it can do is change the way we see things individually” and

“that kind of clear-eyed approach to reality is something for which I’m hoping the play can be a portal.”

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Playwright Ayad Akhtar.

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Ayad Akhtar (Playwright) is the writer of   Disgraced (Broadway, LCT3/Lincoln

Center Theater, 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 2013 Obie Award for

Extraordinary Achievement);   The Who & The What   (LCT3/Lincoln Center

Theater and La Jolla Playhouse) and   The Invisible Hand   (New York Theatre

Workshop/The Repertory Theater of St. Louis). Also a novelist, Mr. Akhtar is the

author of American Dervish, published in 2012 by Little, Brown and Company,

and in 20 languages worldwide. He co-wrote and starred in   The War

Within  (Magnolia Pictures), which was released internationally and nominated

for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay. As an actor, Mr. Akhtar also

starred as Neel Kashkari in HBO’s adaptation of Andrew Ross Sorkin’s book, Too

Big to Fail.  He studied at Brown University and Columbia University’s School of

the Arts.

MEET THE PLAYWRIGHT

MEET THE CHARACTERS

Amir Kapoor: Bigshot lawyer striving to make partner at a Jewish law firm on the Upper East Side; a proudly non-practicing

Muslim-American.

Actor Elijah Alexander, who plays Amir in ATC’s production of Disgraced.

Actor Allison Jean White, who plays Emily in ATC’s production of Disgraced.

Actor Vandit Bhatt, who p l a y s A b e i n A T C ’s production of Disgraced.

Actor Richard Baird, who p lays Isaac in ATC’s production of Disgraced.

Actor Nicole Lewis, who p l a y s J o r y i n AT C ’s production of Disgraced.

Emily: Amir’s wife, a white artist, whose work celebrates Islamic artistic traditions.

Abe: Amir’s nephew, American of South Asian descent formerly known as Hussein, who yet retains his connection to the

Muslim-American community.

Ayad Akhtar’s Disgraced discusses several major religions in the U.S., and how cultural and religious practices and

perceptions form and interact with personal and collective identities. The 2014 Religious Landscape Study conducted by the

Pew Research Center, based on telephone interviews with more than 35,000 Americans from all 50 states, identified a

generalized breakdown of the major religions as practiced in the United States.

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Isaac: Jewish intellectual and art curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and a colleague of Emily’s.

Jory:  African-American lawyer, Isaac’s wife and colleague of Amir’s.

MAJOR RELIGIONS OF THE U.S.

RELIGIONS OF THE U.S. (2014)70.6%

Evangelical ProtestantMainline Protestant

Historically Black ProtestantCatholicMormon

Orthodox Christian

25.4%14.7%6.5%20.8%1.6%0.5%

Jehovah’s WitnessOther Christian Denominations

NON-CHRISTIAN FAITHSJewishMuslim

BuddhistHindu

0.8%0.4%5.9%1.9%0.9%0.7%0.7%

CHRISTIANITY

Other World Religions* 0.3%Other Faiths 1.5%

*There are 12 generally agreed-upon classical world religions: Baha’i, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism.

Among the religious affiliations studied by the Pew Research Center, the characters of Disgraced specifically discuss

Christianity, Mormonism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.   Below is a brief description of the major tenets and

traditions of the discussed religions.

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UNAFFILIATEDAtheist

AgnosticNothing in Particular

22.8%3.1%4.0%15.8%

Don’t Know 0.6%

There are numerous Christian denominations, though there are many shared central beliefs and traditions among them.  Christianity was originally founded in Palestine by the followers of Jesus, and presently predominates in Europe and the

Americas, though it is present throughout most of the world.

The central philosophy of Christianity holds that Jesus is the Son of God and the second aspect of the Holy Trinity formed by

God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus’s life on earth and his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven

are viewed as proof of God’s love and forgiveness of humankind, and Christian teachings profess that eternal life and

salvation are attained by faith in Jesus Christ.  This philosophy is particularly derived from the New Testament of the Bible,

though the Old Testament is also considered to be sacred and authoritative Scripture.

Christian ethics are largely derived from the Jewish tradition as described in the Old Testament and the Ten

Commandments, but with some different interpretations influenced by the practice and teachings of Jesus.  There are many

different forms of Christian worship, as well as many variations of church organization and the designated roles of

organized clergy, but worship and rites often include the use of sacraments conducted by trained clergy within organized

churches.

In its 2,000 years, Christianity has experienced significant divisions based on differences in doctrine and organization,

leading to three broad contemporary divisions: Roman Catholic, Orthodox Eastern, and Protestant, thought there are

numerous denominations within those generalized categories.

CHRISTIANITY

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Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church is led by the pope, the bishop of Rome, and

may be very simply defined as Christians in communion with the pope.

Generally, the church is divided into dioceses, each of which is led by a

bishop (usually named by the pope), groups of whom are led by

archbishops.   Dioceses are divided into parishes, each of which has a

church and a priest.  Priests are trained in seminary, and do not marry.

To belong to the church one must accept the gospel of Jesus and the

doctrine of apostolic succession as true, which posits that the pope and

bishops represent varying degrees of the spiritual authority that Jesus

designated to his apostles.   Primary teachings include the objective

existence of God, the practice of prayer, divinity of Jesus, immortality of

the human soul, accountability upon death for actions in life, divine

commission of the church, and the sacraments of penance and the

Eucharist, and the cornerstone of ethical behavior is the love of God.

Orthodox Eastern Church

The Orthodox Eastern Church is a community of Christian churches primarily based in the Middle East and Eastern Europe,

which doctrinally accept the authority of the church, but reject the leadership of the Pope.  The standard rite of the church is

known as the Byzantine rite and is always sung, but is not typically celebrated every day as in the Western tradition.  The

Orthodox Eastern Church observes the Eucharist and confession, but parish priests may marry prior to ordination.  Churches

are governed by a board of bishops and laymen known as a synod, often appointed by the government, and the head of a

church is called a patriarch, but often serves as only the moderator of the synod.

Protestantism

A form of Christianity and practice that emerged from the principles of the 16th-century religious evolution known as the

Reformation, which took place in Western Europe, arising from opposition to the doctrines and practices of the medieval

(Roman Catholic) church. The rise of cities and the growth of the merchant and middle classes, in addition to the

development of printing, sparked discontent and greater dissemination of information in the 16th century as new modes of

religious and economic thought (i.e., capitalism) sought to restructure the status quo.  In 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95

Pope Francis, the current pope and bishop of Rome.

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theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. Luther protested his excommunication, demanded by the pope in

1520, and Luther’s proposed doctrine of salvation achieved by faith alone and not by sacraments and mediation by the

church spread throughout Europe, chiefly embraced by absolutist rulers, merchants, capitalists, and peasants suffering

under feudal policies.  Economic, social, monarchal, and moral principles melded into a greater movement through the 16th

century, sparking divisions which included Calvinism and Lutheranism, and was further fueled by King Henry VIII of

England’s break from Rome in 1534, which formally established the Protestant Church of England.

Today, Protestantism includes numerous branches including the Adventist, Anabaptist, Calvinist, Congregationalist,

Episcopal, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Puritan, and Unitarian churches, among many

others, though many share certain central characteristics.   Of these, the acceptance of the Bible as the only source of

infallible truth and salvation by faith alone are central tenets, in addition to a greater emphasis placed on personal

morality.

MORMONISMMormonism is the religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement of

Restorationist Christianity, which seeks a return to the known traditions

of the apostolic early church, and a more ancient, pure form of the

religion.

Mormonism was founded in upstate New York in the 1820s by Joseph

Smith during the period of religious revival known as the Second Great

Awakening. Smith dictated the contents of the Book of Mormon, the

primary religious text of Mormonism in addition to the Old and New

Testaments, from buried golden plates he was directed to find by the

Angel Moroni.  The Book of Mormon describes the early chronicles of the

indigenous people of the Americas, described as Israelites with advance

divine knowledge of the coming of Jesus Christ, several centuries before

his birth.

Smith and his followers moved from New York in the early 1830s, seeking to establish a New Jerusalem or City of Zion in

Jackson County, Missouri; the Mormons were expelled from Jackson County in 1833, and forced to flee again from Kirtland,

Ohio in 1838.  The Mormon community then relocated to Illinois; tensions between Mormons and non-Mormons began to rise,

culminating in the murder of Joseph Smith by a mob in 1844.  The largest group of Mormons, known as The Church of Jesus

Joseph Smith, 1842.

Christ of Latter-day Saints, accepted Brigham Young as their new prophet and leader, and emigrated to Utah Territory and to

what is now known as Salt Lake City, where the church embraced polygamy or plural marriage, until the practice was ended

by church president Wilford Woodruff in 1890. Many smaller sects of Mormonism have since broken with the LDS church to

form several related denominations; the present-day LDS church is a proponent of monogamy, patriotism, and has an active

missionary program.

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Smith described his “First Vision” of God the Father and Jesus Christ as two separate beings, a non-trinitarian theology that

serves as the primary doctrinal difference between Mormonism and orthodox Christianity, though the Mormon church also

embraces the concept of a Heavenly Mother and exaltation. Smith further reported that he was instructed by God to join none

of the existing churches, which failed to practice the true Christian church as commanded by God.

The establishment of Mormonism is viewed as the re-establishment of the Christian church as described in the New

Testament, and includes the bestowing of Priesthood authorities on Joseph Smith through angels that appeared to him in

visions.   Smith and his successors are considered to be modern prophets, who guide the church according to revelations

from God; the Mormon church also maintains that other religions depict a portion of the truth, and are guided by the light of

Christ.

Mormon tradition places high importance on human agency, believing that the main component of God’s plan is atonement

through Jesus Christ, and the choice of good over evil.  Mormons accept the atonement of Chris through faith, repentance,

and formal ordinances or rituals such as baptism and the intention to lead Christ-like lives, and believe that certain

ordinances must be received in order to be saved.

Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths, which affirms the

existence of one God, Yahweh, with whom the descendants of Abraham

entered into a covenant as God’s chosen people.  The holy writings of the

Jewish faith include the Torah (specifically the five books of Moses),

generally referred to as the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament by

Christians, and the Talmud, a compilation of oral tradition which

includes the oral law, or Mishnah.

JUDAISM

The Great Synagogue, a Jewish house of worship in Plzen, Czech Republic.

The twelve tribes of Israel lived in a covenant association, with leaders known for wisdom and heroism, through the 11th

century BC; the first monarchy was established by Saul in the early 11th century BC, during which Jerusalem was developed

as the religious and political center of Israel, and a great temple was built.  Following the death of Saul’s son, Solomon, the

kingdom was divided into the northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah; during the rule of the kings,

the writings of prophets in Israel and Judah emphasize Yahweh as God of Israel and the universe, the danger of worshiping

other gods, and demands for social justice. Israel was then conquered by Assyria in 721 BC, and Judah was conquered by

Babylon in 586, resulting in the mass exile of Judeans to Babylon.

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According to Scripture, Abraham departed northern Mesopotamia for Canaan at the behest of God, who blessed the faithful

among his descendants.   Jacob (also known as Israel) was the son of Isaac, son of Abraham; twelve families descended

from Jacob were enslaved in Egypt and led out of bondage by Moses.  The Hebrews returned to Canaan after 40 years in the

desert, claiming the Promised Land granted them by God from the local inhabitants.

The Judeans returned to Judea in 539 BC, which was then ruled as a Persian province.   During this period, the scribes

emerged as a new group of religious leaders, who would eventually become known as the Pharisees. Alexander the Great

conquered Palestine in 332 BC, ending Persian rule; after his death, Judea was alternately ruled by Egypt and Syria.  Syrian

ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to eliminate Judaism and sparked a revolt led by the Maccabees resulting in Jewish

independence in 128 BC, until the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC.  Different interpretations of Judaism appeared

during this period, primarily divided according to the teachings of the Sadducees (temple priests) and the Pharisees

(teachers of the law). Several smaller sects also emerged, including the Apocalyptists, who awaited divine deliverance led

by the Messiah; the Zealots, who sought national independence; and Hellenist Jews who combined Jewish religious tradition

with Greek culture.

The Zealots revolted in 70 AD, inducing Rome to destroy Jerusalem and its temple.  The Jews were subsequently scattered

out of Israel and became targets of persecution throughout the world.   Rabbinic Judaism developed as the primary

expression of faith, emerging out of Pharisaic practice, and focused on Torah and synagogue; the Talmud began to take

shape, the Scriptures were codified, and the 13 Articles of Faith were formulated by the Maimonides in the 12th century.

Two distinct branches of Judaism developed during the Middle Ages: Sephardic Judaism, based in Spain and aligned with

Babylonian Jews, and Ashkenazic Judaism, emerging from the Franco-German region and affiliated with Rome and

Palestine.  Medieval Hasidism and attention to the Kabbalah also emerged as two forms of Jewish mysticism.

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Anti-Semitism experienced a strong resurgence in the 19th century, culminating in the Holocaust of World War II, which

claimed the lives of more than 6 million Jews.  The Zionist movement was forged in response, resulting in the establishment

of the State of Israel in 1948.

Modern Judaism includes synagogue worship, which includes readings from the Law (the five books of Moses known as the

Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and the Prophets, and prayer. The commandments of

the Torah are central to religious life, and include the practices of circumcision and observation of the Sabbath.

There are three primary expressions of Judaism today: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.  Generally, Jews do not attempt

to covert others to their religion, but do accept newcomers to the faith; additionally, Jewish identity is not necessarily tied to

acceptance of the Torah but rather to a cultural and historical identity, creating a strong secular, atheist, and agnostic

presence within Jewish life.

Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Jews follow traditional faith and practice, including a strict kosher diet and observance of the Sabbath.

Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism emerged during the mid-18th century, and follows most traditional practices including the authority

of the Talmud, though change is more broadly incorporated into traditional practices than in other Judaic expressions.

Reform Judaism

Reform movements emerged out of the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala) during the 18th century in western Europe; Reform

Jews emphasize the ethical and moral teachings of Judaism, and do not consider the Talmud (oral law) a divine revelation.

Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths, which affirms the

existence of one God, Yahweh, with whom the descendants of Abraham

entered into a covenant as God’s chosen people.  The holy writings of

the Jewish faith include the Torah (specifically the five books of

Moses), generally referred to as the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old

Testament by Christians, and the Talmud, a compilation of oral

tradition which includes the oral law, or Mishnah.

ISLAM

The Shah Jahan Mosque, a Muslim house of worship in Woking, Surrey, reportedly the first mosque in the U.K., built in 1889.

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Islam is one of the three major monotheistic faiths, along with Christianity and Judaism, and was founded in Arabia

between 610 and 632 by the Prophet Muhammad.   At age 25, Muhammad left the caravan trade to embark on a life of

contemplation, as a reaction against the immoral and polytheistic practices of the inhabitants of Mecca. After the Angel

Gabriel announced to him in a vision that he was to be a prophet, Muhammad devoted his life to religious and societal

reform, and the abandonment of Polytheism. Eventually rejected by leaders of the Meccan Quraysh tribe, Muhammad fled for

Medina in 622, which is noted as the formal establishment of the Muslim Era. Muhammad returned to conquer Mecca in

630, where he died in 632; his grave there remains a site of pilgrimage for Muslims worldwide.

Muslims, referring to the followers of Muhammad, revere him as the prophet of the one and only Allah (God), and the last of

the prophets descended from Abraham and Jesus.  The foundations of the Islamic faith are the Quran (or Koran), which is

regarded as the true, eternal Word of God, and hadith (tradition) detailing the words and actions of Muhammad.  Islam can

be translated to “surrender to the will of Allah,” who determines the fate of all humanity; good deeds will be rewarded in

paradise at the Last Judgment, and evil deeds will be punished in hell.

The primary duties of the Islamic faith are represented by the Five Pillars: profession of faith, daily prayer (five times each

day), almsgiving, daylight fasting during the month of Ramadan, and hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in a lifetime

(if possible) which includes homage to the ancient shrine of the Ka’aba, the most sacred site in Islam.

Muslims gather for communal worship on Fridays, during which prayers and a sermon take place at the mosque, which

serves as both a house of worship and a center for the teaching of the Quran; the imam, or community leader, serves as the

teacher and leader of prayer.

Sunnis and Shi’ites

Disagreements regarding the succession of the prophet induced a division between two Islamic groups: the Sunnis and

Shi’ites.  Shi’ite tradition rejects the first three successors to Muhammad as usurpers and acknowledge the fourth, Ali, as

the rightful leader of the faith, while the Sunni tradition recognizes all four successors as legitimate.  From these, numerous

other Islamic sects have been derived, including Sufism, which emerged as a form of mysticism in the 8th and 9th

centuries.

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Buddhism was founded in northern India during the fourth or fifth

century BC by Siddhartha Guatama, the son of a warrior prince.  Though his exact life span is uncertain, tradition holds that he left

home at the age of 29 to seek religious insight and a solution to the

struggles and suffering of human life, encountering many trials and

exercising extreme self-denial.  While meditating under the bodhi tree,

the “tree of perfect knowledge”, he achieved enlightenment and

shared his new spiritual understanding with his followers.

BUDDHISM

Statue of the Buddha in Bodhgaya, Bihar, India.

Guatama’s teachings were more egalitarian and accessible than the Hindu faith prevalent in India at the time, emphasizing

Four Noble Truths: that all living beings suffer, that desire is the origin of all suffering, that desire can be overcome, and

that there is a path to attain release from the power of desire.   This philosophy embraces a Noble Eightfold Path which

embraces right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right concentration, and right

ecstasy.

Guatama also believed in anatman, that a person has no actual self and that all existence is impermanent, and promoted a

disciplined life called the Middle Way in addition to the concept of reincarnation, a cycle of life and death which could only

be broken by achieving nirvana, or a state of total transcendence. Guatama travelled the world to preach the dharma, or

sacred truth, and was deemed the Buddha, meaning “enlightened one.”

After his death, followers of Guatama further developed his doctrine and practice, which came to be represented by the

Three Jewels: the dharma (sacred teachings of Buddhism), the sangha (the community of followers), and the Buddha.  Buddhism spread throughout India and Asia during the third century BC under the patronage of Mauryan emperor Ashoka,

and flourished in other parts of Asia in the following century. Numerous Buddhist sects have emerged throughout the

centuries, the primary three being the Theravada (Way of the Elders), the Mahayana (Greater Vehicle), and the Vajrayana

(Diamond Vehicle).

Theravada (Way of the Elders)

The Theravada, also sometimes known as the Hinayana or Lesser Vehicle (sometimes considered a pejorative term),

considers Buddha to be a great sage rather than a deity, emphasizing meditation and the practice of rituals that foster the

journey toward becoming an arhat, or an enlightened being.   Theravada embraces the authority of the Tripitaka (Three

Baskets), a compilation of sermons, rules, and doctrines that comprise the earliest Buddhist scriptures, and is prevalent in

Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.

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Mahayana (Greater Vehicle)

Mahayana emerged between the second century BC and the second century AD, and shifted Buddhist focus to a greater

emphasis on concern for humanity, rather than on the individual attainment of enlightenment.   Hinayana idealizes the

bodhisattva (enlightened being) who shuns nirvana until it is attainable by all sentient beings, remaining in the painful

cycle of reincarnation in order to serve humanity with compassion. Hinayana Buddhists view the Buddha as an eternal

being, and honor additional Buddhas to add a polytheistic dimension.

Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle)

Vajrayana, also referred to as Mantrayana (Vehicle of the Mantra) or Tantric Buddhism, is most prominent in Tibet and

Mongolia, and urges a more demanding way to achieve nirvana, over the course of one lifetime.

Zen Buddhism

Encourages satori, or spiritual enlightenment by seeking the Buddha nature within oneself, and the practice of a disciplined

form of sitting meditation.

A (VERY) BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EASTThe long, rich history of the Middle East, known as the Cradle of

Civilization, stretches back to the earliest days of human history. A

region of significance to a multitude of cultures and religions, the

Middle East has long been a coveted region of holy sites, intellectual

and cultural development, economic opportunity, and ideological and

theological conflict, which carry on into the contemporary age. While

the complex politics and events of the region are far more intricate

than can possibly be presented in the context of a single Play Guide,

the characters of Disgraced reference some historical tendrils and

their ongoing ripples that affect the way in which the Middle East is

perceived, particularly in post-9/11 America.   Below are some highly

simplified explanations of events and occurrences in the region’s

history.

Map depicting the countries of the Middle East.

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The Middle East refers to the geographical territory that comprises modern-day Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Cyprus and Northern

Cyprus, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Palestine, the

Gaza Strip, and Yemen.

Ancient History

Egyptian civilization was politically unified under the first pharaoh sometime around 3150 BC, and most of Mesopotamia

(roughly corresponding to present-day Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and regions of the Turkish-Syrian and Iranian-Iraqi borders) was

ruled by several powerful empires, notably the Old and Middle Assyrian Empires (1365-1076 BC) and the Neo-Assyrian

Empire (911-605 BC). Iranian states then dominated the region from the 7th century BC onward, including the First Persian

Empire (550 to 330 BC), responsible for freeing Jewish slaves held captive in Babylonia when Babylon fell to Persian king

Cyrus the Great in 539 BC. The Roman Republic then conquered the Eastern Mediterranean in the 1st century BC; the

Eastern Roman Empire, often referred to as the Byzantine Empire, stretched from the Balkans to the Euphrates and became

increasingly upset by Christian doctrinal differences between practitioners throughout the Middle East and the Christian

establishment in Constantinople.  From the 3rd to the 7th century AD, the entirety of the Middle East was dominated by the

Roman-Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian (Neo-Persian) Empire, which would serve as the final Iranian empire prior to the

rise of Islam, which came to prominence in the 7th century.

The Seljuq Turkish dynasty ended Arab dominance in the region with their arrival in the mid-11th century, blending their

Sunni Muslim heritage with Persian culture. The military might of the Mongol Empire, which had emerged from the

unification of nomadic tribes in 1206 under Genghis Khan, swept through the Middle East in the early 13th century,

introducing the Turkic peoples into the region.  The Ottoman emirs, religiously Islamic and linguistically Turkic, captured the

Christian Byzantine capital of Constantinople in 1453 and established the Ottoman Empire, inciting centuries of war

between the Ottomans and the Safavid Persian Empire, beginning in the early 16th century.

Colonialism

Western colonial influence burgeoned in the 1700s, as

Britain established control of the Persian Gulf and France

extended its influence into Lebanon and Syria. Italy seized

Libya and the Dodecanese Islands in 1912, and Middle

Eastern rulers turned their attention to competing with

European powers and economies.   Oil in the Middle East

attracted attention from the Americans after its initial

discovery in Persia (modern Iran) in 1908, and then later in Map depicting the various colonial influences in the Middle East, 1914.

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Saudi Arabia, other Persian Gulf States, Libya, and Algeria.  The Ottoman Empire entered World War I as one of the Central

Powers, supporting Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and perpetrating the mass genocide of indigenous Christian

peoples in the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides before ultimately losing the war, and losing control of the Middle East to

Britain and France.

Colonial influence in the region continued after World War I, with Egypt and Syria both asserting independence from Britain

and France, respectively, in the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 and with the end of the French Mandate of Syria in 1943. World

War II and its aftermath removed much of the Soviet, British and French presence in the Middle East, and led to the U.N.

plan to partition Palestine and establish the State of Israel in 1947. The resolution suggested the creation of independent

Arab and Jewish states in Palestine with a Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem, and progressive British

withdrawal with the termination of the British Mandate. The Jewish Agency for Palestine accepted the proposal, but Arab

leaders and governments rejected the territorial division, escalating the Arab-Israel Conflict and sparking the 1947-48 Civil

War in Mandatory Palestine, which evolved into the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

The Cold War and Beyond

The post-World War II departure of many European powers from the Middle East, the establishment of Israel, and the

increasing importance of oil culminated in increasing U.S. involvement in the Middle East through the second half of the

20th century.  The establishment of many anti-Western regimes (in Egypt in 1954, Syria in 1963, Iraq in 1968, and Libya in

1969) invited the Soviet Union to extend Cold War tensions into the area as they allied with Arab socialist leaders including

Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, who promised destruction of Israel, defeat of the U.S. and other

western interests, and prosperity for Arab peoples.  This anti-Western sentiment combined with the rise of pan-Arabism in

Western Asia and North Africa, engendering an atmosphere of Arab nationalism that reached a zenith in the 1950s and

1960s.

Eager to protect its interests in the Middle East, the U.S. supported the conservative monarchies of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the

Persian Gulf emirates, and Iran, until the Iranian Revolution of 1979 established a fiercely anti-Western theocratic regime

there.  In 1967, the Six-Day War between Israel and its neighbors resulted in a decisive Arab loss, sparking an undercurrent

of fundamental and militant Islamic sentiment that can be traced into the present day.  Also beginning in the 1970s, the

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) under Yasser Arafat began a prolonged and violent campaign against Israel, as

well as U.S. and Jewish targets. This was succeeded by the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) as well as the fall of the Soviet Union

and collapse of communism in the early 1990s, which weakened the Arab socialist state model and reduced dependence of

the West on oil produced in Arab states.  Arab rulers, such as Saddam Hussein, embraced Arab nationalism as a socialism

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substitute, leading to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and to the Persian Gulf War in

1990. The conclusion of the Persian Gulf War installed a permanent U.S. military

presence in the region, and was later cited by Osama bin Laden as a rationale behind

the September 11th attacks on the United States, orchestrated by al-Qaeda.

Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003.

Osama bin Laden, founder of the terrorist group al-Qaeda.

Through the 1990s, the installment and growth of market economies in the Middle

East were challenged by political restrictions, corruption, overspending, and over-

dependence on oil revenues, all of which combined to intensify conflict within the

region and the rising prominence of Islamism or Political Islam, which supports the

political structure and ideology of an allied Islamic State.   Many Islamists gained

military experience fighting against the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan in

1979, including Osama bin Laden, who would go on to found the terrorist group al-

Qaeda, which is credited with the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and

Kenya, the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, and the September 11th attacks.   In

retaliation against the attacks of September 11th, U.S. President George W. Bush

declared a global War on Terror and launched the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan to

overthrow the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban regime, thought to be harboring Osama

bin Laden.  The 2003 overthrow of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein by U.S. forces introduced a

new Western occupation in the region, leading to post-war insurgency and persistent

ethnic violence.   Beginning in late 2010, a revolutionary wave known as the Arab

Spring incited major protests, uprisings, and revolutions throughout the Arab League,

the repercussions from which continue throughout the region.

INDO-PAKISTANI HISTORYClassical India

Classical India refers to the period during which many parts of present-day India was ruled by various Middle kingdoms,

and stretches for some 1500 years from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD. During the classical period, India

controlled between one-quarter and one-third of the world’s wealth, making it the largest economy in the world, and was

greatly influenced by the many diverse and constantly-shifting empires within the region.

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The Golden Age of India is a sub-period within the classical period, referring to the reunification of much of the Indian

Subcontinent under the Gupta Empire (320 AD-550 AD), known for massive achievements in science, technology, art,

literature, engineering, logic, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and religion that established many of the elements of

Hindu culture. Buddhism was also a dominant philosophy in India at the time, from which it spread to much of Asia during

this age of prosperity and world trade.

Introduction of Islam

In the 7th century, Islam emerged as a religion and a fringe political power, primarily centered in the northwestern portion

of the subcontinent, in what is modern-day Pakistan. The foundation of the Delhi Sultanate in 1206 AD by the Turks of

central Asia introduced Muslim rule to the region, as conquerors retained their Islamic identity and instituted new legal,

administrative, and cultural systems that superseded existing codes of conduct and society. With the establishment of the

Sikh Empire in 1799, the region of Muslim rule became bordered by the Punjabi kingdom, ruled by members of the Sikh

religion, and which governed the region of modern-day Punjab and surrounding areas. This area was later conquered by the

British in the first and second Anglo-Sikh wars.

British India

The British East India Company overtook many parts of India in the late-18th and 19th centuries, leading to the Indian

Rebellion of 1857, after which the British Crown took on direct administration of the British provinces of India and indirect

rule of princely states, which acted as nominally sovereign entities subject to the British Crown. This period, known as the

British Raj, is characterized by rapid development of infrastructure, economic stagnation, and intense famine.  

The first half of the 20th century witnessed a struggle for Indian independence from Britain, eventually achieved with the

Indian Independence Act of 1947, when the British provinces were partitioned into the Union of India and the Dominion of

Pakistan, and all remaining princely states acceded to one or the other.   This two nation theory was in opposition to the

recommendation of Mahatma Gandhi, who urged peace and unity among all Indian peoples.

Partition of India

Pakistan was intended to be a homeland for the Muslim population of India, and comprised the northern provinces which

already had a Muslim majority, while the new India was to be secular but with a Hindu majority. The provinces of Punjab

and Bengal in the northwest and northeast, respectively, did not have overwhelming Muslim or Hindu majorities, so both

were divided into east and west provinces:   Punjab province was divided into West Pakistan (to the west of the Indian

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Partition of India, 1947.

subcontinent) and the Indian state of East Punjab, while

Bengal province was divided into East Pakistan (to the east

of the Indian subcontinent) and the Indian state of West

Bengal. The partition of the Punjab region in particular

resulted in the largest mass migration in human history, as

long years of religious tensions amidst the Hindu, Muslim,

and Sikh populations erupted in violent riots as the new

borders were found to interrupt basic infrastructure and

population distribution.

The partition was and remains a highly controversial

arrangement, characterized by haste, cruelty, and a

breakdown of law, order, and compassion. Conservatives

also point to the partition of India as a turning point in

international relations, as the moment when British

interests ceased to be the single greatest dominating force

in world politics and power.

Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian Independence movement.

In 1971, Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) seceded from

Pakistan after years of economic and political instability,

exacerbated by frictions between East and West Pakistan,

which were separated by more than 1,000 miles of Indian

territory. Political turmoil in Bangladesh continued through a

period of military rule from 1975 to 1990, with a new

democratic era initiated in 1991.

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REFERENCES: ART, WORLD, AND RELIGION

Aristotle: Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and scientist whose writings constitute

the first comprehensive system of Western philosophy and have influenced physics, biology,

zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theater, music, rhetoric, linguistics, politics,

and government.  Aristotle’s Poetics defined the composition of tragedy, and thus serves as the

historical basis of dramatic literature.

Aristotle by Lysippus, c. 330 BC. Bonnard: Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) was a French painter and printmaker, and a founding

member of Les Nabis, a Post-Impressionist group of avant-garde painters.  He preferred to create

from memory, and his paintings are often described as having unusual vantage points, a

dreamlike quality and featuring intimate domestic scenes.

Constable: John Constable (1776-1837) was an English Romantic painter, known particularly for

his landscape paintings of “Constable County,” officially known as Dedham Vale.  His work was

especially prominent in France, where his work inspired the Barbizon school of painters.

Frieze Art Fair: An annual international contemporary art fair, established in 2003, and held in

London’s Regent Park every October.

Self-Portrait by Pierre Bonnard, c. 1889.

John Constable as painted by Daniel Gardner, c. 1796.

Frieze Art Fair under construction in Regent’s Park, 2009.

Jerry Saltz: American art critic, Jerry Saltz (1951- ) was formerly the senior art critic for The

Village Voice and has served since 2006 as senior art critic and columnist for New York

Magazine. To date, he has received three nominations for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism.

Matisse: Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was a French artist, particularly known for his paintings and

his use of color and fluid draughtsmanship, though he was also a notable printmaker and

sculptor. His expressive style spanned fauvism, modernism and impressionism, and he is

commonly regarded as one of the three artists to lend definition to the plastic arts at the

beginning of the 20th century (along with Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp).   Matisse is

recognized as one of the greatest figures to influence modern art.

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The Met: New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the most-visited museums in the

world and the largest art museum in the United States.

Portrait of Juan de Pareja: Painting by Diego Velázquez (c. 1650) that depicts his assistant,

painter Juan de Pareja. Juan de Pareja was born into slavery in Antequera, near Málaga, Spain,

son to a slave and a Spanish father. He worked in Velázquez’s household and workshop until

Velázquez’s death in 1660, ten years after he freed Pareja from slavery. Pareja then became

assistant to painter Juan del Mazo until his own death in 1670.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Portrait of Juan de Pareja by Velázquez, c. 1650.

Renaissance: European period from the 14th to the 17th century that began in Italy in the Late

Medieval period, largely considered to have functioned as a bridge between the Middle Ages and

modern history. The Renaissance introduced an intellectual focus on humanism and applied new

thinking to art, architecture, politics, science and literature. Artistically, linear perspective was

developed during this period, in addition to techniques that achieved a more natural

representation of reality than in previous eras. The Renaissance also contributed to scientific

reliance on observation, the development of diplomacy, and a resurgence of learning philosophies

derived from classical sources.

The Tate: A network of four museums that are home to the U.K.’s national British art collection, as

well as international modern and contemporary art.  Tate Britain, London, displays British art from

1500 onward; Tate Modern, London, houses British, international, and contemporary art from 1900

onward; Tate Liverpool is similar to the Tate Modern, but on a smaller scale; and Tate St. Ives

displays modern and contemporary artists with connections to Cornwall and the surrounding area.

Velázquez: Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660)was a Spanish painter and lead

artist in the court of King Philip IV of Spain, and one of the most influential artists of the Spanish

Golden Age.  Velázquez was known as an individualist of the Baroque period.   In addition to his

paintings depicting scenes of historical and cultural value, he was also a notable portrait artist,

known for his many portraits of the Spanish royal family and notable European figures.  Velázquez

is often referred to as one of the greatest influencers of modern painting; his seminal masterpiece,

Las Meninas, is largely considered one of the most important works in Western art history.

The original Tate Gallery in London, renamed Tate Britain in 2000.

Self-portrait by Velazquez, c. 1640.

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Victoria and Albert: The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), located in London, is the world’s

largest museum of decorative art and design, with a permanent collection featuring more than 4.5

million objects.

The Whitney: New York City’s Whitney Museum of American Art, which specializes in 20th and 21st

century American art, with special emphasis on exhibitions of work created by living artists.

The Whitney Museum of American Art, at its new location as of May 2015.  Photo by Ed Lederman.

WORLD

Ahmadinejad: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (1956 - ) is an Iranian politician who served from 2005 to

2013 as the sixth President of Iran. During his presidency, he was viewed as a controversial figure

both within Iran and internationally.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 6th President of Iran.

Al-Qaeda: Translated to mean “The Base” or “The Foundation,” al-Qaeda is a global militant

Islamist organization. Founded in the late 1980s by Osama bin laden and Abdullah Azzam, among

others, al-Qaeda can trace its root to Arab volunteers who fought against the Soviet invasion of

Afghanistan in the late 1980s. Designated as a terrorist group by the U.N. Security Council, the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, and various countries, al-Qaeda

comprises a multinational, stateless army, and an extremist, Islamist wahhabi jihadist group, and

have been responsible for various civilian and military attacks including the 1998 U.S. embassy

bombings, the September 11th attacks, and the 2002 Bali bombings. Al-Qaeda ideology proposes

the removal of all foreign influence from Muslim countries and the creation of a worldwide Islamic

caliphate, and the replacement of “man-made” laws with strict sharia law.

Andalusia: An autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain in southwestern Europe, divided

into eight provinces, and of which Seville is the capital. Traditionally an agricultural region,

Andalusia is known for a strong cultural identity, and is the origin of many distinctively Spanish

phenomena including flamenco, bullfighting, and particular Moorish architectural influences.The regions of Spain.

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Anderson Cooper’s 360°: A CNN news show, hosted by American journalist Anderson Cooper,

which covers news stories of the current day form live or taped reports from network

correspondents, as well as expert analysis.  Commonly shortened to AC-360 or 360, over 1,000

episodes have aired since it premiered in September, 2003.

Annie Hall: A 1977 American romantic comedy film, directed by Woody Allen, which stars Alvy

“Max” Singer (Woody Allen) as he attempts to discover the reasons behind his failed relationship

with Annie Hall (Diane Keaton).

Barcelona: The capital city of Catalonia, an autonomous community in Spain, and Spain’s second

most populated city.  Barcelona is the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the

world’s leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centers, and largely considered to be one

of the world’s major global cities due to its significant influence on commerce, education,

entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts.

Bartman: Steve Bartman was a Chicago Cubs fan who disrupted baseball history by reaching for a

foul ball during the 8th inning of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS),

with Chicago ahead 3-0 and holding a lead of 3-2 in the best of seven series.  Bartman deflected

the ball, disrupting a potential catch and out by Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou.  The Cubs ended up

losing the game and the series, and the “Steve Bartman” incident is regarded as the turning point

of the series.

Charvet: Charvet Place Vendome is a French high-end shirt maker and tailor, founded in 1838 and

located in Paris, which designs produces and sells shirts, neckties, blouses, pajamas and suits

through luxury retailers.  Recognized for its high quality and impressive clientele (including kings,

princes, and heads of state), the phrase is also used to generically describe a certain type of silk

fabric used for ties.

Chorizo: A highly seasoned pork sausage, especially with garlic and/or chili powder; originally

from Spain.

Anderson Cooper, CNN news show host, 2010.

Annie Hall film poster, 1977.

Fan Steve Bartman and Cubs outfielder Moises Alou both going for the foul ball hit by Luis Castillo in GFame 6 of the 2003 NLCS at Wrigley Field, Chicago.

Ske tch o f the co l l a r designed by Charvet for Edward VII, 1898.

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Constitution: Document which delineates the framework of the United States’ government and

serves as the supreme law of the United States.   Originally comprised of seven articles, the

Constitution has been amended 27 times since it came into law in 1789; the first ten amendments

offer specific protections of liberty, justice, and governmental regulation, and are collectively

known as the Bill of Rights.

Consumerism: A social and economic ideology and practice that encourages the acquisition of

goods and services, placing an emphasis on consumption.

Córdoba: The capital city of the province of Córdoba, in the region of Andalusia in southern Spain.  Conquered by Islamic armies during an invasion in the 8th century, Córdoba later became the

capital of the Islamic Emirate and then the Caliphate of Córdoba, which encapsulated most of the

Iberian Peninsula, and is known for its rich cultural history.

Cornell: Cornell University is a university in the American private Ivy League system, located in

Ithaca, New York, consisting of seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions.  It is

a state-supported federal land-grant research university, and has been co-educational and non-

sectarian since its founding in 1865.

Credit Suisse: The Credit Suisse Group is a multinational financial services holding company

based in Zürich, Switzerland, which operates the Credit Suisse Bank among other financial service

investments.   The company was founded in 1865 and is a stock corporation consisting of four

divisions: Investment Banking, Private Banking, Asset Management, and a Shared Services Group

that supports and provides marketing to the other three divisions.

Cubs: The Chicago Cubs are an American Major League Baseball franchise on the North Side of

Chicago, Illinois.  They are a member of the National League Central division, first established in

1871, and have not won a World Series in 106 years, the longest recorded losing stretch of any

major North American professional sports team.

The first page of the original U.S. Constitution.

T h e s e a l o f C o r n e l l University.

Credit Suisse headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland.

Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.

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Cynicism: Originally a school of thought in ancient Greek philosophy that posited a purpose of life

found in virtue and agreement with nature and the rejection of conventional desires such as

wealth, power, sex and fame.  Cynicism experienced a surge in popularity with the rise of Imperial

Rome in the 1st century, and faded out as the 5th century progressed.  By the 19th century, the

term had come to refer to the emphasis of the negative aspects of life and a general disbelief in

the goodness or sincerity of human actions and motives.

Denial of Death: A 1973 work of philosophy and psychology by Ernest Becker, and the winner of the

1974 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-fiction, which builds upon the philosophies of Kierkegaard,

Freud, and Rank.  The basic premise posits that human civilization is ultimately an elaborate and

symbolic defense against the knowledge of our own morality, which in turn serves as an emotional

and intellectual response to our basic survival mechanisms, and that human life embodies a

functional duality between the physical world and the symbolic world of human meaning.

Diane Keaton: American film actress, director, producer, and screenwriter.   Her first major role

was her appearance as Kay Adams-Corleone in The Godfather (1972), followed by many

collaborations with actor-director Woody Allen in the 1970s.  Of these, her performance in Annie

Hall (1977) won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1977.

Equinox: An equinox is an astronomical event in which the plane of the Earth’s equator passes the

center of the sun, or the moments at which the Sun’s apparent longitude reaches 0° or 180°, and

are the only times during the year when the Sun is at zenith over (directly above) the equator.  Equinoxes occur twice each year, in March and September.

Fennel: An aromatic European plant related to parsley, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves.

Indigenous to the Mediterranean, it is a hardy, perennial herb that is often used in cooking and

medicine.

Fulbright: The Fulbright Program, founded in 1946, consists of highly competitive, merit-based

grants for international educational exchange for students, teachers, professionals, scientists,

and artists.   It is generally recognized as one of the most prestigious awards worldwide, and

operates in over 155 countries.   Fulbright alumni include 53 winners of the Nobel Prize, and 78

winners of the Pulitzer Prize.

Actress Diane Keaton with Woody Allen in Play It Again, Sam (1969-70).

Fennel in flower.

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Giselle: The title character of a romantic ballet, first performed in Paris in 1841 with Italian

ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle. Giselle is a peasant girl who dies of a broken heart after

discovering her love’s betrothal to another woman. A group of supernatural women, the Wilis, who

dance men to death, summon Giselle from her grave to target her former lover, but Giselle’s

overwhelming love helps him to escape.

Goldman Sachs: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., is an American multinational investment

banking firm that specializes in global investment banking, securities, investment management,

and other financial services primarily geared toward institutional clients. Founded in 1869,

Godman Sachs is headquartered in Lower Manhattan, New York City.

Gourmet Garage: A privately owned mini-chain of specialty and natural food markets in New York

City, with six locations across Manhattan.

Hamas: A Palestinian Islamic organization with an associate military wing known as the Izz ad-

Din al-Qassam Brigades. Founded in 1988 as a descendant of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood soon

after the First Intifada, Hamas was created to liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation and

establish an Islamic state in the region that consists of modern day Israel, the West Bank, and the

Gaza Strip. The military wing of Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the

European Union, Canada, Israel, Egypt, Japan, and the U.S., known for the use of tactics including

suicide bombings and rocket attacks. Their attacks on civilians have been designated as war

crimes and crimes against humanity by the Human Rights Watch.

Hanif Saeed: Fictional Muslim artist and sculptor.

Hitchens: Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was a British author, literary critic, and journalist

who contributed numerous books and essays to a range of subjects, including politics, literature,

and religion. His confrontational style as a frequent figure on talk shows and lecture circuits make

him both a lauded and controversial contributor.

Carlotta Grisi as Giselle, 1841.

Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Gourmet Garage.

Chr is topher H i tchens speaking in Las Vegas, 2007.

Ibn Arabi: Andalusion Sufi mystic, poet and philosopher who lived in the 12th and 13th centuries.  He is regarded by some Sufi practitioners as a saint, though Muslim scholars have been

traditionally and vehemently polarized on the topic.

Islamo-fascism: A controversial neologism based on clerical fascism, which draws parallels

between the ideologies of specific Islamist movements and many European fascist movements of

the early 20th century, as well as neofascist movements and totalitarianism. It is often used to

describe Islamist extremists, including al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hesbollah. The term has been

heavily criticized by scholars and historians, many of whom consider it to be historically

inaccurate and simplistic.

Jordanian: Of or relating to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, an Arab kingdom in western Asia,

located on the east bank of the Jordan River and bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Israel and

Palestine.

Kissinger: Henry Kissinger (1923) is an American diplomat and political scientist, who served as

National Security Advisor and later as concurrent Secretary of State in the Nixon and Ford

Administrations.  He played a key role in U.S. foreign policy from 1969 to 1977, during which he

pioneered the détente policy with the Soviet Union, facilitated the opening of relations with the

People’s Republic of China, and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords to end American involvement

in the Vietnam War.  His Realpolitik diplomacy, which is concerned with balances of power rather

than ideological or moral premises, fueled many controversial policies, including CIA involvement

in Chile in 1970 and support of Pakistan, despite their involvement in genocidal activities during

the Bangladesh War in 1971.

Knicks: The New York Knickerbockers are a professional basketball team based in Manhattan, New

York City. They were established in 1946, and are in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference

of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

27

La Tur: La Tur is an Italian cheese from the wine region of Piemonte, consisting of a creamy blend of

pasteurized cow, goat, and sheep milk. It is noted for an earthy, full flavor and lingering lactic tang,

and for its runny, moist, cakey texture.

Ibn Arabi, Sufi mystic, poet, philosopher, and Islamic scholar.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, 2009.

Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Knicks since 1968.

La Tur cheese.

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Lipitor: Also known as Atorvastatin, Lipitor is a statin drug, used primarily to lower blood

cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.  It works by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, a liver

enzyme that helps produce cholesterol in the body.

Macallan: The Macallan distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in Craigellachie,

Moray, Scotland.  Very fancy.

Magnolia Bakery: A chain of bakeries founded in 1996 in New York City, known particularly for its

desserts, especially cupcakes.

Martin Amis: English novelist best known for the novels Money (1984) and London Fields (1989).  He received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his memoir Experience and has been listed for

the Booker Prize twice.   His work focuses on the apparent excesses of late-capitalist Western

society, is noted as a master of what the New York Times has dubbed “the new unpleasantness”,

and has been named by The Times as one of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.

Mogul: The Mogul Empire was established and ruled by a Persianate dynasty of Chagatai Turco-

Mongol origin that extended over large parts of India and Afghanistan.   The beginning of the

empire is generally traced to 1526 when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last ruler of the Delhi

Sultanate, in the First Battle of Panipat.  The Mogul Empire balanced and pacified local societies

through new administrative practices and diverse and inclusive ruling elites, fostering a

systematic, centralized, and uniform rule. By the mid-18th century the Mogul Empire had been

largely dissolved by Marathas military victories and subsequent dissatisfaction with its

administrative and economic systems, leading to declarations of independence from many of its

former provinces.   The final Mogul ruler, Bahadur Shah II, had authority only over the city of

Shahjahanabad; he supported the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and upon its defeat, was tried for

treason by the British East India Company, imprisoned, and exiled to Rangoon, while the remnants

of the Mogul Empire were taken over by the British.

The Macallan distillery in Moray, Scotland.

The Magnolia Bakery at 401 Bleecker Street, New York City.

Novelist Martin Amis, 2014.

The Mogul Empire at its greatest extent, 1707.

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Moisés Alou: Dominican American former Major League Baseball outfielder, who played 17

seasons in the National League.  He was involved in the 2003 Steve Bartman incident in Game 6

of the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins, in which Cubs fan Steve

Bartman deflected a foul ball, preventing Alou from making a possible catch and out.  The Cubs

went on to lose the series in seven games, and the Steve Bartman incident is often identified as

the turning point toward defeat.

Mujahideen: The plural form of the term mujahid, meaning one who participates in jihad, referring

to the guerrilla-type military warfare led by the Muslim Afghan warriors in the Soviet invasion of

Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.

Mulla Sadra: Iranian Shia Islamic philosopher and theologian and ulama, or recognized scholar of

the Islamic religious sciences who lived from 1571/2 – 1640. He is considered a master of the

Illuminationist school of philosophy, who created a major transition in Islamic philosophy form

essentialism to existentialism.  His main work is The Transcendent Theosophy in the Four Journeys

of the Intellect, and he is generally regarded as one of the most influential Muslim philosophers of

the last four hundred years.

Moor: A member of an Islamic people of Berber or Arab descent who ruled Spain and parts of

northwestern Africa from the 8th to the 15th centuries; the term is sometimes inaccurately applied

to refer to anyone of Muslim, Middle Eastern or African descent.

Netanyahu: Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu (1949-) is the current Prime Minister of Israel, a position

to which he has been elected four times, and the only Israeli Prime Minister in history to be elected

three times in a row.  Currently, he is the second-longest serving Prime Minister in Israel’s history,

and will hold the record upon completion of his current term.

Orientalism: A term often used by literary and cultural scholars and art historians meaning the

imitation or depictions of cultural aspects traditional to the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, and/or

East Asia.   The publication of Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978) sparked a general usage of the

term as a description of patronizing Western attitudes toward Middle Eastern, North African, and

Asian societies.

Cubs outfielder Moises Alou hits a home run against the Cincinnati Reds, 2004.

Entrance to Mulla Sadra’s home in Kahak.   A Farsi sentence above the door reads: “The house of the wise, Mulla Sadra”.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister of Israel.

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Paella: A traditional Spanish dish that originated in Valencian communities, and which can trace

its roots to the mid-19th century.   There are numerous types of and recipes for paella, but the

original Valencian paella consists of white rice, green beans, meat (such as chicken or rabbit),

white beans, snails, and seasonings such as saffron and rosemary.  Most paellas use calasparra

or bomba rice, and all paellas use olive oil.

Pamplona: The historical capital city of Navarre, Spain, perhaps most famous for the annual

running of the bulls during the San Fermin festival in July, and brought to literary fame in Ernest

Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises (1926).

Patriot Act: The USA PATRIOT (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools

Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) Act is an Act of Congress signed into law by

President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001, to strengthen security controls after the September

11th attacks by legalizing aggressive methods of information acquisition regarding suspected

terrorist activities including indefinite detentions of immigrants, great freedom to search homes

and businesses, and the expanded use of National Security Letters which allow the FBI to search

telephone, e-mail, and financial records without a court order. Many provisions in the Patriot Act

have since expired or been amended, but in May, 2011, President Barack Obama signed the

PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 which authorizes a four-year extension of three key

provisions: roving wiretaps, searches of business records, and surveillance of individuals

suspected of terrorist-related activities, but not linked to any particular terrorist group.

Punjabi: The Punjabis are an ethnic group of Indo-Aryan peoples originating from the Punjab

region, located in present day Pakistan and northern India.   “Punjab” means “land of five

waters,” and traditional Punjab identity is linked to a linguistic, geographical, and cultural

identity, rather than to any race, creed, religion, or language. Traditional Punjabi identity included

many clans as well as those who did not belong to any historical tribe, making community

building and cohesiveness the generalized pillars of Punjabi society.

Tradit ional Valencian paella.

The Punjab region of India.

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Rumi: Jalᾱl ad-Dῑn Muhammad Rῡmῑ (1207-1273) was a 13th century Persian poet, jurist,

Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic, whose spiritual legacy largely transcends national

borders and ethnic divisions.  One of Rumi’s major themes includes the concept of tawhid—union

with his primal root, from which/whom he has been separated and become aloof—and the

longing and desire to restore it. He also passionately believed in music, poetry and dance as a

path by which to reach God.

September 11th: The September 11th attacks were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks

against U.S. symbolic landmarks perpetrated by Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda on the morning

of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  Four passenger airplanes, all departing from the east coast of

the United States and bound for California, were hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists intending to fly

the planes into buildings.  Two planes respectively crashed into the North and South towers of the

World Trade Center complex in New York City; one plane crashed into the Pentagon, the

headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia; and a fourth plane crashed

into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempted to overpower the

hijackers.  The combined attacks claimed a total of 2,996 lives, and the collective event marks the

deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in U.S. history.  The U.S. responded

to the attacks by launching the War on Terror and invading Afghanistan in order to depose the

Taliban, known for harboring al-Qaeda leadership.

Seville: The capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Andalusia and the province

of Seville, Spain, and the fourth largest city in the country.  Seville has a rich cultural history, and

was incorporated under Muslim rule in the years 712-1248, when it was taken over by Ferdinand

III and the Kingdom of Castile.   After the discovery of the Americas, Seville grew into one of the

Spanish Empire’s economic centers, largely monopolizing trans-oceanic trade and heralding a

Golden Age of arts and literature that eventually declined during the 17th century.   Ferdinand

Magellan also notably departed from Seville to undertake the first circumnavigation of the globe in

1519.

Sothi Sikander: Fictional artist.

Artistic depiction of Rumi from a book of poetry, 1980.

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South Park: American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone in 1997 that

depicts the bizarre adventures of four boys (Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny

McCormick) in South Park, Colorado, and has come to be down for crude language, dark

situations, and surreal humor that satirizes a massive range of cultural and political topics.  South Park is currently the third longest-running animated series in the U.S., outpaced only by

The Simpsons and Arthur.

The Times: A British daily newspaper founded in 1785 and based in London.  It was the first paper

to include “Times” in its name, originated the Times New Roman typeface, and is widely respected

as an important and responsible reporter of public affairs, politics, and world events.

WASP: An acronym for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, the informal and sometimes derogatory term

for a generalized high-status and influential group of Americans widely believed to control a

disproportionate amount of wealth, social and political power, and educational opportunities

within the United States.

Woody Allen: Heywood “Woody” Allen (1935- ) is an American actor, writer, director, comedian and

playwright often identified as part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmakers who emerged in

1960s and 1970s.   He often directs and stars in his own films, typically as the insecure,

intellectual character that he developed as a comedian.  He has been nominated for 24 Academy

Awards, winning three for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Director, and holds more

screenwriting Academy Award nominations than any other writer in history.

RELIGION

Angel Gabriel: Among the Abrahamic religions, which include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and

the Bahá’i Faith (among many others), the Angel Gabriel is an angel who typically serves as a

messenger sent from God to particular people.   In Islam, Gabriel in considered to be one of the

four archangels whom God sent to various prophets, including Muhammad, with divine messages.

In the Christian Bible, Gabriel appears in the Old Testament as a messenger to the prophet Daniel

to explain his visions, and appears twice in the New Testament Gospel of Luke to foretell the

respective births of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Title card from season 17 of South Park, featuring Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman.

Front page of The Times from December 4, 1788.

Woody Allen, 1970s.

Depiction of the Angel Gabriel from the 12th century, on display at the Georgian National Museum.

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Apostate: One who has formally renounced or abandoned a religion.   The term is also often broadly applied to the act of

embracing an opinion contrary to one’s prior beliefs.

Bible: A collection of sacred texts to the Jewish and Christian faiths.  The Bible of Judaism, often generally referred to as

the Hebrew Bible, is a collection of 24 books divided into the Torah (teaching or instruction), Nevi’im (prophets), and the

Ketuvim (writings), and originally written in Hebrew with some Aramaic.  The Christian Bible ranges from 66 books in the

Protestant canon to 81 books in the canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.  Generally, the first portion of the Christian

Bible is known as the Old Testament which contains the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, divided and rearranged into 39

books.  The second portion of the Christian Bible is the New Testament, consisting of 27 books (four Canonical gospels, the

Acts of the Apostles, 21 Epistles or didactic letters, and the Book of Revelation), originally written in Koine Greek, and

detailing the life and teachings of Jesus.

Fundamentalism: A term indicating an unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs, often applied to a broad

tendency among certain groups, particularly religious groups, to adhere to a strict literalism regarding specific ideologies,

and a strong related sense of ingroup and outgroup distinctions.  Fundamentalism often includes an emphasis on a return

to a previous ideal from which humankind has strayed, and when used as a pejorative term, can also incorporate a rejection

of diverse opinions and/or strict, limited interpretations of meaning.

Imam: An Islamic leadership position, most commonly used to describe a worship leader of a mosque and a Sunni Muslim

community.  A branch of the Shi’a Muslim tradition utilizes a more central meaning of the word derived from the concept of

Imamah, in which the Twelve Imams represent the spiritual and political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad,

and are regarded as exemplary individuals charged with guiding the community as well as keeping and interpreting sharia

(the Islamic legal system derived from the religious precepts of Islam) and the esoteric meaning of the Quran.

Islam: The Muslim religion, a monotheistic faith believed to be revealed through Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah (God).  Can also refer to the Muslim world as a geo-cultural entity.

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Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was an American religious leader and founder of

Mormonism and the Church of Christ, later renamed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints.   At age 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon, an English translation of a book of

golden plates inscribed with the words of a buried Judeo-Christian history of an ancient American

civilization that he was directed to find by the angel Moroni.   In 1831, Smith and his followers

moved west to build a communalistic society.   After a long series of moves and violent

altercations, he was killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, while imprisoned after destroying a

newspaper that criticized his power and the Mormon practice of polygamy.  Five men were tried for

Kufi: A kufi or kufi cap is a rounded, short, brimless cap worn by men in many areas of Africa and

Asia, throughout the African diaspora, and Canada. It is part of the national costume for most

countries in West Africa and, although traditionally Islamic, is worn by many ethnic and

geographical groups.   Many older men wear a kufi to symbolize their status as wise elders,

religious people, or family patriarchs.

Mormonism: The religious tradition of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Latter

Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity.  Founded by Joseph Smith in Upstate New York

during the 1820s, after his death, most Mormons followed Brigham Young on a westward journey

to Utah Territory, where a large population remains in and around present-day Salt Lake City. Their

name is derived from the Book of Mormon, the primary religious text of the Mormon faith.  There

are independent denominations of Mormonism that are not part of the LDS church, including

Mormon fundamentalism, which maintains practices and doctrines that were formally abandoned

(such as polygamy), and cultural Mormonism, which embraces a lifestyle identified and promoted

by Mormon institutions, but may not necessarily embrace the theology of Mormonism as a faith.

Moroni: According to the Book of Mormon, Moroni was the last Nephite prophet, historian, and

military commander who lived in the Americas during the late 4th and early 5th centuries.   He

became the Angel Moroni, who presented the golden plates to Joseph Smith, from which Smith

translated the Book of Mormon.

Painting of Joseph Smith by Bathsheba W. Smith, c. 1843.

The late President Umaru Ya r ’ A d u a o f N i g e r i a wearing a crown style kufi.

Statue of the Angel Moroni on top of the temple in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Matthew B. Brown.

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Muslim: A practitioner of the religion of Islam, a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion based on

the Quran, regarded as the teachings of God as revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Muslim belief holds that God or Allah (in Arabic) is eternal, transcendent, incomparable, and self-

sustaining; that Islam is the complete and universal faith that was revealed through numerous

prophets including Abraham, Moses, Ishmael, and Jesus; that the messages of the Prophets have

been partially changed and/or corrupted over time; and that the Quran is the final unaltered

revelation from God (The Final Testament).   The Five Pillars of Islam, which describe Muslim

religious practices, are declaration of faith (shahadah), daily prayers (salat), fasting during the

Islamic month of Ramadan (sawm), almsgiving (zakat), and a pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least

once in a lifetime. Sunni Muslims account for 75-90% of the world’s Muslim population, Shia

Muslims comprise 10-20%, and Ahmadiyya Muslims account for approximately 1%.  Today, there

are approximately 1.6 billion followers of Islam around the world (nearly one-quarter of the world’s

population), and it counts as the second-largest and one of the fastest-growing world religions.

The Prophet: A reference to Muhammad, founder of Islam and considered by Muslims to be the

last prophet sent to mankind by God, in order to restore Islam.

Rabbi: In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah or the Pentateuch, the central reference of the

religious Judaic tradition that consists of the foundational narrative of the Jewish faith, imparts

instruction and offers a way of life embodied in a set of moral and religious obligations and civil

laws for those who follow it.

Siva: Siva or Shiva, also known as Mahadeva, is one of the main deities of Hinduism.   Siva is

regarded as limitless, transcendent, benevolent and fearsome, and often depicted with a third eye

on his forehead, the snake Vasuki around his neck, adorned by the crescent moon, and with the

holy river Ganga flowing from his hair, the trishula as his weapon and the damaru as his musical

instrument.

Muhammad: Muhammad (570 CE – 632 AD) is generally considered to be the founder of Islam,

and almost universally considered by Muslims to have been the last prophet sent to mankind by

God to restore Islam.  By his death in 632 AD, Muhammad had reorganized Arabia (the Arabian

Peninsula) into a single unity, and his teachings and practice along with the Quran, which

Muslims believe was revealed to him by God, form the basis of Islamic religious belief and law.

Calligraphic representation of Muhammad’s name, fol lowed by his t i t le “Apostle of God”, inscribed on the gates of Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (The Mosque of the Prophet) in Medina.

Sculpture of Siva with a moustache, on display at t h e A r c h a e o l o g i c a l Museum in Goa, India.

Talmud: Also traditionally referred to as Shas, the Talmud (meaning “instruction” in Hebrew) is a central text of Rabbinic

Judaism, generally regarded as the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century AD. The Talmud consists of the

Mishnah, a written compendium of the Oral Torah of Rabbinic Judaism, and the Gemara, explanations of the Mishnah and

related Tannaitic writings that describe other subjects and broadly discusses the Hebrew Bible.  The entire Talmud contains

63 tractates, is written in Tannaitic Hebrew and Aramaic, and contains the teachings of thousands of pre-Christian Era

rabbis regarding law, ethics, philosophy, customs, history, and lore, among many other things.  The Talmud is also the basis

of Jewish law.

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