Sacred Scrolls and Fickle Fools: The House of Wisdom Crisis in the Caliph's Court
Background Guide coming soon!
Over a thousand years ago, House of Wisdom stood as a beacon of knowledge in the Abbasid Caliphate for scholars across the Old World, drawing from a vast array of academic texts from as far as Persia, Greece, and India. However, not everyone shared in the same enthusiasm for the institute; religious leaders found the translation of foreign philosophies as anti-Islamic, and military elites found the distillation of fields such as alchemy and physics to the public a potential threat to their power. Even so, despite the Court’s stance still uncertain and under debate, the House of Wisdom has already begun to cement itself as the ideological core of the empire, with innovations in medicine, astronomy, theology and more already rapid. Furthermore, while the Court continues to squabble over the validity of these developments, other nations have already begun to take notice and covet the newfound knowledge stirring in the library. With envious foes looming on the horizon and fearful skeptics within the Caliphate itself, will the Court be able to come to a consensus on the House of Wisdom and stand against threats both foreign and domestic? Delegates in this committee will serve as members of the Caliph’s Court, each representing various aspects and peoples of Abbasid society. Ranging from the intellectual class of researchers and engineers to the conservative factions of diplomats and generals, delegates will represent a vastly diverse and nuanced landscape of views regarding both the House of Wisdom itself and the ideals contained and created within. It will be up to delegates to determine if the institution has any place in the Caliphate's future, all the while managing the response and potential backlash of both the Abbasid public and foreign world leaders after each decision made and directive passed.
MAANAS SHAH
ChairHello everyone! My name is Maanas (he/him/his) and I’m a fourth-year from Pleasanton, California majoring in Computer Science with minors in Physics and Data Science. This will be my 10th year in MUN, having done competed somewhat on and off at conferences since 6th grade, and over the years it has grown to become one of the most influential aspects of my time here at Berkeley. I’m can't wait to staff and run this committee alongside Anushka, and I hope you will find its topic as interesting as we do! I've always been fond of court and council type comittees since I believe the dynamics allow for some very interesteding debate (and very fun crisis shenanigans) and I think the "Book of Forbidden Knowledge" will definitely force the court onto their feet very quickly! We can’t wait to see what innovative solutions you guys develop to tackle the otherworldly problem at hand, and what equally mystical hijinks of your own design we’ll see as a result of your crisis arcs! Outside of MUN, I love both playing and designing board games and video games; from quick 30 minute party games to massive day-long strategy marathons, I will take any chance I can get to wrangle my friends into my latest unwise financial decision. Feel free to email me at maanas_shah@berkeley.edu for any committe related questions or to just chat about board games or game design!
Best,MAANAS SHAH
Chair, Sacred Scrolls and Fickle Fools: The House of Wisdom Crisis in the Caliph's Court
ANUSHKA RAJASEKHAR
Crisis DirectorWelcome to the Quill and Crescent Committee! I’m Anushka, a third-year at UC Berkeley studying Geophysics and Philosophy, and I’m thrilled to be your Crisis Director. I have been dabbling in Model UN since middle school, and joined UCBMUN in my freshman year. Outside of MUN, I enjoy reading classical and philosophical texts, baking, going on tea crawls, and shopping for items I don't need. I’m excited to see how you channel the ideas of philosophers, scientists, and writers to tackle the crisis ahead. Think critically, question deeply, and let your characters come alive.
Best,ANUSHKA RAJASEKHAR
Crisis Director, Sacred Scrolls and Fickle Fools: The House of Wisdom Crisis in the Caliph's Court