Comparative Institutions of Rank

Outline the mechanics of the 'Keju' imperial examination system and the social structure of the scholar-official class in Song and Ming China.

Analyze the stated Confucian ideals and philosophical justifications for the Keju system using translated excerpts from primary sources.

Describe the basis of the Ulama's authority in the Abbasid Caliphate and their relationship with the Caliph, based on scholarly overviews and translated primary sources.

Describe the theoretical separation of duties and status among the Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya castes based on an analysis of the 'Manusmriti'.

Evaluate the Brahmin caste, as depicted in the 'Manusmriti', as a social institution designed to separate high rank from direct political and economic power.

Contrast the ideal of the caste system with its historical application and social consequences using a modern scholarly critique.

Analyze the role and status of the Samurai class in Tokugawa Japan, using texts on 'Bushidō' to explain the creation of a non-monetary value system for the ruling elite.

Synthesize how the distinct forms of status held by Chinese Scholar-Officials, Islamic Ulama, and Japanese Samurai allowed them to counterbalance political and economic power.