Prompt:  Agree, disagree, or modify this thesis:

By creating space for heterodoxy (eg alternative belief systems), the Islamic Caliphates of the Middle Ages (600-1200AD) managed to increase trade, benefit from technological innovation, and maintain a strong state.

Format:
4-5 pages double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font. No title page, just a simple title up top and your name & pg numbers in the header. Citations should be Chicago style, which just means that you use footnotes instead of parenthetical citations. Proofread.

Strong essays will do more than just highlight lecture notes and thinkspace material. They will demonstrate that you have engaged with authors from this unit (Johnson, Laine, Hodgson, Patterns). Do not write about Turkey or Rojava today; focus on the Middle Ages (and you can change the thesis to include E. and W. Rome if you want).