UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #682

Submission information
Submission Number: 682
Submission ID: 14031
Submission UUID: 861ad98c-af23-44ff-88e0-196891a89054

Created: Wed, 07/17/2024 - 11:42 AM
Completed: Wed, 07/17/2024 - 12:33 PM
Changed: Sun, 08/25/2024 - 10:10 PM

Remote IP address: 68.35.251.119
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Scott Bursey
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns He, They, Bro
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? n/a
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) rsb20cg@fsu.edu
Position Title Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name John Kelsay
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email jkelsay@fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Religion
Headshot (optional) ScoBur - Summer.png
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project The Artillery of Heaven: Contemporary Islamist and their Writings, a Translation Project
Project Keywords Arabic; Jihad; Theology; Middle East; Translation
Are you currently looking for research assistants? Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Arabic, Middle Eastern Studies, Linguistics, Computer Science
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Fully Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5-10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description Have you ever tried to think like a terrorist? Even just for a moment, to crawl into their mind and see how the most heinous and evil acts are justified? Well, if you choose to work with me, you will get that chance. The goal of this project is to review a number of books I have translated from Arabic to English, by the Egyptian Islamist author Muḥammad Quṭb (1919-2014). If this name is new to you, it’s because he is radically understudied, and this dearth of research is doubly concerning as he was also the personal theology teacher to Osama Bin Laden. Muḥammad Quṭb was a man who much more than just a master orator, university professor, philosopher, prodigious author, and religious scholar. Muhammad Qutb’s religious zeal instilled in a young Bin Laden an unyielding desire to defend Islam no matter the cost, with violence as the primary means of affecting change. Although it was Bin Laden’s hand upon the sword used to commit acts of terror all over the world, it was the crucible of Muhammad Qutb’s fiery rhetoric, canonical interpretations, and juridical rulings which forged and tempered his weapon. Given the pre-eminence of Muhammad Qutb’s influences on contemporary terrorists, why is it that Muhammad Qutb remains ignored and virtually absent from historical accounts of radicalized Saudi youth, including and notably Osama Bin Laden, who went on to found international terror organizations? Moreover, Muḥammad Quṭb’s forty-five monographs have ensured the endurance of his dogmatic theological interpretations of Islamic scripture and jurisprudence. We need look no further than the Dark Web to find a new generation of radicalized youth who distribute and venerate his works on Daesh (Islamic State) recruitment sites. These sites have radicalized Canadians like Farah Mohamed Shirdon, who left his home in Calgary to fight for the Islamic State, citing the work of Muḥammad Quṭb as his inspiration. If you choose to work with me, we will explore his influence over a generation of international Islamist fighters through his academic production – you will get a chance to crawl into the mind of a terrorist and see how it ticks.
Research Tasks Research tasks will include scanning source material, manipulating that material in OCR software, proof reading of translations already completed, and working directly within LLM’s to train them to assist with translations (from Arabic to English).
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: knowledge of Arabic language and grammar (basic-intermediate)
Recommended: Basic background in computer science with a general knowledge of modern middle Eastern history
Mentoring Philosophy A traditional Mentor/Student relationship goes back several thousands of years. For example, in traditional Islamic education system the system of ‘ustadh’ / ‘talib’ or ‘Teacher’ / ‘Student’ was the fundamental basis of the educational system. This system is based on mutual trust and reciprocity between the teacher and the student, and the teacher is vested in the success of the student as if it is his/her own success. Undergraduate research mentorship study is still one of those educational endeavors where there is an opportunity for a close mentor relationship in all aspects of the educational and personal development of the mentee. Successful mentorship of students is critical in the long-term success of mentee in their career whether it is in academia, industry or entrepreneurship. My approach to mentorship involves six basic principles (i) Educational traineeship (ii) Personal Development (iii) Creation of opportunities (iv) Mutual Respect (v) Setting up Clear Expectations (vi) Shared values.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://scottbursey.com/
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links Round table One: September 3rd, 2-2:30pm (URL: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/4799312972 | [Meeting ID: 479 931 2972])
Round table Two: September 5th, 2-2:30pm (URL: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/4799312972 | [Meeting ID: 479 931 2972])



Roundtable Info
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation Yes
Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series? Yes
Year 2024
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