What is it about?
Duncan Black Macdonald (1863–1943), a Scottish Presbyterian cleric who spent most of his life in Hartford, Connecticut, is primarily remembered today as one of the pioneers of Arabic and Islamic studies in the United States. Macdonald regarded Ignaz Goldziher (1850–1921) as his unrivaled master, whose influence he acknowledged without reservation and whose judicious remarks he could always rely on. Goldziher, widely considered the founder of Islamic studies in Europe, was also an exceptional teacher, highly attentive to the needs of his diverse students from Hungary and abroad. His dedication to passing on knowledge aligned with Macdonald’s deep need for a mentor—a sentiment clearly expressed in their letters, providing a vivid record of their relationship together with the subjects of their research.
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Why is it important?
The correspondence is unique not only because Macdonald was among Goldziher's most frequent correspondents of Goldziher but also because he complied with the request of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences by sending to it in 1933 the letters he had received from Goldziher.
Perspectives
While reading the letters and writing the article, I found it illuminating to observe the development of a true friendship between these two scholars, which undoubtedly influenced and enriched their scholarly work.
Kinga Dévényi
Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: “Your unconscious personal influence started me on my course”: On the Correspondence of Ignaz Goldziher and Duncan B. Macdonald, February 2024, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004690592_004.
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