Date: 12, 19, and 26 September 2022

Venue: Online (via Zoom)

Organized by: Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC)

This is a three-day online course that addresses the many new expressions of mass mediated creative arts that make reference to Islam. These expressions may be motivated by a wish to express an Islamic interpretation or spirituality, but they may also be for other reasons, such as from anti-racism or critical perspectives. Muslims, as well as non-Muslims, take part in this ongoing art making process. By looking into a number of exciting and intriguing case-studies, and by combining this with the latest theoretical ideas in the field, this course aims to enable participants to individually analyze and comprehend contemporary creativity in relation to Islam.

Schedule

– The Islamic Discourse on Art and Creativity
Monday 12 September 2022 (13:30 – 16:00)

– Gender and Artistry
Monday 19 September 2022 (13:30 – 16:00)

– What Are the Limits of Creativity in Relation to Islam?
Monday 26 September 2022 (13:30 – 16:00)

Course Convenor

Professor Jonas Otterbeck is a specialist on contemporary Islam. He is Head of Research at the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations (AKU-ISMC) and the current holder of the Rasul-Walker Chair in Popular Culture in Islam. The three main topics of his research are Islamic views on music, Muslims in Europe, and contemporary Islamic ideas. Theoretically, he has worked within gender, culture, and religious studies. In August 2021, Otterbeck’s new book The Awakening of Islamic Pop Music was published by Edinburgh University Press, and his current research is on creativity and Islam.

Source: The Aga Khan University