Project on Shi'ism & Global Affairs Seminar (Zoom)
Date and Time
Location
"Studying the Philosophy and Meaning of Ashura in Academia: Historical and Contemporary Issues"
Attend this event via Zoom (advance registration required)
Speakers:
Syed Akbar Hyder, Associate Professor of Asian Studies and Islamic Studies, University of Texas at Austin.
Karen Ruffle, Associate Professor of History of Religions and the Study of Religion, University of Toronto.
Nicholas Boylston, Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, Seattle University.
Moderator:
Payam Mohseni, Director, Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs. Lecturer on Government, Department of Government, Harvard University.
Contact:
Payam Mohseni
pmohseni@fas.harvard.edu
This event is online only. Please click the "Read More" link for full instructions on how to attend this seminar.
Online Access Information:
To join by computer:
https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_puq0Uw_JQ3-MoTD_Rbr74Q
Please note: This event requires registration in advance in order to receive the meeting link and password.
Abstract:
Within academia, there has been much research done on Ashura and its centrality in Shi’a Islam. However much of the field has focused on particular communal or ritual manifestations with less emphasis on the rich philosophical and theological interpretations of Imam Hussain’s life and legacy found in diverse Muslim societies throughout time. To move the literature forward, this panel addresses the question: how can the philosophy of Ashura and the values underpinning Imam Hussain’s actions be more deeply understood and investigated in academia from various disciplinary approaches? How can we study the values, meanings, and philosophy of Ashura? What is the field of Islamic or regional studies lacking in this regard and what can we do as scholars and academics to help rectify these challenges in the state of the field?