Speculative Fiction from the Middle East

On Thursday 19 September, five speculative short videos from the Middle East will have their premiere in The Netherlands. What is speculative fiction, why are academics interested in it and what is happening in the Middle East in this respect?

Judith Naeff • September 10, 2019

Silk Road Cities

The exhibition Silk Road Cities features Islamic architectural monuments in major urban centres along the Silk Roads in Central Asia, documented through vintage photographs, prints and postcards. Opening on 5 September.

Gabrielle van den Berg and Elena Paskaleva • August 30, 2019

Turkey beyond Partisanship

In a dramatic re-run, the citizens of Istanbul recently elected the opposition’s candidate as their new mayor. “The era of partisanship will end!” was one of his slogans. A Turkey beyond authoritarianism and populism depends on ending partisan politics.

Alp Yenen • June 26, 2019

The Governor's Orders: Part One

What did the Arab conquests of Egypt mean for the average Egyptian villager? This story takes place a few years after 700, in the countryside of Middle Egypt. It’s based on a Coptic document that belonged to the Arab-Muslim government.

Eline Scheerlinck • June 20, 2019 • 1 comment

Verwar wetenschappelijke correctheid niet met politieke correctheid

Toen drie antropologen in 2018 kritiek uitten op het proefschrift van Mohammed Soroush over salafistische jongeren in Nederland bestempelde Gert Jan Geling hun reactie als politiek correct. Onterecht: hun betoog ging over wetenschappelijke correctheid.

Jasmijn Rana • June 06, 2019

Chopping Off Hands and Other Colonial Stereotypes

Sanne Ravensbergen looks at 'penghulus,' Islamic advisors to Dutch judges in colonial Java. The Dutch fostered an image of the penghulu as an old, passive official whose only advice was to chop off a hand, but actual case files paint a subtler picture.

Sanne Ravensbergen • May 16, 2019

Hoe halal is deze kip?

Halal producten worden overal verkocht, maar wanneer is voedsel eigenlijk halal? Nathal Dessing duikt in de wereld van halal kip en ziet hoe het eindproduct tot stand komt door een samenspel van islam, Nederlandse wetgeving, commercie en klantvertrouwen.

Nathal Dessing • April 12, 2019 • 5 comments

Ziek, zwak en misselijk: Hulpbrieven uit middeleeuws Egypte

In brieven uit middeleeuws Egypte beschrijven mensen hun problemen en vragen ze om hulp. Op het eerste gezicht schetsen zij een grimmige wereld waar de willekeur overheerst. Tegelijkertijd verraadt het stramien van de brieven toch een zekere vastigheid.

Petra Sijpesteijn • March 28, 2019 • 2 comments

The Hyper-Normalisation of Islamophobia and Radicalisation in an Age of Uncertainty

In his forthcoming book, Tahir Abbas explores the intensifying symbiotic intersections between Islamophobia and radicalisation. His blog offers a preliminary look into this vicious cycle that permeates Western societies today.

Tahir Abbas • March 15, 2019