Webinar Initiative inISLAMIC MATERIAL CULTURE

The Universität Bonn (Bethany Walker), the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (Andreas Kaplony), the NYU in New York (Abigail Balbale), and Universität Hamburg (Stefan Heidemann) are co-operating in setting up a series of webinars in Archaeology of the Middle East, Arabic Papyrology, Islamic Arts and Material Culture, and Numismatics of the Middle East. This is the Webinar Initiative in Islamic Material Culture.

We can look back on a long history (at least in terms of internet history) in giving webinars dealing with many different topics and highlighting various aspects of Islamic Material Culture.

Due to our proven expertise and experience in Islamic Material Culture we are able to offer the students deep insights broad knowledge in the field.

Apart from that, the major advantage of the webinar is its international character. Students and scholars from all over the world are able to join the classes. It is not only a platform for bringing together different mindsets and approaches but also for establishing new networks.

Alongside students of Islamic Studies, History, Art History and Archaeology of the Middle East interested graduates from other fields are welcome as well to participate and enrich our classes.

We are looking forward to having new interesting classes and fruitful discussions!

The "Program in Islamic Material Culture” addresses the problematic situation of the field and attempts to find practical and fruitful solutions for this state. Material culture is becoming increasingly important for the study of the history and culture of the Middle East. This is especially true for the early and middle Islamic periods where literary sources are rarer. This makes the information provided by the study of material culture even more valuable for our understanding. At the same time, however, the knowledge of the various subjects of material culture is thinly spread among the universities and only few students have the interest and the abilities to engage in the study of material culture in the Middle East.

In this sense, the "Program in Islamic Material Culture" and the Webinar Initiative are a reaction to this state of the field. The aim is to broaden the field and to establish a network among students and researchers from various countries.

The program offers four courses spread over two academic years and brings together four leading scholars from different backgrounds, i.e. papyrology, numismatics, material culture and art, and archaeology, in one joint program. 

Material culture is becoming progressively more important in the study of the history and culture of the Middle East in the Early and Middle Islamic periods. Certainly, material culture overlaps with the study of Islamic art, which focuses primarily on aesthetic and artistic development.

Many museums all over the world have impressive collections of Islamic Material Culture and Art that offer valuable insights in the history and culture of the Middle East. Among them are e.g.

The David Collection in Copenhagen

The Louvre Museum in Paris

The Pergamonmuseum in Berlin

The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London

The Islamic Museum of Australia in Melbourne

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

The British Museum in London

Spoken and written proficiency in English language is required for all webinars.

In general, all webinars are open to advanced students in B.A., M.A., and PhD programs of Islamic studies, historians, art historians, and archaeologists of the Middle East and to professionals working within the respective field.

All participants need a computer, a reliable internet access, and a headset. In a personal online short skype interview, we will check whether all technical assets are working.

Participants from other universities than Universität Hamburg, Universität Bonn, LMU and Bard Graduate Center are welcome and have to apply with a short CV and a motivation letter in English.

It may be that some webinars have additional requirements. Please check the respective webinar's description.