It’s been another busy month at ISMC. Our faculty continued to engage with a number of contemporary and historical academic issues as they travelled to the Netherlands and Sweden to share their expertise.
Closer to home, the library continued to be a focal point for literature as well-known children’s author, Elizabeth Laird read from her latest book.
Find out more about this month’s highlights at 210 Euston Road in the round-up below.
Academics
Associate Professor Dr Sarah Savant delivered four lectures and five master classes at Leiden University’s Centre for the Study of Islam and Society. In her lectures, she shared insights from her KITAB initiative, an online toolbox for scholars of ancient Arabic literature. During the sessions, Dr Savant emphasised the liquidity of the written tradition in Arabic and how texts were frequently reused in the period between 750AD to 1500AD to form new literary works. She added that this willingness to reuse previously published texts helped explain many separate phenomena that are often discussed among scholars.
Informing policy
ISMC Director Dr Leif Stenberg flew to Sweden to participate in a meeting of an advisory board to Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom. Dr Stenberg, an expert in the culture and politics of modern Islamic societies, is using his knowledge to inform Sweden’s work on the Security Council of the United Nations.
Literary events
The Institute’s library collaborated with the Aga Khan Museum (UK Patrons Chapter) to organise a reading of the book, Two Crafty Jackals: The Animal Fables of Kalilah and Dimnah. A packed house saw author Elizabeth Laird who read from her latest book and signed copies for an eager audience.