Practicing "Blickwechsel": Entangled Perspectives on Theory, Arts and History in the Field of Arabic Literary Studies / AGYA - International Bilingual Summer School, 22.09. - 24.09. 2017, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Basic data for this project

Description

The summer school project "Arabische Philologien im Blickwechsel / نحو دراسات عربية برؤى متعددة" has a twofold agenda: to facilitate the systematic exchange of perspectives and experiences between scholars based in the West (Germany in particular) and in the Arab world, and to foster the use of Arabic as an academic language. Addressing young scholars (Phd students, postdocs) in the field of Arabic literary studies based in Germany and other European countries and the Arab world, it provides them the opportunity to present their own research in an international academic context, to discuss current, innovative approaches to Arabic philology, literature and culture, and to practice the respective foreign language (English or Arabic). The German metaphor "Blickwechsel", as discussed by Hans Belting (2008), is crucial to both the concept of the summer school project as a whole and the topic of this particular summer school. It comprises a twofold dimension, i.e. the exchange of academic knowledge and the change of one's own academic perspective. Such an "entangled perspective" invites to collaborative knowledge production and academic self-reflection. In accordance to this approach, the thematic focus of this year's summer school is laid on entanglements, as expressed by the concept "Blickwechsel". In recent years, a wide range of academic disciplines have tried thoroughly to overcome culturalist, nationalist and hegemonic perspectives and to focus instead on transfer, collaboration and entanglements in history, culture and arts. The concept of "entangled history", in addition, emphasizes the importance of circulation, exchange and flow of knowledge between communities, nations and empires. The AGYA summer school addresses young scholars (PhD students and postdocs) in the field of Arabic Literary Studies, both classic and modern, in a wide sense (including arts, history, philosophy etc.) to discuss various dimensions of "Blickwechsel" that are part of their research. In the framework of the summer school, each young scholar will have the opportunity to present and discuss intensively his/her project in small working groups. In addition, all participants will discuss in plenary sessions theoretical approaches based on selected Arabic and English texts that will be provided by the organizers beforehand. The summer school is organized by AGYA members Bilal Orfali (American University of Beirut) and Barbara Winckler (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster), in cooperation with Christian Junge (Philipps-Universität Marburg). It is part of the research projects of the Arab German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA).