Category Rand
During our Skype session, Riz Ahmed said that, “We need to represent every type of Muslim.” This was my point of departure for the Muslim pop culture intervention assignment. I wanted to steer away from the Muslim subject as… Continue Reading →
So far, we have discussed many artworks that target audiences in Arab states, yet these same artworks reverberate across the world resulting in various responses. Throughout our course, I have become increasingly disenchanted with notions of the ‘global’ and artists… Continue Reading →
For those who don’t know, Rotana Tarabzouni is a Saudi singer that burst into the music scene in 2015. Originally from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Rotana shot to stardom while studying at USC in Los Angeles. Similar to examples that we… Continue Reading →
#IslamophobiaIsRacism Syllabus Several scholars from various disciplines have recently published the Islamophobia is Racism Syllabus, following syllabi such as the Ferguson Syllabus and Black Islam Syllabus. The syllabus acts as an academic riposte to the anti-Muslim ban, but also countless… Continue Reading →
In Afghanistan, bacha bazi is a dancing boy, usually from a poor family, that is recruited by older, richer men to dress as a women. Typically, the boys would be sexually exploited and paid handsomely. My primary question in writing… Continue Reading →
Tamara Abdul Hadi is an Iraqi-Candian artist and photojournalist, whose recent photograph series entitled ‘Picture This’ is an attempt to deconstruct Western stereotypes of Arab men. Abdul Hadi highlights that a primary motivator for her work has been her own… Continue Reading →
“Say Bismillah and dive right in.” Ishqr.com, formerly known as HipsterShaadi.com, is a matchmaking website for ‘hipster Muslims’. Created by Muslim-Americans, the website aims to bridge the gap between dating cultures of Muslim parents and those of their Muslim-American children…. Continue Reading →
Watching this video, you know who the designated enemy is: The Israeli occupation army. Yet, Residente (lead vocalist of Calle 13) does not make it so simple. His lyrics do not vilify one group of people, but rather acknowledges… Continue Reading →
New video by Syrian-American Mona Haydar, in which she reprimands those who critique and exoticize the hijab. Surrounded by hijabis of various backgrounds, she provides a powerful visual and aural rebuttal to those who simplify the hijab and… Continue Reading →
The last time I was in Iraq, my uncle just learned that his wife is pregnant with twins. This last week, I visited to find these twins to be grown 15 year old teenagers. It’s been 15 years since I… Continue Reading →