From Sufi Poetry to Hip Hop: A Cultural History of the Islamic World
Taught by Labiba Ali
Labiba Ali was raised in Bangladesh and after a twelve-year corporate career in New York is now pursuing a Masters in South Asian Studies where she researches society and culture through the lens of dress history. She loves anything to do with the cultural arts and spends a large part of her free time devouring all the culture New York has to offer from Korean art to Caribbean food. She is the founder editor of the blogzine, creativeBangladesh.
This class will explore the many ways in which people in the Islamic world (both Muslims and non-Muslims) have expressed themselves culturally over the past 1400 years.
By looking at poetry, literature, music, dance, theater, art and film, we will discover the many cultures and experiences that form the Islamic world. Along the way we will meet Persian Sufi poets, Bengali folk musicians, Andalusian artisans, Kashmiri rappers and Indonesian puppeteers. We will journey from 7th century Arabia to contemporary India to better understand the arts and culture of the Islamic world.
