Conference to Discuss ‘Diverse Approaches to Quranic Studies in Western Academy’
The conference will be hosted by George Washington University, Washington DC, on September 25.
It is cosponsored by George Washington University’s Department of Religion and the Department of Theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.
According to NAAIMS’s website, Quranic studies in Western universities enjoy numerous research avenues: From studying Quranic manuscripts to the ways in which the Internet serves as a space in which Muslims engage with understanding and interpreting the Quran. This “interpretive” space includes such social media platforms as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook (including online lessons from ulema in mosques).
Who decides what constitute proper approaches to Quranic studies, and by what criteria are methodologies determined?”
Questions that the papers might address include, but are not limited to the following:
- What Determines the Course Outline for Quranic Studies in the Western Academy?
- What Determines the Curricula for Quranic Studies in Muslim-Majority Nations from the Middle East, Africa to Central Asia, and the South Asian Republics?
- What Roles do Social Media Platforms Play in Understanding the Quran?
- How has Digitization of Texts Affected the Field of Quranic Studies?
- What Discoveries have been made in the Study of Quranic Manuscripts?
- How do Faith-based Approaches Differ from Academic Approaches in Quranic Studies?
- Who are Some of the Contemporary Figures Whose Work has had a Major Impact on the Field of Quranic studies in the Western academy, and How have their Approaches to the Field been shaped by their Pre-commitments?
