Aga Khan University's Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations

16/10/2026

The Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations is delighted to welcome the DISTERRA network to the Aga Khan Centre for a Photographic Exhibition and Film Event.

On 6th November, they will bring together artists, filmmakers, and academics from Karachi and Paris for an evening of photography, film, and conversation.

Organized by "DISTERRA: Terrains of Disappearance", an AHRC-funded network, led by Nichola Khan and Zoha Waseem, the event will showcase original works by
Khaula Jamil,
Nadir Siddiqui,
Dr Orson Nava, Alee Baluch, Maria Patel, and Adeela Suleman, including two original documentary films from Paris and Karachi.

Through these works and the conversations they inspire, they will explore the intersections of climate change, armed conflict, and migration in Pakistan and Europe. We hope you’ll join us for an evening of compelling art and thoughtful discussion.

The event is free and open to all, but registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/disterra-terrains-of-disappearance-tickets-2002402670290

05/10/2026

AKU-ISMC’s Sevgi Adak presented on the emergence of women’s health advocacy in Turkey and its role in the legalization of abortion at the Reproductive Politics in the Atlantic Space conference in Ljubljana. The paper showed how women’s rights activists’ work shaped public policy and paved the way for abortion reform. Adak’s research demonstrates how women’s rights claims can gain public and political legitimacy at a time when reproductive rights remain contested around the world.

28/09/2026

Join Us for the Arabic Pasts Workshop!

Explore history writing in Arabic across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond, from the 7th century to today.

We’ll tackle questions like: Who does history represent, and how? How does poetry shape our understanding of the past? What traces of past times survived to influence later societies?

8-9 October 2026
Aga Khan Centre, London (In-person)

Book your place—visit https://shorturl.at/2ragj

The full programme can be found here - https://shorturl.at/ZOfyj

25/03/2026

To learn more, click here [https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/khamseen/topics/2026/the-fortifications-of-medieval-cairo/] for Professor Pradines’ talk on ‘The Fortification of Medieval Cairo’.

The discovery of the remains of Cairo's medieval walls was a stroke of luck. Learn about how excavation work to create a new park took an unexpected archaeological turn with Dr. Stéphane Pradines! https://myumi.ch/qZ7xg

Image: Fatimid walls, Cairo, 11th-12th centuries. © Stéphane Pradines, 2009.

04/03/2026

March is Women’s History Month, and this coming Sunday is International Women’s Day. Purple is International Women’s Day’s official colour - and ISMC decided to start wearing it early. In fact, why not the whole month! It’s also a good period to stop and reflect on all of the incredible women who have made our history.

23/02/2026

In the next instalment of ISMC’s Living and n the Digital World, Dr Lucas Chancel talks about how energy and inequality are fueling both resentment and climate change. Join us in-person or online on 11 March. Register now: https://www.aku.edu/ismc/events/pages/event-detail.aspx?EventID=2924&Title=Can%20we%20build%20a%20fairer%20world%20without%20destroying%20the%20planet?

19/02/2026

The February instalment of AKU-ISMC’s Living in the Digital World Series featured Dr Glaire Anderson talking about the interface of Islamic art and architecture and computer gaming. civilisations

05/02/2026

Interested in the work of KITAB Transform and / or what to get involved? Got to https://kitab-project.org/about/

02/02/2026

AKU-ISMC’s Walid Ghali represented the university at the Middle East Librarians MELA / MELCOM conference in Cairo last week. He presented a paper entitled: 'An Egyptian Pioneer on Fatimid Literature: ambiguous authority record'.

27/01/2026

Register now for Islamic Art & Architecture at Play on 18 February: https://www.aku.edu/ismc/events/pages/event-detail.aspx?EventID=2920&Title=Islamic%20Art%20&%20Architecture%20at%20Play