Short Abstract:

This workshop discusses the changing accessibility and visibility of (European) Muslim heritage, including archival heritage, popular culture, public space, tourism and heritage sites and representations of heritage in mass media, schoolbooks, and the internet.

Long Abstract:

While right-wing populists and parties gain support all over Europe with their claim that Islam does not “belong” to European societies, profound historical research has of course given evidence that Islam – or more precisely Muslim traditions, cultures and peoples – has played and continues to play a crucial role in European history. Nevertheless, the significance of Islam for the constitution of the continent’s social, cultural, economic and political life is often neglected and not adequately represented. A key issue in the ignorance about Europe’s Muslim traditions is the limited accessibility and visibility of European Muslim heritage. In recent years, this field has become more contested, with change agents on the one hand, who seek to promote the visibility of Islam and Muslim history in Europe, and deniers on the other hand, who reject all Islamic elements as what they label as “foreign intrusions”. In addition to these public negotiations, economic aspects of globalization, such as halal tourism, modest fashion or religious music, promote Muslim heritage and Muslim spaces as an economic asset.

The workshop is open for presentations on research in/about archives, museums, public space, popular culture, heritage sites and more broadly representations of history and heritage in entertainment, mass media, education, schoolbooks and online spaces.

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