Paper short abstract:

In this contribution I reflect on three different dimensions of collaborative curation and ‘the curatorial’ as part of my ongoing research project on Muslim everyday life and digital media practices in German-speaking post-migrant contexts.

Paper long abstract:

In this contribution I reflect on different concepts of collaborative curation and ‘the curatorial’ as part of my ongoing research project on Muslim everyday life and digital media practices in German-speaking post-migrant contexts. I employ the ideas of co-curating and 'the curatorial' across three overarching methodological dimensions. Firstly, I examine everyday curatorial practice manifested in social media profiles, exploring the multimodal representations individuals and groups choose to curate within their profiles, considering their connection to the inherent power structures of the platforms and algorithms. The second curatorial dimension involves my participation in the co-curation of the Instagram-profile _hashtagIslam as part of a team ethnographic approach (Ahmad et al. 2023). Within this framework, we collaboratively curate thematic posts and stories, that aligh with our respective research objectives. The third dimension of applying co-curating as a method pertains to reflections on the multimodal exhibition project "Muslim*Present", which took place in Cologne in June and July 2023. This project took the form of an intervention in public space and on social media as part of the larger exhibition entitled "The Entire Story Starts Where". All three dimensions of multimodal co-curatorial practice must be viewed as a relational and ethical practice of care, drawing inspiration from the traditions of black and indigenous curators and scholars.