In the last five hundred years, the world has become increasingly interconnected due to a range of technological, economic, political, and cultural processes. European civilizations are often positioned as the primary engines of these developments, resulting in a skewed and imbalanced historical narrative. Indeed, powerful multiethnic and multilingual Muslim empires spanning three continents—Africa, Asia, and Europe—have also been engines of significant change. In partnership with Primary Source, we explore the histories, legacies, and artistic contributions of global Muslim communities in the age of empire, steam, and print using a range of objects in the Museum’s collection. Throughout the session, which includes tours of the MFA’s galleries, Dr. Nadirah Mansour, assistant curator of Islamic Art, leads conversation around innovative and nuanced approaches to the comparative study of Muslim societies. A scholar overview (including Ottoman and Safavid content) also grounds the discussion, as well as advanced readings and discussion questions covering multiple empires. PDPs are available through Primary Source.

Please note tickets can not be refunded and are nontransferable.