The National College of Arts hosted a thought provoking seminar titled “Between Pakistan and Iraq: A Research Journey about Lives in Islam in the Shadow of the War on Terror.” The session was led by Dr. Alix Philippon, a distinguished anthropologist known for her extensive ethnographic research on Islam, Sufism, and political identities in South and West Asia.
Dr. Philippon shared insights from her 25 year research journey, which explores the lived experiences of Muslims navigating faith, politics, and belonging in the post 9/11 world. Her talk delved into Sufi revivalism, shrine culture, and the intersections of religion and politics across Pakistan and Iraq. Drawing from fieldwork with diverse communities; from pirs to protest movements, she highlighted how Sufi spaces continue to foster coexistence and resilience in the face of global and local pressures.
The seminar offered students and faculty an engaging exploration of how ethnography can illuminate the complexity of contemporary Muslim societies. It concluded with a lively discussion on the role of anthropology in understanding religious life amid geopolitical conflict.
