{"word_count": 319, "character_count": 2140}
MUSA Workshop – Negotiating TechnologiesJointly organized by SOAS, CEIAS (EHESS), Paris &#38; the Centre of South Asian Studies, CambridgeDate: 14 &#38; 15 October 2016Venue: Trinity College, University of CambridgeDeadline for abstract submissions: 15 July 2016The Muslim South Asia Research Forum (MUSA), a young scholar network based at SOAS, is organizing a workshop on "Negotiating Technologies", to be held on October 14th and 15th, 2016 at the University of Cambridge.This workshop will look at the multiple facets of technology among Muslims in South Asia. Technologies contribute to reshaping our material environment as well as our sense of self and the way we relate to others. While scholars have often examined the role of political, cultural, and religious changes in the way Muslims defined themselves as Muslims, they have paid less attention to the impact of technological change on ‘Muslim societies’ and identities. This workshop aims to look at the different ways in which South Asian Muslims (broadly defined) have used, produced and ‘negotiated’ technologies in their daily lives and how these technologies shape their environment, their sense of self and their interactions with the wider world. Moreover, it aims to take into account the recent developments in the field of science and technology studies which have had an impact across social sciences. One may think for instance of the works on ‘everyday technology’ as well as Latour’s contested discussion on modernity, based on the distinction between ‘nature’ and ‘culture’, ‘human’ and ‘non-human’. By facilitating a conversation among researchers of different disciplinary backgrounds on how South Asian Muslims negotiated technologies, we hope to offer fresh perspectives on the study of Muslim societies as well as contribute to cultural studies and to the field of science and technology studies.For more details, please read the call for papers in attachment. If you are interested in participating, please send 300-word abstract along with a CV tomusa@soas.ac.uk before July 15th, 2016.For more on MUSA: https://www.soas.ac.uk/south-asia-institute/musa/