The Muslim Protagonist: Art as Protest

February 27 - March 1

The Muslim Protagonist is an annual literary symposium of Muslim and minority writers, artists, and thinkers at Columbia University, hosted by the Columbia Muslim Students Association (MSA) and opened to participants of all backgrounds, ages, faiths, and cultures as a means of facilitating dialogue, networking, and inspirational as well as practical tools for pursuing "literature as an agent of social, intellectual, and spiritual change." The event is not an event exclusively for Muslims, "minorities," or Columbia students/faculty - everyone is welcome.

In its third year, The Muslim Protagonist will build on the previous years' remarkable successes and delve deeper into the issue of marginalized narratives in and outside of Muslim communities in a unique and thoughtful way, bringing together writers from diverse communities in America. This year's theme, "Art as Protest," will feature discussions surrounding art and literature as agents of socio-political, intellectual, and spiritual change. We will be examining questions such as: What does it mean to produce and interpret non-canonical literature? What does it mean to be a subject, a citizen, a community member, an artist, and a protagonist? What roles do literary and artistic works play in the charged political climate dominating our world today? What role have they played historically for Muslims in and outside of modern America, and what lessons if any do they provide us with today? What is at stake in producing work that disrupts dominant narratives?

To learn more and to purchase tickets click here.

Sponsored by the Muslim Protagonist Planning Committee comprised of undergraduate and graduate students at Columbia University, as well as alumni.