ReSIA: (Research Seminar in Islamic Art)

Founder and Convenor: Anna Contadini, Professor of the History of Islamic Art.

SOAS, University of London, Department of Art and Archaeology (School of Arts).

ReSIA was founded in 2003 in response to the urgent need to promote cutting-edge research in the arts, architecture and archaeology of the Islamic lands. Against the familiar landscape of the evening lecture that presents art-historical themes in a traditional, largely Eurocentric form and does not stimulate critical debate, ReSIA seeks to re-examine current orthodoxies, often through a decolonising lens, and to disseminate fresh ideas.

From the beginning, ReSIA has encouraged new approaches to research, embracing not only historical alongside contemporary topics but also intellectual history. It provides a platform for young as well as established researchers and has often bridged the gap between history and art by bringing together historians of art and artists.

ReSIA has grown over the years and now attracts a wide, international audience that engages in lively debate during the question session that follows the presentation. It is now exploiting the technical opportunities of recording and uploading in order to make use of the SOAS YouTube channel for wider dissemination.