Shelley's Sacred Geography

Exploring Islamic Influences in Percy Shelley's Poetry

from Shelley's Revolt of Islam notebooks, Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Shelley adds. e. 10

The Keats-Shelley Association of America is excited to announce the return of its virtual event series with a fascinating double feature exploring the intersection of Romantic poetry and Islamic thought.

Featured Speakers

Sarah Copsey Alsader, from the University of Kent, and Suleiman Ramzi Hodali, from the University of California, Los Angeles, will speak separately and in conversation to map "Percy Shelley's Sacred Geography," plotting the Islamic influences that were integral, and not accidental, to Shelley's poetry.

Sarah Copsey Alsader is completing her thesis, Discourses of Islam in British Romantic Poetry, at the University of Kent. Her interdisciplinary research draws upon philosophy, theology and Islamic studies as well as literary studies, using these to trace the common genealogies of diverse metaphysical structures of feeling across times and places. She has published research in Studies in Romanticism and a teaching syllabus online at "Undisciplining the Victorian Classroom," as well as discussed Romanticism and Arabic heritage on a TV programme for the Arabic channel MBC.

Suleiman Ramzi Hodali is completing his doctoral dissertation, "Romantic Crusades": Holy Wars in Philology, Translation, and Empire, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). This project brings together materials from the annals of literary, missionary, and colonial archives to provide a cultural and intellectual history of 'the crusades' in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Recent and forthcoming publications can be found in such journals and magazines as Studies in Romanticism, Ebb Magazine, South Atlantic Quarterly, and Political Concepts.

Why This Matters

This event promises to broaden our understanding of Shelley's work by highlighting the cross-cultural connections that enriched his poetry. For students, scholars, and enthusiasts of Romantic literature, this talk will offer valuable insights into the complex geographical and poetic terrain in the Romantic period.

Event Details

Friday November 22nd, 2024
11:30 am - 1 pm EST

How to Participate

Registration is required for this virtual event. Secure your spot by completing the registration form!

About K-SAA Virtual Events

The K-SAA virtual event series provides an accessible platform for scholars worldwide to share their research and engage with the international community of Romantic studies. The return of this series signals our continued commitment to fostering dialogue and making academic discussions available to a global audience.

Join us as we explore new territories in Romantic studies and uncover the rich tapestry of influences that shaped Percy Shelley's poetic imagination.